Give Students a Head Start

Schedule a visit to your local Head Start to ensure a continuity of care for early learners.
Communicator
October 2019, Volume 43, Issue 2

Across the country, more than 400,000 children enter kindergarten from Head Start programs each year. Your local Head Start program has supported and tracked each child’s social, emotional, and academic progress and health. Your school extends that “head start.” October is both National Principals Month and National Head Start Awareness Month—the perfect time to discuss school readiness goals with your local Head Start director.

“Head Start programs and the elementary schools our children will go to should work together to sustain the gains children have made. I believe the folks who show up daily to run Head Start programs can directly impact how children are prepared for life beyond Head Start—most typically, public school kindergarten,” said Dr. Deborah Bergeron, director of the Office of Head Start.

Connect With Early Ed Leaders

  • Take a few hours out of your day to visit a local Head Start program. You might receive an invitation from a local Head Start director or feel free to reach out yourself. During your visit, read a book to children, meet with a parent group, or work with the director about new ways to collaborate.
  • Invite your local Head Start director to see what’s happening in your school. There’s so much to share, from early learning goals and curricula to ways parents can continue to be involved in their child’s school.

Celebrate this good work by sharing a photo or note about your visit using #LeadersinSchoolReadiness and #ThankAPrincipal on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. Relationships between principals and Head Start directors set the stage for children’s long-term success. Build a bridge with your local Head Start program so every child comes to school ready to learn.

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