Scott County Public School Head Start-Nickelsville

Head Start began in Scott County in 1965, as well as the rest of the country, as an eight week summer program designed to break the cycle of poverty by providing children with a program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs. The idea was that with a little help children from even the most disadvantaged families could begin elementary school at the same level of school readiness as their more advantaged peers.

From 1965 to 1995, the community action agency, Rural Areas Development Association (RADA) was the fiscal agent and grantee for the Head Start program in Scott County, with Scott County Public Schools delegated to operate the program.

From 1965 to 1977, Head Start was center-based only, growing in enrollment to 147 children. From 1977-2002, Scott County Head Start operated both center-based and home-based options, ultimately funded to serve 181 children.

In 1995, the Head Start grant was awarded to Scott County Public Schools, with a funded enrollment of 181 children, in both center-based and home-based options. In the fall of 2003, when the community assessment indicated the need for all center-based services, the funded enrollment dropped to 173 center-based only slots, which continues currently.

Today, Head Start continues to provide opportunities to low-income children, families and communities with high quality early childhood education, nutrition, health, dental, mental health, and social services, involving parents in all services and activities throughout the program. The promotion of school readiness is at the focal point and is delivered through a program that is child centered, family-focus comprehensive and community based. Not only are developmental goals for children supported, but there is also tremendous support for employment and self sufficiency goals for adults along with support for parents in their work and child care roles.

Head Start is nationally known for its efforts to provide high quality early childhood care and education, but is also recognized as a leader in serving children with disabilities, children of migrant workers, Native American families and pregnant women. In Virginia, Head Start programs offer an array of diverse models of care to include home and center-based services options, and other collaborative partnership models of services. For more information about Head Start services in Virginia, go to the Virginia Head Start Association web www.headstartva.org.