Pinellas County Head Start/Early Head Start is a comprehensive child development program that encompasses all aspects of a child's development and learning.
| Education | Transition |
| Eight Domains of Learning | Transportation |
| Health | Child Outcomes |
| Nutrition | Resource Center |
| Mental Health | Individualization |
| Disabilities |
Upon entry into the program, each child receives required screenings to confirm that he or she is in good health and is developing well. This is the initial determination of the child's overall health status, developmental strengths, needs, and areas of identified concern such as possible delay or disability (i.e., Speech, Language, Behavior, Cognitive).
Education
The education curriculum is developed to meet the individual needs of children as identified through assessments. Developmentally appropriate activities are presented to children in a language rich, nurturing preschool environment.
Children are grouped in classes according to their ages.
1 Year Old Class - up to eight (8) children.
2 Year Old Class - up to eight (8) children.
3 Year Old Class - up to fifteen (17) children.
4 Year Old Class - up to twenty (20) children with Teacher's Assistant.
Teachers must have a minimum of a Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or an AA Degree in Early Childhood.
Regular in-service instruction is provided to staff to improve skills.
Coordination between the Local Education Agency (LEA) and Head Start helps to ensure continuity in each child's development.
Eight Domains of Learning
The curriculum addresses all aspects of development and learning including:
| Approaches to Learning | Mathematics |
| Creative Arts | Physical Health & Development |
| Language Development | Science |
| Literacy | Social & Emotional Development |
Health
A major goal for Head Start health services is to ensure that every child has access to ongoing and continuing health care. Head Start will assist families with obtaining a health care provider, physical examinations, immunizations and follow-up care when needed.
Health Services
- Basic Vision
- Hearing
- Speech
- Developmental Screenings
Evaluation and treatment is provided as needed.
Dental Program
- Preventive Dental Education
- Examination
- Treatment
- Transportation to dental providers is available to all Head Start children
Nutrition
Children are served:
Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack everyday.
Meals are served family style, and provide 2/3 of a child's daily nutritional requirements.
All menus are developed in accordance with USDA guidelines. Accommodations are made for children with special dietary needs.
Nutrition education for parents is offered on a regular basis.
Mental Health
The development and maintenance of a positive environment for the growth and development of children with high self-esteem is the overall goal of mental health services.
Licensed mental health professionals are available to provide confidential services including crisis counseling, individual, and family counseling for Head Start / Early Head Start children and families.
Parenting skills classes are offered during each school year for interested parents. See our Family Services for more information.
Disabilities
Each child with a disability receives a comprehensive evaluation and an Individual Education Program (IEP) developed by a team of professional diagnosticians and the child's parents.
Therapy and prescriptive programming are provided with assistance from other agencies.
The Head Start / Early Head Start philosophy is that every child learns more readily when involved in a group, so children with disabilities are not separated from other children.
Transition
A Transition PKP Steering Committee consisting of representatives from Head Start, the Pinellas school system, et al maintain a written transition agreement. This agreement enables a smoother transition from Head Start to public school for both parents and children.
Transportation
Transportation is provided to all children to and from Dental appointments and for field trips. All vehicles are operated by State of Florida certified drivers. Parents are encouraged to participate as riders on the buses.
Child Outcomes
The requirements for child observation and ongoing assessment continue throughout the child’s enrollment in the program.
The Galileo system of electronic management of learning is used to assure the documentation of positive child outcomes.
Staff and parents can follow the child’s progress and experiences, and to provide more meaningful curriculum experiences that support each child’s individual learning and development.
The Creative Curriculum is used in each classroom as a base for the guidance of preschool learning experiences.
The Growing Great Kids Curriculum is used in the EHS home based program to enhance parent-child learning experiences.
Resource Center
A wealth of educational materials is housed in six resource rooms.
Some resource materials are books for children and adults, records, educational games and toys, program materials, resource films and cassette tapes.
These materials are available for use by Head Start / Early Head Start teachers, parents, children, and other staff.
Individualization
Teachers plan learning experiences and environments and use teaching strategies in a thoughtful and intentional way to support and extend children’s learning. They work on organizing children’s learning so that experiences build on one another helping children to acquire key ideas and skills.
The teaching teams build children’s approaches to learning throughout the program day and across planned and spontaneous experiences.
Children are seen as individuals and the setting and strategies adapt to the individual levels and interests of the children.
