INSPIRING EVERY CHILD AND FAMILY TOWARDS LIFELONG SUCCESS Head Start (HS) programs prepare America’s most vulnerable young children to succeed in school and life beyond school. To achieve this, HS programs deliver services to children from birth to age 5 and their families in core areas of early learning, health, and family wellbeing. HS services are provided in centers or the family’s own home. In 2015, the San Joaquin County Office of Education (SJCOE) was awarded a federal grant to provide these valuable services to eligible children and families in San Joaquin County. Through a partnership with Lodi and Stockton unified school districts and nonprofit organizations Child Abuse Prevention Council and Creative Child Care, Inc., Head Start San Joaquin provides Early HS and HS services to 1,577 children from birth to age 5, pregnant women, and their families.
FREE SERVICES EDUCATION
HEALTH DEVELOPMENT BEHAVIOR SCREENING SOCIAL AND EMOTIONAL HEALTH NUTRITION FAMILY GOAL SETTING
Head Start San Joaquin (HSSJ) and its educational partners are committed to preparing children for kindergarten and beyond. The approach to school readiness means that children are ready for school, families are ready to support their children’s learning, and schools are ready for children. HSSJ and its educational partners utilize a research-based curriculum to support the social and academic skills that are foundational for school readiness. HSSJ has developed school readiness goals that align with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and California Infant/Toddler and Preschool Learning Foundations. The Desired Results Developmental Profile (DRDP) is used to measure children’s developmental progress across all five learning domains and is designed for use with all children from early infancy to kindergarten entry, including children with disabilities and dual language learners. The DRDP is used in natural settings through educator documentation, family observations, and examples of children’s work. Children’s developmental progress is assessed three times per year, and the data is analyzed and used to promote school readiness efforts. Educators use information from the DRDP to work with families to support school readiness in the home and individualized support in the classroom. The DRDP data is used to determine school readiness goal progress and prioritize coaching, training, and professional development opportunities focusing on intentional teaching practices that lead to greater child outcomes.
SOCIAL SERVICES TRANSITION SERVICES DISABILITY SERVICES
26 Annual Report
FIND HEAD START CENTERS AND APPLY AT
WWW.SJCOE.ORG/HEADSTART