Member Directory

Description

Families First of Minnesota provides Head Start, Early Head Start and Early Head Start/Child Care Partnership programming in Olmsted and Freeborn Counties. Programming is available for eligible pregnant mothers, infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. All options adhere to the Federal Head Start Performance Standards. Health is a major component of all options. We are required to assist families to stay up to date with all well-child exams, immunizations, dental exams, and sensory screenings and any follow-up needed. A mental health consultant works with staff, families, and children to support social-emotional development. All options also work closely with School District Early Childhood Intervention and Special Education staff for evaluation referrals and supporting children in the classrooms. All center-based options implement Creative Curriculum, Teaching Strategies GOLD child assessment and Conscious Discipline Social Emotional Curriculum. Families also receive support via the Growing Great Kids curriculum. Families First parents elect representatives to the Policy Council which meets monthly to provide input into the continuous improvement of programming. Families have the opportunity to attend Family Engagement Events on topics that are based on the recommendations of families. Over half of our enrollment is children whose families’ home language is not English. Families First employs home visitors who speak the primary languages of families. Head Start (3–4-year-old) is committed to providing quality comprehensive services for the child and his/her total family. Activities are geared toward advancing the development of children enrolled and involving parents in the program. The program is designed to foster the parent’s role as the principal influence on their child’s development. Head Start also assists families in developing and achieving family goals. Head Start’s approach to service includes Health, Nutrition, Education, Parent Involvement, Social Services, Mental Health, and Disabilities. Families First offers center-based programming for all enrolled preschoolers. The primary option is an eight-hour classroom that operates four days a week from September to May. A limited number of part-day classrooms are also available for preschoolers. Transportation is provided whenever possible within a one-hour bus route. Full day classrooms are staffed with one qualified Head Start Teacher, an Assistant Teacher, and a Program Assistant for every classroom of 17-19 children. Classroom staff receive coaching and Behavior Specialist support. All families receive a minimum of two home visits and two conferences a year to partner with the families for their child’s success. Summer school is offered to children who are entering kindergarten in the fall and are not on track to meet their spring benchmarks. Early Head Start (pregnant women, infants, and toddlers) is a full year learning program that provides services to low-income pregnant mothers and families who have infants and toddlers. Following the general Head Start model, Early Head Start programs support parents, in their role’s as primary caregivers and teachers of their children. Programs assist families in meeting their own personal goals and achieving self-sufficiency across a wide variety of domains, such as housing stability, continued education, and financial security. Options available for Early Head Start including home-based and center based. Home-based includes a weekly home-visit with the family and opportunities to attend socializations. Center-based programming is full-year, eight-hour classrooms that operate four days a week. The classrooms are staffed with one qualified Early Head Start Teacher for every four infants/toddlers. Transportation is available when ever possible within a one-hour bus route. Early Head Start/Child Care Partnerships (infants and toddlers) are in place with child care centers in Olmsted, Freeborn, and Winona counties. In partnership with child care centers, Early Head Start is providing enhancements that will impact every infant and toddler receiving care at the center. These enhancements include evidence-based curriculum, child screenings and assessments, technology, professional development, and ongoing coaching for teachers. Classrooms with Early Head Start enrolled infants and toddlers will comply with all federal Early Head Start performance standards. This is a full-year, full-day option for families.