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are comprehensive
child development programs designed to meet the needs of pre-school
children and their families. A positive learning environment and
developmentally appropriate experiences are provided to help children
develop intellectually, socially, physically, and emotionally.
Additionally, parent education and support are provided to all families. Head Start assists children and families in the areas of Early Childhood
Development, Health Services, and Parent and Family Services. Federal
funding and program assistance for Head Start is received from the
Administration for Children and Families through our Region V office in
Chicago. State funding and assistance is provided through the Minnesota
Department of Education. Other funding
sources include foundations and other state and local agencies.
Contact
Info:
Telephone: 218-528-3227
or 800-568-5319
Address:
312 N. Main Street, Box 67
Badger, Minnesota 56714
Early
Childhood Development
HS/EHS staff
first visit the homes of enrolled families to work with the parent and child
together on learning and developing skills and assisting in identifying
family needs and goals. HS/EHS teachers provide information to families on
a variety of topics, including nutrition, health, and social needs for all
family members. In addition to home visits, enrolled children also meet at
center sessions in Badger, Baudette, Greenbush, Grygla, Hallock, Karlstad,
Lancaster, Middle River, Newfolden, Roseau, Wannaska, and Warroad. Program
options include all-day Centers, Combination Option of two centers/week
and two homevisits/month and Home-base.
Family
Partnerships
Northwest Head Start staff,
with the belief that parents are the first and most important teacher of
their child, strive to involve parents in all aspects of the program.
Parents are expected to participate in home visit, at Head Start center
sessions, as well as on Policy Council and other parent activities. In
addition to their direct participation in the program, workshops,
seminars, and other activities are made available to help parents increase
their knowledge and understanding of child growth and development, and
assist them in teaching their children.
Teen
Parents
Northwest
provides unique services to teen/young parents with a program that
supplements existing HS-EHS-ECFE in area schools. With Northwest
Minnesota Foundation funding as well as other funds, solutions and services are provided that
address education goals, child care, job training, counseling, child
development, housing, and numerous other unique situations that typical
programs aren't able to address directly. Services are provided in
school districts utilizing each districts EC and Social Worker staff. Additionally, each County Nurse Agency participates in pre-natal and child
health issues. Outcomes have been developed and approved and the
cooperating schools give academic credit to students participating in the
program.
Child
Health Services
Head Start promotes preventive health services and early
intervention through the health component of the program. Head Start seeks
to assist the child's physical, emotional, cognitive, and social
development through medical, dental, mental health and nutrition services.
Family
Support /Services
Northwest Head Start supports families by helping them to
assess their family's needs, to provide appropriate services for families,
and to aid families in obtaining services through other community
resources when needed. Northwest can provide emergency housing,
crisis assistance, fuel assistance, weatherization, food shelf access, and
other innovative services that may be needed to assist families.
Head
Start/Special Education
Over the last eight years, Northwest Head Start has
developed an integrated Head Start-Early Childhood Special Education
approach to pre-school education that shares children, families, staff,
space and supplies with local public schools. Funded initially by grants,
this project is fully in place and supported by Head Start Funds as well
as Minnesota Dep't of Education. Additional
centers are done with Adult Literacy, and with Learning Readiness in the
same fashion.
Technology
Northwest Head Start has developed it's own outcomes
software that allows tracking each child's growth and development
throughout the year. Each teacher is supplied with a color notebook
computer with CD and Internet capability that is used by children for
appropriate activities, for parents to access on-line information, as well
as for teacher record keeping and paperwork. Northwest has also developed
its own Early Childhood software, consisting of several hundred ideas,
activities, finger plays, etc. in a database that allows for merging the
activities in locally developed forms. Northwest also places it's used
computers in the homes of families with special needs children to assist
in their developmental needs and with parents completing their GED.
In-Home
Family Counseling
Northwest Head Start serves a rural area that has limited
access to mental health providers. In 1990, with funding from the
Minnesota Department of Economic Security innovative funds, NW began to
build a program involving Lutheran Social Services In-Home family
counseling designed to serve families with challenges and stresses in
their homes. The program now involves three counselors providing in-home
visits to families, as well as providing workshops and training sessions
for parents and staff.
Certified
Credit Counseling
To better serve families, Northwest, in conjunction with
Lutheran Social Services provides Certified Credit Counseling services. The credit counseling services range from money management workshops, to
budgeting with a financial counselor to a complete Debt Management program
that provides for a single payment to be made that would be distributed to
creditors at a negotiated rate.
Northwest Community Action, Inc. Badger, MN 57614 |