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Head Start Centers
Head Start and Early Head Start provides services in Transylvania and Henderson Counties for 335 children from the ages of birth to five years old. Enrollees are served in eight different centers in Henderson County and two centers in Brevard.
Five of the centers utilize Wrap-Around services which lengthen the classroom day and months of the year if needed, to provide child care for parents of children who are working or in job related training. Parents pay for Wrap-Around fees on a sliding scale basis. There is, however, no charge for participation in Head Start or Early Head Start.
HOME-BASED PROGRAM
Children are visited in their homes on a weekly basis from September through May by a teacher who works with the Head Start child and the parent, as well as other family members. Home-based children are also given opportunities to visit centers for socialization experiences. The eligibility criteria, including age and family income, is the same as for enrollees in a Head Start center. Currently, 80 home-based children, ages 0 – 5, are served in Transylvania and Henderson Counties.Children enrolled in the home-based program are from families who 1) live in remote areas of the two counties (therefore making it difficult to be transported daily to a center) or 2) prefer to keep their children at home during their preschool years.
More-at-Four
More-at-Four Program Center services are extended for 92 four year old children in Henderson County by the State Pre-School Program. These services operate six hours per day for the school year. Staff in these classrooms have a minimum AA degree and must be working toward a B-K degree.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Head Start children in both center and home-base programs receive comprehensive services of education, social service, parent involvement, nutrition and health. Parents are involved in all facets of the program.
The 80% federal funds allocated to operate Head Start programs must be matched by 20% non-federal resources. The non-federal match is typically provided by services of volunteers and donations from individuals, churches and civic groups, etc.
The WCCA Board of Directors and the Head Start Policy Council share decision-making about various aspects of the Head Start program to include approval of: 1) procedures for program planning and the annual funding applications, 2) short-term and long-term program goals, and 3) procedures for resolution of community concerns.
ABOUT THE STAFF
This department has the largest number of staff members due to the size of the program which brings to mind the saying “It takes a village to raise a child”. Each classroom has a teacher and teacher's assistant, as well as a center director. Meals for the Henderson County centers are prepared in our newest center at King Creek by a cook and delivered to the centers. There is a bus driver and bus assistant for the Head Start school bus. There are eight home-base teachers, a home-base supervisor/disabilities coordinator, a nutritional specialist/nurse and assistant, a volunteer coordinator, and volunteer center aides, as well as building janitors. Family services are provided by two family workers and a fatherhood initiative coordinator under a family services coordinator. An educational coordinator and administrative assistant works closely with the program director. Volunteers are an essential member of this team.
Click here to download the Head Start Application.
FUNDING SOURCE: U.S. Department of Health and Human Services
State of North Carolina
Henderson and Transylvania Counties
Community Foundation
