Head Start began as an eight-week summer program in 1965 in church basements and unused rooms of public schools. It grew into a year-round, comprehensive, multigenerational development program for children and families. Along the way it has become the largest early childhood and family education program in the county, the leading health referral system for children and the most extensive system for integrating young children with disabilities.
The Head Start Bureau is responsible for overseeing overall operations of the program in accordance with the Head Start Act. The Head Start Act was reauthorized and retitled Improving Head Start for School Readiness in December 2007. It establishes program standards and other regulations that govern the program and through a competitive process selects and funds grantees to provide Head Start services in their local communities.
In addition to the Head Start Bureau staff in Washington, DC, federal Head Start staff are located in 10 regions around the country. PRIDE Community Services Head Start Program is served by Region III, Philadelphia, PA, as well as, Delaware, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia and Washington, DC.
In compliance with the WV Universal Pre-K State Law 2525 and the WV State Day Care Licensing, as well as, the Head Start Performance Standards, PRIDE Head Start, beginning with the 2006 term, is required to collaborate with the local school board.
The PRIDE Community Services Head Start Program began in May 1965 as a summer program in local school facilities, making it one of the oldest such programs in the nation. In September 2008-09, we began our 44th year of operations.
The Head Start Program is funded for 251 children. The funding year is based on January 1 – December 31. The Head Start Program operates on an August – May schedule (August 2007-May 2008; August 2008-May 2009). These children are served in eleven (11) Head Start classrooms and nine (9) collaborative classrooms consisting of three (3), four (4) and five (5) year olds. Collaborative services are provided at Buffalo, East Chapmanville, Omar, South Man (2 classrooms), West Chapmanville Grade Schools (2 classrooms), as well as, Logan Head Start Center (1 classroom) and Dehue Head Start Center (1 classroom). An additional 143 children and families receive partial services in these classrooms. Head Start provides comprehensive education activities in classrooms lead by degreed teaching staff. Other services include social, nutritional, health and mental health, as well as, transportation for children and their families.
Head Start is the cornerstone of the PRIDE agency and supports many indirect service positions. Head Start is the largest grant funded program housed at PRIDE and employs more staff than any other program. Head Start is a great asset to the PRIDE agency due to the immediate and positive recognition throughout the County.
