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Head Start

"What the wisest parents want for their child,
the community should require."  

John Dewey, American Philosopher

The Head Start Program is CAP's longest operating and largest program.  Head Start provides comprehensive services to  families with children ages three through five.  Head Start was one of the cornerstones of the War on Poverty.  Over the years, numerous  evaluation studies have  noted the effectiveness of the program.  In Lancaster County the program currently serves over 800 children.  Head Start has 15 centers and serves families in every part of Lancaster City and County.  The Head Start program is funded directly by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

Educational Services

Head Start provides both center based and home based, age appropriate activities in a responsive learning environment. Parents are encouraged to volunteer in the classroom with their children.  Classrooms are located throughout Lancaster City and County and in rural areas, educational activities occur in the family's home.  In the home-based program, home visitors visit a participating family's home weekly to work with the parents in teaching them to become the child's prime educator.  The program also offers full-day, full year center-based services for families who are working and require child care.

The program utilizes three delivery models.  First, the traditional center-based approach includes full day programs for working parents, the part-day, part year program, and the extended day program which provides six hours of programming for children per day.  Second, the home-based program provides services to families who reside in remote, rural areas of Lancaster County and can not be served by a center based program because of transportation difficulties.  Finally, the program has just initiated its Child Care partnership program which provides services to children in commercial or non-profit child care centers.

All of the other Head Start services are provided to all families, regardless of the type of model in which they are enrolled.

Nutrition

The Head Start program provides nutritious meals to children attending centers. In addition, staff works with parents to provide then with valuable nutrition education materials helping them to plan menus and stretch the family's food dollar.

Health

All children received comprehensive medical and dental screenings as well as necessary follow up treatment when problems are discovered.  The program strives to insure that each child receives all recommended immunizations. The program also emphasizes prevention through the education of parents.  Mental health needs of both the child and the family are also addresses as well as any special need of children with disabilities.  Ten percent of the children served must be children with disabilities.

Social Services and Parent Involvement

The basic philosophy of the Head Start program is that parents should be involved in all aspects of the program.  From volunteering in classrooms to participating in the planning and implementation of the program and selecting program staff, Head Start insures that parents are an integral part of the program.  Head Start aims to show parents the importance of being closely involved in the education of their children.

In addition, under the Social Services component, parents are provided with access to a wide range of community services.  These services move families toward great self-sufficiency by seeking to improve their educational and employment skills, resolve health problems, and help them find better housing.

Transportation

The Head Start program provides transportation services to all children attending centers as well as to parents requiring transportation for health and human services appointments.

If you would like further information on Head Start email cmagel@caplanc.org or call 1 800.732.0018 or 299.7301.

Volunteer and In-Kind donation opportunities:

The Head start grant requires that the agency provides a local matching share of at least 20% of the total federal grant.  In terms of dollars, that is over $1 million in volunteer time and donated goods and services. The Head Start program has many opportunities for volunteers in the classrooms and in other programmatic activities.  In addition, the program needs donations of goods and services such as classroom supplies, mental and physical health services (especially dental services).  If you wish to volunteer or provide donated goods or services, contact Carole Magel at 299-7301 or e-mail her at cmagel@caplanc.org.

New Head Start Centers:

CAP has recently completed an upgrading of a number of its Head Start centers throughout Lancaster County

At left is a view of the new Kroehler-Jacobus Center classroom at located at Cigar Place on South Lime Street in Lancaster. This is located on the ground floor of the Apartments at Cigar Place, a multi-family affordable housing project developed by SACA Development.

The new CAP main office at 601 South Queen Street also contains new child care and Head Start classrooms.

Finally, at left is a picture of the new Columbia Center, opened in 2002.

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