Geminus Head Start Annual Report 2011 2012

HEAD START Annual Report

2011–20 1 2

HEAD START Mission Geminus Head Start is the Northwest Indiana leader in early childhood education, making a positive impact on families, children and staff through creative partnerships that inspire personal growth, foster empowerment and provide quality comprehensive services for all.

Vision Geminus Head Start is an organization of excellence supporting a highly qualified and dedicated staff that inspires children, families, and staff to achieve their full potential, which prepares them for a productive and fulfilling life.

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Parent Policy Council Parents share in the decision making process for all components of Head Start’s programming. Each school year, select parents are elected amongst their peers to serve as official committee members providing oversight for a $15 million dollar Geminus Head Start budget.

Parent Policy Council Members 2011-2012 Jennifer Christian - Chairperson Jameela Clay - Vice-Chairperson Ester Neal - Secretary

Geminus Board of Directors Donald Levinson - Chairperson Leslie Rittenmeyer - Vice-Chairperson Sandra Bapple - Secretary/Treasurer Wendy Acevedo - Head Start Parent Representative Samira Glass - Head Start Parent Representative The Honorable Judge Mary Beth Bonaventura Ronald Borto, CPA Bernard Carter, Lake County Prosecutor Julie Glade, R.N., J.D. Linda Jonaitis 4

Edmund Gunn

Daniel Klein

Donna Stath

A Message from the Vice-President of Geminus Head Start As we move ahead into the 21st century with increased performance accountability, a strong focus on child outcomes, providing and documenting meaningful and helpful assistance for parents, and increasing collaboration with all area programs that work with children, we can clearly see the challenges that lie ahead for both us and those whom we serve.

We find that technology has brought a needed focus on effective program delivery which includes having and utilizing the wealth of information now available to make improvements in our performance and in that of our children. We have the obligation to understand and utilize these data to continually sharpen our skills, program content, and our interactions in the classroom and with our parents and community partners. In addition, we are challenged to expose our children to the marvels and power that technology brings to both the classroom and each of our daily lives.

We understand the importance of applying and utilizing technology to develop skills, provide access to information, to prepare children for school, and even to efficiently communicate in our evolving 21st century world.

The availability of data and information is helping us to ensure that our programs, children and parents remain focused on achieving the heightened standards and expectations for public school preparation, to establish the necessary foundation for success for our Head Start children.

Through the use of technology, we are able to clearly document each child’s progress in achieving the pre-kindergarten standards to ensure a strong preparation for entry into kindergarten and continued success as learners.

It is critical that we both clearly communicate with, and engage our parents in this process, in order to enable them to be lifelong advocates for their children and their children’s success in school, in careers, and in life as productive citizens. If we are to make a difference in the lives of our Head Start children and families, we must instill the understanding that every child has amazing potential, and that the motivation to activate that potential must be nurtured and encouraged in order for abilities, skills and performance to flourish.

This is the legacy that we must leave, a legacy of success and tangible outcomes reflected in the progress made by our children that was planted through their experience in a quality Head Start program. Our achievement of success is intertwined between ourselves, the program, and the children and their parents; the ultimate outcomes realized reflect directly on our mutual success, and the effectiveness of Head Start, Early Head Start services, and the very lives that these programs embody and were created to serve.

Dr. Leonard Jozwiak Vice-President Geminus Head Start

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Program Overview Geminus Corporation

is Indiana’s second largest Head Start and Early Head Start grantee agency, receiving funding for 1,504 low income children and families, from prenatal to five years old throughout Northwest Indiana. All Geminus Head Start teachers are qualified in early childhood instruction and have been trained in Creative Curriculum Implementation and Teaching Strategies Gold to provide Head Start children with a variety of learning experiences while meeting the individual needs of children ages three to five at 24 preschool Center-Based Head Start sites throughout Lake and Porter Counties.

Head Start

services are available to 1,358 children in Lake and Porter Counties in Indiana. Center-Based Head Start program options available to children include morning and afternoon sessions, meeting 4 days per week, 128 days per year, from September through May. Many sites have expanded to include full-day programs which meet 5 days per week, 168 days per year, September through June.

Limited bus transportation is available for morning and afternoon session children. If Center-Based Head Start is not requested by a family, Home-Based Head Start services are available to 10 (age eligible) children throughout Lake and Porter Counties. Home-Based services include weekly home visits, and twice monthly socializations for children and their families.

