What is Head Start at Diman-Wolf ECC?
Head Start is a federally-funded child development/preschool program serving low-income children and families. Nearly one million American children are currently enrolled in Head Start programs.
The MAISD partners with area school districts to serve 666 children throughout Muskegon and Oceana counties. The program’s main goal is to provide a high-quality, comprehensive preschool program and thus help prepare our community’s children for success in school and in life. Research shows that learning and development during the years from birth to age five are critical to a child’s future success.
How to know if your child qualifies
Children qualify for Head Start in a number of ways:
A child must be age three or four as of December 1st of the school year.
The family receives certain types of public support for the child (such as TANF or FIP payment, SSI payments, SNAP etc.)
Foster children
A child qualifies under the federal definition of homeless
Up to ten percent of enrolled children may be “over-income”
Rather than trying to figure out whether your child qualifies, speaking with a Head Start staff member is best. The rules can be confusing, and if your child does not qualify for Head Start, staff may be able to refer you to other preschool programs. Please call the DWECC front office at 873-6330 for more information.
What happens in Head Start programming?
Based on research and decades of experience, Head Start activities focus on eight domains: Language Development, Literacy, Mathematics, Science, Creative Arts, Social & Emotional Development, and Physical Health & Development. All Head Start classrooms use Creative Curriculum for Preschool, a scientifically-based curriculum, along with an internet-based child assessment system to measure progress and make program improvements. In addition to focusing efforts on these domains, the Head Start program dedicates significant efforts to involving parents in activities, including multiple home visits and parent-teacher conferences. The program also includes nutrition, mental health, health care, and dental visits.
Please call the Diman-Wolf ECC front office for more information on programs available to your child. Interested parents may call: 873-6330 for more information.