Family Engagement is a partnership between CAPK Head Start, families, and children, with the goal of building positive and goal-oriented relationships. Family engagement focuses on culturally responsive relationship-building with key family members in a child’s life. These people include mothers, fathers, grandparents, and other adult caregivers.
When children are enrolled in our program, parents may not realize they are enrolling themselves as well. Head Start was created in the 1960s as part of the country’s War on Poverty, and since then, Head Start programs have sustained their original design as a two-generational program, focused not only on the needs of the child, but of their greater support system: the family.
CAPK Head Start works along side families to identify strengths and needs in a process called the Family Partnership Agreement (FPA). The FPA process establishes attainable goals for your family, and timelines for reaching your desired outcomes.
Did you know? Our parents have access to the ReadyRosie App! ReadyRosie is a research-based curriculum that provides fun daily activities for the whole family! You’ll also have access to their vast library of on-demand videos to support with any situation your family may be experiencing. Download ReadyRosie in the Apple App Store or Google Play.
The goal of Head Start Inclusion Services is to foster a positive environment where children, with or without special needs, are assisted in reaching their full potential. Head Start is a general education program that provides opportunities for all children to have access and participate in play as they learn together, and to appreciate everyone’s differences.
Young children vary in their skills, knowledge, backgrounds, and abilities. Effective teaching requires individualized lesson plans and chances to learn for all children to access, participate, and thrive in early learning settings. Individualizing for children who need more support helps ensure effective teaching for children with disabilities and other special needs. Using children’s Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) and Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals is part of effective teaching, individualizing, and creating inclusive environments to support children’s positive outcomes.
All children who enter our doors are screened with the Ages and Stages Questionnaire-3 to fine tune lessons and activities, to determine if children are on schedule for school readiness, or may be at risk of developmental challenges. We make accommodations for special-needs children to ensure inclusion by collaborating with the parents, teaching staff, and service providers to create a positive learning environment. We support the individual goals of children with disabilities within the Least Restrictive Environment (LRE) and welcome Local Educational Agencies (LEA) in the classroom to provide services as needed.