Early Head Start

services are available to 136 infants and toddlers ages birth through three and select prenatal families. The Early Head Start program includes the Home-Based option (3 home visitor office locations) and one Center-Based location. Home-Based Early Head Start serves prenatal families and children ages birth to 3 years in Lake and Porter Counties. Services include weekly home visits to families, socialization for children and their families, twice per month, and parent trainings.

The Center-Based location in Lake County provides full-day services to children ages 18 months to 3 years of age, whose parents work or attend school full-time.

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ERSEA

FUNDED

CUMMULATIVE

Grantee

1042

1253

Delegate

326

373

Early Head Start (home-based, center-based, expectant mothers)

136

237

Head Start/Early Head Start

as a nationally recognized preschool program, promotes school readiness and utilizes local resources to enhance supportive services for children and families in the areas of health/nutrition, self-sufficiency, parent involvement, community access, and assistance for special needs and/or disabilities.

School Readiness Ages 0-5 Approach Geminus Head Start

preschool activities are designed to build social skills, language development, reinforcement of thinking processes, small and large muscle development and self-help skills The program believes children learn the best by doing. Curriculum planning provides for children to learn by hands-on experimenting, guessing, problem-solving, all of which is aligned with school readiness outcomes an is incorporated into their “play” activities. Geminus Head Start teaching teams are trained in the utilization of the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies Gold Assessment in addition to their individual academic coursework tracks.

Student Outcomes

from Fall to Spring, total growth amounts for school readiness domains were as follows: SOCIAL – E M O T I O N AL = 10.9% F I N E M O T O R = 2.3% C O G N I T I VE = 12.1% LITERACY= 17.3% LANGUAGE = 9.1% MATHEMATICS = 8.7% Teaching teams will be using the school readiness goals to drive classroom environments and teacher-child interactions, resulting in teachers running their own reports to monitor their outcomes.

This will reinforce the entering of current, accurate, and up-to-date data in order to track childrens’ growth and development.

(School Readiness is continued on page 10)

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OPERATIONAL BUDGET

HEAD START ACTUAL PROGRAM BUDGET

REVENUES

2011-2012 PROGRAM BUDGET

Head Start Grant Revenue: Operations

$

9,868,304

$

9,908,544

Head Start Grant Revenue: Training

$

105,777

$

105,777

Head Start Grant Revenue: Capital Spending

$

58,290

$

81,248

Head Start Grant Revenue: COLA - NONE

Special One-Time Grants - NONE

$

(65,198)

10,030,371 $

10,030,371

Less one-time two month carryover of AARA grant

TOTAL REVENUE

$

ACTUAL PROGRAM EXPENSES

EXPENSES

2011-2012 PROGRAM BUDGET

Total Personnel

$

4,683,335 $

4,597,749

Total Fringe

$

1,410,435 $

1,445,604

TOTAL PERSONNEL AND FRINGE

$

6,093,770 $

6,043,353

Total Equipment

$

64,814 $

72,724

Total Supplies

$

288,779 $

246,196

Total Contractual

$

1,678,297 $

1,796,268

Total Other

$

1,904,711 $

1,871,830

$

10,030,371 $

10,030,371

Total Travel

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TOTAL EXPENSES

EARLY HEAD START ACTUAL PROGRAM EXPENSES

COMBINED PROGRAM BUDGETS

2011-2012 PROGRAM BUDGET

ACTUAL PROGRAM EXPENSES

2011-2012 PROGRAM BUDGET

$

433,646 $

816,528

$

10,301,950 $

10,725,072

$

5,845 $

$20,413

$

111,622 $

126,190

$

56,290 $

81,248

$

(462,648)

10,469,862 $

10,469,862

$

$

(397,450)

439,491 $

439,491

ACTUAL PROGRAM EXPENSES

2011-2012 PROGRAM BUDGET

$

ACTUAL PROGRAM EXPENSES

2011-2012 PROGRAM BUDGET

$

140,004 $

80,355

$

4,823,339 $

4,678,104

$

28,603 $

19,242

$

1,429,038 $

1,464,846

$

168,607 $

99,997

$

6,262,377 $

6,142,950

$

6,064 $

64,814 $

72,724

$

310,992 $

246,196

$

1,880,123 $

2,130,098

$

1,951,556 $

1,871,830

$

10,469,862 $

10,469,862

$ $ $ $

22,213 201,826 $

333,830

46,845 439,491 $

439,491

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School Readiness Ages 0-5 Approach (continuation from page 7)

Social Emotional Development There is steady growth in this area. Classroom plans created with the Behavioral Health Service Providers, and the Geminus team, support this growth. We address development skills holistically, as all domains are interrelated.

