52nd ANNUAL REPORT
NOVEMBER 2017
Education Services
During the 2016-2017 school year we provided educational services to 341 children in our six centers and our Home Based option. These centers included: Chestertown, Lake Luzerne, Queensbury, Warrensburg, SUNY Adirondack and Glens Falls. Our SUNY Adirondack site served Infants and Toddlers through our Early Head Start grant and is currently accredited through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The children that attend the SUNY Adirondack Center are children of SUNY students.
All Teachers meet Head Start and Early Head Start qualifications with 89% possessing a Bachelor’s or Master’s Degree. All Assistant Teachers either possess or are in the process of obtaining a Child Development Associate (CDA). Each classroom staff member creates a professional development plan that is used to guide training. Training for education staff at all levels is ongoing. Training opportunities for education staff are varied through our own Head Start program, Region II and AEYC.
Five of the nine school districts in our service area now offer Universal Pre-Kindergarten. One district offers a locally funded pre-kindergarten program. We continue to build collaborations in all districts by networking with Pre-K and Kindergarten teachers, and sharing training. We are in our sixth year of providing UPK services with Glens Falls City School district, for fifteen dually enrolled children.
Formal Memorandums of Understanding have been established with all of the districts that offer UPK, and we will continue to build our collaborations in all of these school districts. Additionally, we have formal Transition Agreements with all of the districts in our service area to provide such activities as; Head Start children visiting Kindergarten classrooms, story hours, art and music activities, and providing parents the opportunity to attend meetings and training in regard to school readiness.
Home Based
Creative Curriculum is used for Head Start. In Early Head StartPartners for a Healthy Baby Curriculumand Creative Curriculum are utilized. Home Based Visitors offer a 1.5 hour visit per child per week. For example, we have families with 2 children in our Home Based Program, therefore they are offered 3 hours in home visits each week. We also offered a total of 22 Play Groups. These Play Groups were held at our Glens Falls Center and SUNY Adirondack Center. They also included field trips to the Warrensburg Fire House, local parks and libraries, and the Saratoga Children’s Museum.
Curriculum and Child Outcomes
Our Head Start and Early Head Start curriculums are based on the Head Start Program Performance Standards and early childhood development principals and are utilized for children ages birth through five. The Creative Curriculum by Teaching Strategies, is our evidence based published curriculum and with the accompanying assessment system is aligned with our school readiness goals, the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Frameworkand NY State Pre-K Learning Standards. Teachers and Home Based Visitors use Teaching Strategies GOLD for lesson planning, recording child observations, and generating outcomes data. Through Teaching Strategies GOLD, Teachers and Home Based Visitors use a developmental continuum, along with observations and work samplings to measure each child’s progress and aid them in planning. This system also enables teachers to share with parents their child’s progress in a clear and informative manner.
The Teaching Strategies GOLD assessment system measures the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that are most predictive of school success. Full reports are kept on file.
The following information presents assessment data gathered in the Fall and Spring of the 2016-17 school year.
From the data collected the program can conclude that progress was made in all developmental areas from Fall to Spring. The areas of development that made the greatest gains from Fall to Spring were Social/Emotional, Literacy, and Math.
Upon reviewing data in regards to school readiness goals for children transitioning to Kindergarten, it was found that 89% had met or exceeded expectations in all areas of child development.
Disabilities Services
Two hundred fifty-seven children were enrolled in the Head Start program and eighty-four were enrolled in the Early Head Start program during the 2016 - 2017 school year.
Head Start programs are required to reserve 10 % of enrollment opportunities for children with disabilities. A total of 64 Head Start children and 16 Early Head Start children received some type of special education services during the school year. These numbers equate to 25% of Head Start children and 19% of Early Head Start children receiving special education services. 47 children were referred for evaluations during the year, 35 children qualified for services, 6 children did not qualify for services, 4 children’s parents declined to continue with the evaluation process and 2 children are still in the process.
Pre-school aged children with disabilities attend Head Start in classrooms with their typically developing peers. Therapy services are provided to children at the center or in their homes, depending on the parents’ preference. Children receive speech, occupational and physical therapy as well as special education itinerant teacher services and psychological consultation services.
We have continued our collaboration with Prospect and the Center for Disabilities to serve children with disabilities in an inclusion classroom at our Queensbury Center. Seven children were dually enrolled during the 16-17 school year. Both Head Start and Prospect provided teachers and assistants to effectively support all children.
Mental Health Services
Warren County Head Start contracted with Osika & Scarano Psychological Services, P.C. for the 2016-2017 school year to provide mental health consultation and ongoing services for parents, staff, and children.
