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Parents and Yolo County call on Washington Unified to keep Head Start at Alice Norman
Summary
Parents, a county superintendent and community members urged the Washington Unified board not to discontinue or move Head Start/Early Head Start services at the Alice Norman site, saying the program is critical for working families and early-childhood development.
Several parents and Yolo County officials urged the Washington Unified School District board to preserve Head Start and Early Head Start services at the Alice Norman Educational Center.
Garth Lewis, Yolo County superintendent of schools, told the board that YCOE has been a partner in operating early childhood classrooms moved from Woodland to Alice Norman and asked the district for more time to present data and program impacts at a January study session. "That program is now fully enrolled and has a wait list largely due to its year round model and services provided to infants and toddlers," he said, framing the county's interest in maintaining consistent early-learning access.
Parents including Natalie Mesa and Bertha Gonzales (joined by a translator) described personal dependency on the Alice Norman Head Start offerings for childcare, job referrals and family supports. Mesa said she had been informed the contract might not be renewed and described the stress that possibility causes families: "I'm here because I'm very concerned about the decision or possible decision not to renew the contract for early head start..." Parents who submitted letters detailed how the program enabled employment and offered developmental supports for young children.
Board members acknowledged the concerns, asked for additional data and noted the complexity of program funding and space. The superintendent indicated that staff had engaged with YCOE and that additional information would be scheduled for an upcoming study session to better assess program design, enrollment impact and family needs.
No final district action to terminate or relocate the program was recorded during the meeting; board members and county staff agreed to continue conversations in January.
