FAQ

What is Head Start?

Head Start is a no-cost, comprehensive family/early childhood program providing parental involvement and a variety of educational, special educational, health, nutritional, and social services for young children and their families.

Who can apply for Head Start?

Any family living within Kenosha Unified School District boundaries with a child who reaches the age of three or four years by September 1.

Who participates in Head Start?

Children are selected for the program on the basis of their learning, social and emotional needs. Families must be income eligible.

What services does Head Start provide?

The program assists children and their families in the areas of physical and mental health, nutrition, education, parent involvement and social services.

IS YOUR CHILD SICK OR NOT COMING IN TODAY? CALL 653-6078

As stated in the Head Start Parent Handbook, parents must tell the school that their child will be absent.  You may do this by writing a note to the school or by calling Sue at 653-6078.  This phone has voice mail to make it easy for you to report your child’s absence any time day or night!  If an absence is NOT reported, and we cannot reach you when we call your home, the child is assumed to be truant.  PLEASE make sure that you contact the office and inform us of your child’s absence.

WHAT DO I NEED TO DO TO VISIT MY CHILD’S CLASSROOM?

Parents are always welcome in our classrooms.  Your involvement and support of classroom activities make our program a successful one.  To visit your child’s classroom we ask:

  1. Please use the front door of the building.  It will be the one that is not locked!
  2. Please report to the office of the building or to Sue, the receptionist at Chavez Learning Station immediately.  You will need to sign in and receive a visitor badge.  The visitor badge will identify you to the children and staff as a welcomed visitor.
  3. Please sign out and return the visitor badge when you leave.

It is important that we know you are in the building even if only for a short time.  The safety of our children is important to all of us.  Please help us by honoring the above requests.

HOW ARE DECISIONS MADE IN HEAD START?

A group of parents and members of the community operate Head Start.  This group approves policies, budgets and makes the decisions on how to run Head Start.  Each classroom has a parent who is their Policy Council representative.  That parent attends a meeting once each month (childcare and dinner is provided). 

The first Policy Council meeting is September 25th at 5:00 PM.  At this meeting Policy Council will approve recommendations for hiring and discuss Head Start goals for this school year.

If you are interested in representing your classroom, please let your teacher and/or Lynda Dower know.  Childcare is provided at every meeting and, if the meeting is held during the dinner hour, dinner will be provided for your family.  We need YOU!  Please commit to serving on Policy Council this year.

WHAT ARE PARENT MEETINGS?

Parent Meetings are held every month at a Head Start site.  Parent Meetings are an opportunity:

  • For parents to meet with your child’s teacher
  • To learn what your child is learning in the classroom, and
  • To learn how to help your child learn at home. 

Parent Meetings are held at different times on different months so that all of our parents will be able to attend at least one meeting.

We look forward to seeing you there.

WHAT IS THIRD FRIDAY COUNT??

On the third Friday of the school year the state of Wisconsin counts the number of children that are in school that day.  The number of children that come to school that day determines the budget for the school district. 

Please, please, please make sure that your child is at school on this day.  Perfect attendance will help the school district provide the best possible education for your child.

A MESSAGE FROM YOUR SCHOOL NURSE

Jodee Rizzitano is the Head Start nurse.  She works with all children and families to make sure that Head Start Performance Standards are followed and to help make our children as healthy as possible.  Each month she also shares information in this newsletter!  This month the topic gives you guidelines on when your child is too ill to get to come to school.

“When Should My Child Stay Home?”

The following guidelines may help you to make that decision:

  • A fever is a warning that all is not right in the body.  No child with a temperature greater than 100°F should be at school.  The child should NOT return to school until he/she is fever free for 24 hours.
  • A child with a cold that has a lot of congestion and hacking cough should stay at home.
  • A child that has been vomiting should stay at home until he/she can keep food down.
  • Do NOT send a child with a rash to school until the doctor says it is safe to do so.

Please let your teacher know if your child’s illness is contagious.