After 40 years, Head Start gets its own home
By Bobbi Mlynar
Originally published 12:43 p.m., June 17, 2008
Updated 12:43 p.m., June 17, 2008
Head Start of Emporia is about to have a home of its own.
The agency will move to the old Farm Bureau building, 1130 Scott St., after an extensive remodeling project is completed this summer.
“We’re really excited about moving and getting our own identity,” said Head Start area manager Heidi Goff. “They basically have gutted the whole place. We’re starting over from scratch with new walls and everything.”
The move was made possible with funds from the federal government and a $140,000 grant from the Jones Foundation.
“It was such a blessing that we got that,” Goff said.
In addition to adding funds to the $280,000 project, the Jones money enabled Head Start to add a new roof to the plans.
Emporia’s Head Start, under the auspices of ECKAN, first received federal funding in 1966. It opened here in 1968 and has had several homes throughout its existence. Its most recent was at the old Maynard School Building, where it shared space with the Emporia school district, which ran the program. Quarters were a little cramped at Maynard and, while the district did a good management job, Goff said there were numerous federal rules and regulations the district had to be responsible for overseeing.
“This past year, we decided to break away from the public schools and go out on our own,” Goff said.
The agency has applied to be a licensed child-care provider through the Kansas Department of Health and Environment, whose standards will be a boon for the children and the program as well.
Goff, who graduated from Kansas State University and taught three years at Emporia Christian School, came to work as area manager in December 2007.
The Head Start program was created to give low-income children, ages 3 and 4, the educational boost they needed to be prepared for kindergarten, she said.
A related program, Early Head Start, is operated separately and provides child care to children under 3. Part of the care is done either at child-care centers or home child-care operations; some is done weekly in-home by family service workers.
Head Start is free of charge to the 100 youngsters ages 3 and 4 whose families qualify to participate.
Families are rated and ranked according to a points system that allows incomes up to 130 percent of the poverty level. Special needs — such as education, jobs and disabilities — all can be factors in the points system. Federal standards mandate that Head Start accept the most needy children.
“Once we’ve accepted the kids, we don’t bump them out,” Goff said. However, families often move to other areas, and a waiting list is kept for openings that may arise.
“We’re accepting kids throughout the year,” she said.
The newly renovated building will be the educational home for 100 children, according to the federal grant application submitted by the local agency. Ten percent of those children must have special needs, from a need for speech therapy to more serious disabilities, Goff said.
The agency works with the Flint Hills Special Education Cooperative to serve the children and also contracts with the Mental Health Center of East Central Kansas for its services, when needed.
“It’s a good support for parents as well, if that’s something they want to do,” Goff said.
Families have a partnership agreement that enumerates strengths and needs and helps keep them on-target for their goals at home and in Head Start.
Head Start’s cook prepares nutritionally balanced, low-fat meals on-site for the children, who learn the basics and value of good nutrition.
A nurse also is on-staff, and family services workers provide assistance in guiding parents and children to the services they need, whether it is check-ups, dental work, or other needs.
“We really are there to help the families,” Goff said. “... I’m always amazed within Lyon County we really have a huge wealth of services for families, so hooking families up with services is a big key.”
Among the staff of 16 are five teachers, teacher assistants in each classroom, a cook and bus drivers. Because of the costs involved, transportation is provided for only three classrooms.
“We try to bus as many kids as we can,” Goff said.
The new site will have four classrooms with a maximum of 20 children in each class; one of those classrooms will be split into morning and afternoon sessions, to create a total of five classes. Each classroom has two restrooms and there are two separate restrooms for staff.
Outside, a generous-sized canopied sandbox, a climbing wall, three slides and other playground equipment have been installed. The lawn is a man-made grassy-looking combination of rubbery fibers and chips that give slightly underfoot. A Plexiglas easel, with six holding cups for paints, can be used, washed off, and used again as children take turns painting.
Adjacent to the playground, an old concrete parking lot will be restored and made into a trike track for the children.
Work at the building is expected to be finished in time for opening on Sept. 2.
On Monday, the building’s gutted interior had rooms in various stages of work — some had sheetrock to be finished, and others still showed joists and insulation ready to be covered.
“I think that’s my office,” Goff said, gesturing toward a tiny room under construction. The size didn’t bother her.
“I’m hoping it has an air vent,” she said. “My one now doesn’t.”
Families interested in applying for admission may call 342-2304 for more information.