13 parents consulted with Osika & Scarano Psychological Services, P.C. about concerns with their children. 40 children were referred for counseling to Osika & Scarano Psychological Services and of those 40 children, 17 of them received ongoing counseling.
The Ages and Stages Questionnaire: Social Emotional Second Edition (ASQ:SE-2) is used by teachers to screen the social-emotional development of both are Early Head Start and Head Start children. The screening provides the teacher information on possible needs for Mental Health referral and/or provides information to support the teacher in planning for classroom.
Health Services
Head Start and Early Head Start provide hearing and vision screenings within the first 45 days of enrollment. A child’s vision changes rapidly during their early years. Fourteen children received glasses and several other children are being monitored by a specialist for possible concerns. Children’s hearing is also screened as hearing is essential for normal speech and language development. Head Start has partnered with the Hearing Center of Glens Falls Hospital to assist families in obtaining hearing evaluations for children who have been referred as a result of the hearing screening performed by Head Start. Ten children have received treatment for their hearing concerns.
Head Start assists families in obtaining health insurance as well as assisting with medical follow-up as needed.
Children with Health Insurance
Type of Insurance / At Enrollment / End of School YearMedicaid / 292 / 306
Private / 24 / 29
None / 20 / 5*
Warren County Head Start has a great collaboration with facilitated enrollment specialists throughout Warren County. As a result of these collaborations several children have obtained insurance.
*Children who left the program before insurance information could be obtained.
As a result of the collaborative efforts children enrolled in Head Start and Early Head Start received continuous accessible health care.
Children with Continuous Accessible Health Care
Children with Continuous Accessible Dental Care
Nutrition Services
Warren County Head Start participates in several programs that promote good health and nutrition. We participate in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP). The goal of CACFP is to improve the health and nutrition of children and adults enrolled in day care. CACFP also promotes good eating habits and nutrition education. We also participate in the Eat Well Play Hard program. This program was developed to help prevent childhood obesity and reduce long-term risks for chronic disease through the promotion of targeted dietary practices and increased physical activity. Poor nutrition and inadequate physical activity combined are the second most preventable actual cause of death in the USA. Being active builds healthy muscles, strengthens bones and helps maintain a healthy weight. Italso reduces the risk of diabetes, heart attack and high blood pressure.
Family Services
Program Option / Funded Enrollment / Total Children Served / Total Families servedHead Start / 216 / 257 / 244
Early Head Start / 66 / 84 / 79
Total / 282 / 341 / 323
Warren County Head Start processed over 400 applications during the 2016-2017 program year. There were a total of 323families served, with 257 Head Start children, and 88 Early Head Start children and pregnant women enrolled during the year. The average monthly enrollment for Head Start and Early Head Start was100% of funded enrollment.
The majority of the families served were income eligible, (either based on income or categorically eligible based on status as a Foster child or homeless status).
HEAD START / EARLY HEAD STARTType of eligibility / % Enrolled
Income below 100% of Federal Guideline / 76%
Eligible at 100% to 130% of Federal Guideline / 13%
Over income but Categorically Eligible / 1%
Over income / 10%
Every family in Head Start has a Family Worker or Home Based Visitor who serves as a single point of contact to connect them with all of the comprehensive services that Head Start provides.
Upon enrollment in the program, every family in Head Start is offered the opportunity to sit with their Family Worker or Home Based Visitor and complete the Family Partnership Agreement. This process helps families identify their goals, and is an important step in building a relationship with their Family Worker. During the 2016-17 school year, Family Workers and Home Based Visitors helped 184families set their own personal or family goals in areas such as Adult Education, Financial Literacy, Employment, Parent Involvement and Housing. The Family Workers also usedthe Family Strengths and Needs Assessment in COPA. This assessment can be tracked in COPA by how many families have begun the process, how many are completed, and what areas the majority of families may have expressed needs or goals in. The Family Workers and Home Based Visitors provide information to parents based on their needs and goals identified in the assessment, including giving and assisting with community referrals.
Family Workers and Home Based Visitors made 754 referrals to Community Agencies and programs, including Osika & ScaranoPsychological Associates, One Stop Job Center, Pediatric Dentistry, Open Arms Pregnancy Center, Glens Falls Hearing Center, Family Service Association, Community Action, WAIT House, Department of Social Services, American Red Cross, Glens Falls YMCA, North Country Ministry, Public Health, Southern Adirondack Child Care Network, Open Door Soup Kitchen, Legal Aid of Northeastern NY, and more.
