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Block
areas in classrooms offer many opportunities for
learning. Literacy by talking about their
building, math by teaching
number concepts and even social studies
as they talk about spaces and
places.
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CORS Awarded
Supplemental Head Start Funding
Through an increased federal investment in quality for early childhood
education, Council on Rural Services (CORS) is receiving an award of
$915,794 for supplemental preschool grant. This is part of a $290
million nationwide expansion award announced by the U.S. Department of
Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families
(HHS).
Congress allocated the new funds as a down payment toward ensuring that
nearly all preschool-age children in Head Start attend programs that
operate full-time as announced in the new standards that must be fully
met by 2021. These new Head Start standards place higher emphasis
on a vision of evidence-based, data-driven and outcomes-focused
services. These new standards are a significant and positive step
forward for the future of Head Start and the success of the children
and families later in life.
Within the new standards, all CORS Head Start funded centers must
expand minimum teaching time to 1020 hours per year. The awarding of
this grant enables Kids Learning Place to begin meeting this benchmark
by converting the Head Start services in these most critical locations:
• Darke County will increase the hours of their existing Union City
classroom to include the full day standard of 1020 hours per year.
• Auglaize County in Wapakoneta will convert their existing part-day
classrooms and now have two 6-hour full day Head Start classrooms with
40 child slots.
• Auglaize County in St. Mary’s will open two NEW 6-hour full day Head
Start classrooms with 36 child slots.
• Van Wert County will convert their existing part-day classrooms and
now have two 6-hour full day Head Start classrooms with 40 child slots.
• Logan County will re-open a Bellefontaine classroom and convert it to
a full day Head Start classroom with 20 child slots.
This grant includes funds to increase staff by approximately 22
positions and startup funds to fully equip the three new
classrooms. All these full day classrooms will open in the fall
of 2017.
All the above existing classrooms currently have awards for the highest
recognition of “Five Stars” in Ohio’s “Step Up to Quality” program
through the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services.
Dan Schwanitz, CEO at CORS said, “What CORS is most proud of is that
for over 40 years we have been a leader in early childhood education in
Ohio. We have a history of achieving outcomes for children both by
supporting their health and learning and by enabling their families to
achieve their own goals for education, employment, stability, and
success. This additional funding will continue to expand these
outcomes.” Kids Learning Place currently offers Head Start
services to 1,364 children in their nine county service area through
funds from HHS and the Child and Adult Care Food Program.
“Last September we transitioned 589 children to kindergarten who are
ready to learn, healthy, and developmentally on target,” said Liz
Pfenning, Early Childhood Director. “They have self-help
skills and can regulate their behaviors and feelings in-group
settings. As important, their parents are involved in their
schooling; they have the leadership skills and confidence to advocate
for their child’s needs and to participate on parent committees. We
here at CORS build lifelong learners in children and parents who set
and achieve goals.”
For more information about the changes call our toll free number
1-866-627-4557 and talk with Liz Pfenning. Also, check our Web site
at www.kidslearningplace.org or “like” our Facebook page
atwww.facebook.com/kidslearningplace.
Council on Rural Services provides education and support through Kids
Learning Place™, Head Start, Early Head Start, Gateway Youth Programs,
and Achievement Center for Educational Success (ACES), in their nine
county service area.
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