Individualized child plans and classroom plans are created to increase child skills in any domain that is defined as an area of need. In addition, staff development, as it relates to temperaments, teacher-child interactions and classroom environments is built into class plans in order to continue social/emotional growth and development. This process is interwoven within all program options.

Physical Development Data reflects growth. The teachers’ challenge will be to continue to scaffold the children’s development, including introducing new materials and opportunities in the classroom.

Approaches to Learning Growth in this area is connected to emotional development growth, along with healthy transitions into the program. Teams reflect on their classroom environment in order to continue providing new and stimulating materials and equipment, inspiring life-long learners with curiosity.

Teacher Educational Analysis

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Status

Bachelor Degree

Associate Degree

Other

Teacher

13

31

3

Teacher Assistant

5

10

25

Home Visitor

12

0

0

Health HEALTH INITIATIVES

EARLY HEAD START

HEAD START

Up-to-date on immunizations UPON enrollment

83%

80%

Up-to-date on immunizations at END of enrollment

90%

93%

Received Primary Care Visits

87%

95%

100%

100%

83%

88%

Children that received treatment for serious/chronic health concerns Received Dental Exam

Children under age 3 do not receive fluoride treatments or sealants

Received Preventive Dental Services Children requiring follow-up dental work

3.9%

86% 9.3%

Disabilities Number/Percent of children with disability served Head Start

Grantee sites: 109 Hammond Delegate: 28 Lake Ridge Delegate: 9 Early Head Start - Home and Center-Based: 36

10.5 % 10.1 % 10.2 % 18.5 %

Nutrition September through May Breakfast: Lunch: Snack: Supper (Home-Based

103,270 161,020 101,574 Services only) 44 11

Collaborative Agreements PARTNERSHIPS between Geminus Head Start and various community organizations throughout Lake and Porter Counties, were increased to 61 providers that provide supportive services to children and families.

Geminus Head Start Household Analysis Grantee

Delegate

Percentage Head Start

Early Head Start

Percentage Early Head Start

Dual Parent

358

144

31%

90

46%

Single Parent

895

229

69%

112

54%

Household Type

Family Engagement Category of Involvement Fatherhood Involvement Parent Volunteers Number of Families Receiving Support Services*

Grantee

Delegates

Early Head Start

Total

130

54

17

201

1415

386

70

1871

751

261

196

1208

*Family Engagement Services include (but are not limited to) emergency crisis intervention, parenting education, ESL, etc.

Families Completing Parents as Subs

(parent training to serve as part time teacher assistants)

Families Attending the Annual Governance/Parent Leadership Training

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Each site hosted a variety of parent-focused educational trainings, and parent-child activities.

35 23

Transportation

Number of children transported to sites for daily attendance* St. Mary

58

St. Patrick

54

Roxanna

62

Holy Name

33

Evans

24

Hobart

33

South Haven

20

St. Francis

48

Valparaiso

23

St. Mark

71

*Transportation available for double-session sites only 13

Federal Monitoring Update During the last week of April 2012, Geminus Head Start/Early Head Start received its triennial program federal monitoring review. Thirteen (13) Officer of Head Start reviewers spent the week reviewing fiscal, safety, health, education and transportation services, as well as visiting each Head Start site. Another major component of the review was classroom observations, utilizing the CLASS tool to assess and score the quality of child-teacher interactions.

While the full monitoring report has not been received, the monitoring process and feedback from the monitors was all very positive. Geminus did receive the CLASS observation report on May 10, 2012, and did very well on the scored domains of, 1) Emotional Support, 2) Classroom Organization and, 3) Instructional Support provided by the Head Start teachers, scoring above the federal standards in all three domains.

When received, the results of the complete and final monitoring report will be shared.

PARTNERING FOR THE FUTURE

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PARTNERING FOR THE FUTURE

8400 Louisiana Street Merrillville, Indiana 46410

Dr. Leonard Jozwiak, Vice-President, Geminus Head Start

Sanford R. Kauffman, President, Geminus Corporation

Call Toll Free for All Sites/Programs - Lake and Porter Counties

1-888-893-6891 geminus.org geminusheadstart.org info@geminus.org

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