This story is sponsored by Knox County Head Start.
Finding the perfect place for a child to grow and develop when not at home can be a difficult decision for parents and guardians. When it comes to Knox County Head Start (KCHS), however, families can be sure that their child is getting all the support they need to progress into the next stages of life in and out of the classroom.
Kristin Wagner, Preschool Lead Teacher at the Gambier Child Care Center location, has been a believer for 25 years in the organization’s emphasis on focusing on the whole child, including their family.
“I love the relationships built with the kids, but also their families,” Wagner said. “What can we work together on to get your child to the next step, to get your child ready for kindergarten?”
According to Wagner, the goal is to help every child who enters Knox County Head Start reach their full potential physically, cognitively and to learn social and emotional skills such as taking turns and sharing. This is accomplished at school and strengthened with help from the home.
“Head Start looks at the whole child, and then goes further by looking at the whole family,” Peg Tazewell, Executive Director of KCHS, said. “It is about recognizing parents as each child’s first and most important teacher, and working together to surround the child with the support they need for their healthiest long term development.”
This is achieved through unique services and activities the organization is able to offer to the kids and parents. Head Start is not a daycare, but rather a full-service program with school-year based preschool, home-based and full day, full year educational child care services.
They provide care from 3 ½ hours to ten hours a day, depending on the program and location, teaching children ages birth to five with individualized, developmentally appropriate lessons, providing services to children with disabilities and developmental delays, feeding children nutritious meals and supporting families with opportunities to learn and grow. Home visits and parent teacher conferences are scheduled twice a year to ensure each child is on the right track to success.
Although the program has changed throughout the 25 years Wagner has been there, her dedication and love for the children has never wavered.
“When the kiddos come up and the first thing they do when they enter the classroom is give you a hug and tell you about their day, that’s an amazing feeling,” Wagner said through tears. “It’s an honor that someone trusts [me] with something that is so precious to them.”
For Tazewell, Head Start highlights the whole family, whole child approach, meaning support does not stop at the classroom. The organization remains grateful for the support the community gives them. Parents need a healthy community to help raise a healthy child.
KCHS has immediate openings in Centerburg, Danville and Home-Based Education programs and are enrolling for next year! To register your child, visit Pre-Enroll Now – Knox County Head Start (knoxheadstart.org) or call 740-397-1344.
Knox County Head Start receives federal funding for Head Start and Early Head Start services from the Department of Health & Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Locally, the program benefits from generous funding supports from the Knox County Foundation and the United Way of Knox County.