Parents have many opportunities to become involved in our program. There are monthly parent meetings, alternating between an evening Parent and Child activity, and an evening Parent Night Out,monthly Policy Council meetings, classroom field trips, and a variety of parent workshops and parent/child classroom activities. Parents are asked at the beginning of the year to participate in a family assessment. The Family Workers and Home Based Visitors use the information gained from this process, along with the input from Parent Meetings and conversations with parents, to offer trainings and workshops that are of interest and benefit to parents.
This year our families participated in many varied workshops. Some of the topics presented by our Head Start staff included: Community Resource Bingo, How Children Learn Through Play, Budgeting, Make and Take Healthy Easter Baskets, Make and Take Green Cleaner, Family Health and Fitness Fun. Through collaborations with Community Agencies, we were able to offer parents other workshops/training including: Interviewing and Resume Tips, Healthy Snacking, and Parenting Skills classes. We also encourage parents to let us know if they would be willing to share their talents and knowledge with the program.
Parents are always welcome to visit the classroom to participate in their child’s day at school. Parents are encouraged to volunteer in the classroom, have a meal with their child, be a secret reader, or participate in a special classroom activity. Parents are always invited to attend field trips with their child.
This year Warren County Head Start celebrated our 52ndyear providing services to the families and children of Warren County. We hosted our third annual "Community Day", with over 200 parents, children and community members attending. Many community partners participated by providing informational booths and donations. North County Ministry donated bicycle helmets once again to children, the Glens Falls Police Department and Fire Department each brought an Emergency Vehicle for the children to explore, Bonnie Schultz from Eat Well Play Hard focused on health and nutrition, and Head Start had a scavenger hunt for the children. Other community representatives attended from SACCN, Cornell Cooperative Extension, Fidelis Care, WIC, TASC, SAIL, YMCA, Crandall Library, SNAP, Prospect and Glens Falls Hospital. The event was broadcasted live by Froggy 100.3.
Transportation
We own a fleet of 4 buses and 15 vehicles which were purchased with grant money. Two of our buses are used for daily transportation to and from programming for our Lake Luzerne and Chestertown centers. The other buses offer transportation for field trips for our other 4 centers. All buses are used for bus safety and bus evacuation drills in all centers. Each center has at least one vehicle that is used for home visits, transportation of parents for field trips, appointments and more. Our Home Based program houses 4 vehicles, one for each of the Home Based Visitors to do their weekly visits and transport families to Play Group. We have 4 employees that have their Commercial Driver’s License so that they can operate our fleet of buses.
Fiscal Operations
Warren County Head Start, Inc. has devised a budget that will enable us to provide all required comprehensive services to eligible children and their families in a cost effective manner. The following is the 2015-2016 fiscal year budget for the Early Head Start and Head Start programs.
EARLY HEAD START
Category / BudgetDec. 1 2015 - Nov. 30, 2016 / Expenditures
Dec. 1, 2015 - Nov. 30, 2016 / Percent of Total Expenditures
Personnel / $354,497 / $348,573 / 63%
Fringe Benefits / $131,321 / $128,371 / 23%
Supplies / $24,840 / $31,116 / 5%
Contractual / $5,000 / $9,417 / 2%
Vehicles / $3,500 / $5,075 / 1%
Insurance / $5,200 / $5,035 / 1%
Rent / $9,600 / $5,150 / 1%
Utilities / $8,000 / $5,823 / 1%
Other / $2,300 / $5,698 / 1%
Training & Technical Asst. / $13,194 / $13,194 / 2%
TOTAL / $557,452 / $557,452
HEAD START
Category / BudgetDec 1, 2015 - Nov 30, 2016 / Expenditures
Dec 1, 2015 - Nov 30, 2016 / Percent of Total Expenditures
Personnel / $1,351,429 / $1,284,727 / 57%
Fringe Benefits / $548,452 / $541,595 / 25%
Equipment / $0 / $3,058
Supplies / $86,164 / $113,058 / 7%
Contractual / $23,000 / $43,082 / 1%
Vehicles / $37,000 / $31,447 / 2%
Insurance / $23,500 / $24,495 / 1%
Maintenance / $30,000 / $37,381 / 2%
Rent / $10,500 / $12,650
Utilities / $39,745 / $45,892 / 1%
Other / $24,600 / $37,005 / 2%
Training & Technical Asst. / $24,864 / $24,864 / 1%
TOTAL / $2,199,254 / $2,199,254
*In-Kind Services = $725,064 (EHS & HS)
*CACFP funds = $150,484 (EHS & HS)
The annual financial audit for fiscal year 2015-2016was completed in March 2017 and had no findings that represented significant deficiencies, material weakness, and/or instances of noncompliance.
The latest program review was completed in October 2013 and reported no significant deficiencies.