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District Head Start report: enrollment, meals served and early‑learning gains presented
Summary
The district's Head Start director reported enrollment numbers, meal counts and assessment gains for early‑learning programs and said staff are processing applications for next year; the board was invited to visit program classrooms.
Dr. Thompson, director of the district’s Head Start/BUSSE program, presented enrollment, attendance and program data at the March 11 board meeting and invited trustees to visit classrooms.
Why it matters: Early-childhood programs feed into kindergarten readiness and district enrollment plans; Head Start enrollment and staffing affect outreach and budgeting.
Thompson reported enrollment figures: Early Head Start was full (16) with 13 on the waiting list; Head Start had 78 enrolled with 18 vacant plus two children starting imminently; GSRP (Great Start Readiness Program) reported 69.5 slots filled and 10.5 vacant. Average daily attendance for February was 85 percent. The program served 4,920 meals during February under CACFP rules. Thompson also said the program is aligning school‑readiness goals to the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and the district’s Core Advantage assessment and that teachers receive weekly instructional and social‑emotional tips.
Staffing: Thompson listed several vacancies in the early‑learning program (one GSRP teacher open, assistant-teacher vacancies and other openings). The director said interviews were ongoing and that staff recruitment is underway for the 2025–26 year.
Ending: Thompson invited the board to a Head Start board breakfast to observe classroom instruction and said the program will continue orientations and outreach to local day-care providers to support enrollment for next year.
