The Beauregard Parish School Board received the Head Start service award for Beauregard Parish for a five-year period beginning with the 2021-2022 school year after completing a year-long grant proposal and application process.
Head Start is a federal program that promotes school readiness for children ages 3 and 4 from low-income families, for children experiencing homelessness, for children in the foster care system, for English language learners, for children of migrant workers, and for children with disabilities and other special needs.
“After receiving notification of our grant approval this month,” said Director of Head Start Margie Hieronymus, “the school system immediately began making preparations for the new school year. We will be excited to welcome the Head Start students to two of our schools in the fall.”
The Beauregard Parish school system has hired Jane Hamilton as the Program Administrator and will employ teachers and aides for the three classrooms that will be conducted at K.R. Hanchey Elementary and the one classroom that will be conducted at South Beauregard Elementary.
Parents whose children may meet the eligibility requirements for the Head Start Program can apply online at https://beau.edgear.net/register/ or may apply in person at the BPSB Title I Center at 506 Martin Luther King Drive in DeRidder between 8:00 am and 4:00 pm on weekdays. For more information, parents may call 337-463-5905.
The Head Start Program focuses on early learning and development, health, nutrition, and social and emotional development as well as family well-being.
“The Head Start Program is a comprehensive program that engages parents or key family members in the educational, health, social, and emotional development of the child,” explained Hieronymus. “Parents and primary caregivers are recognized as the child’s first and most influential teachers and play an active role in the program.”
Children’s readiness for kindergarten is fostered through individualized learning experiences and instruction focused on many aspects of development, including social skills, emotional skills, language and literacy, mathematics, and science concepts.
Health and physical development are crucial for early learning. Students in Head Start receive health screenings and nutritious meals, and the program connects families with medical, dental, and mental health services. In addition, families are offered program services that support family well-being.
“The Beauregard Parish school system is well-positioned to incorporate the Head Start program into our existing educational system, to meet the educational needs of these pre-school students, and to create a smooth transition to kindergarten for the students in the program,” concluded Hieronymus.
The Head Start program is administered by the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
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