Building A Strong Educational Foundation.

Head Start/Early Head Start

Dear Friends:

As the largest provider of Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Harris County, Texas, our impact has built a strong foundation of educational attainment, nurtured healthier lives and made communities better for tens of thousands of children and parents over more than a decade. We provide services to newborns, toddlers, pre-schoolers, children with disabilities and their parents and families. We foster a highly collaborative environment of parental involvement that pushes our programs to achieve excellence in and out of the classroom.

Our teachers are well-prepared and passionate, and our 4-year-olds developmental scores exceed all expectations and national statistics. Upon entering kindergarten, the pre-schoolers who graduate from our program consistently outperform their peers in kindergarten readiness

as measured by the standardized tests administered by the local school district. When children leave Early Head Start/Head Start, we effectively transition them into the next, vital phases of public school, increasing their opportunities for educational attainment and enrichment while making successful outcomes limitless.

We are delighted by your interest in our Early Head Start/Head Start programs, and we look forward to telling you more about our numerous success stories throughout our centers.

With many thanks,

Ann HilbigVice President of Choices in EducationNeighborhood Centers Inc.

Increasing Academic Opportunities Through Choices in Education

Neighborhood Centers transforms communities by building on the strengths that exist within all individuals and neighborhoods. Since our founding in 1907, providing enriching education opportunities has been one of the ways that Neighborhood Centers transforms neighborhoods into vibrant communities. Through our Choices in Education division, we now serve more than 3,000 children at 25 preschools, four elementary community schools and, recently celebrated, the Fall 2012 opening of the Ripley House Middle School in Houstons East End. Neighborhood Centers Choices in Education programs are comprehensive and well-connected to the community. Neighborhood Centers takes a holistic approach that offers families access to a full range of family-centered programs to improve academic success for their children. Neighborhood Centers Early Head Start/Head Start programs perfectly align with our mission to bring resources, education and connection to emerging neighborhoods.

In Head Start and Early Head Start our mission is to provide choices and opportunities in early education that lead to more and better opportunities in higher education. We support families in their effort to raise healthy, strong, well-educated children who are prepared for public school and beyond. At Neighborhood Centers we believe it is never too early to begin talking about college!

OUR APPROACH

Neighborhood Centers Inc. serves 212 infants, toddlers and pregnant women in Early Head Start sites and through home-based educational services, and 2,022 pre-kindergarten students in our collaboration sites and free-standing Head Start centers. In our Early Head Start program, we use an approach called continuity of care whereby a team of two teachers provides care and early childhood development to the same group of eight children for the first three years of their lives. This model has been shown to be highly effective for optimal social, emotional and cognitive development, and brings a sense of stability to the children and their parents.

Once our children transition from Early Head Start to Head Start at age 3, they engage in a curriculum that is aligned with the Head Start Child Development and Early Learning Framework as well as the Texas Education Agency pre-kindergarten guidelines. Our unique collaborative model with Teach for America, Promise Community School, and Houston Independent School District ensures a degreed and certified teacher in every classroom! We also collaborate with other education, health, and community oriented agencies and businesses to ensure children and families are successful now and in the future.

OUR PARENTS AND FAMILIES

Engaging parents in program governance as well as in their childs classroom experience is a crucial component of Neighborhood Centers educational approach. Parents are involved as active decision-makers in parent committees and Policy Council, reinforcing their role as their childrens first teacher and ensuring that their vision for their childs education is valued and acted upon. Maintaining positive relationships with parents is achieved through biannual home visits, parent conferences, written progress reports, and family events at the centers. Additionally, Neighborhood Centers offers a variety of classes as requested through parent surveys including English language, health and fitness, and parenting. All of these activities empower parents, teachers and staff to work together more effectively to support learning and overall family development.

OUR EARLY HEAD START/HEAD START SITES AND PROGRAMS

OUR STUDENTS

Head Start Centers Early Head Start/ Head Start Centers

School-based Collaborations

Child Care Center Collaboration

Home Based

5 4 13 1

Head StartAge: 3 to 5 years old

2,022 Children

2,234 CHILDREN

Early Head StartAge: Birth to 3 years old

212 Children

MEASUREMENT RESULTS FOR 201112

GOLD AssessmentThe GOLD assessment is our observation-based online system used to assess developmental progress at ages 05. It measures student progress most indicative of school success in up to ten domains, and is aligned with Texas Pre-K Guidelines and Head Start School Readiness Standards.

Area of DevelopmentSpring 2012

Meets/Exceeds Standards

Social-Emotional 95%

Physical 96%

Language 90%

Spanish Language 93%

Cognitive 95%

Literacy 99%

Spanish Literacy 97%

Math 95%

Early Head Start Key Performance Standards

(End of Year)State National

Neighborhood Centers

% children w/ health insurance 95% 97% 99%

% children w/ medical home 93% 97% 99%

% children up to date on immunizations

90% 85% 94%

% children w/ dental home 89% 73% 93%

% children who completed oral health exams

79% 75% 89%

% families participating in at least one fatherhood event

28% 20% 70%

SCHOOL READINESS 4 YEAR-OLDS

HEALTH AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

LITERACY

FALL SPRING

74%

99%

MATHEMATICS

FALL SPRING

40%

95%

OUR STUDENTS SUCCEED ACADEMICALLYOutcomes of 4-year olds as measured by the Gold Assessment

during the school year:

Scores based on percent of children in our program meeting age-level expectations.

OUR COMMITMENT TO CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES

Early Head Start/Head Start supports children with disabilities. We provide quality services for children with disabilities through staff speech pathologists, and ongoing training keeps us ready and prepared to meet the specific needs of children with disabilities. We offer screening, monitoring, evaluating, and services for children with suspected and identified disabilities. Our resources for staff and parents include support groups for parents. We create an inclusion environment for language and social development.

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4500 Bissonnet, Ste. 200, Bellaire, Texas 77401-3113713.273.3211 neighborhood-centers.org