Head Start Family News - March 2024

Head Start Family News

Head Start Now

Enrolling for Fall

It’s time to register for Head Start for the 20242025 school year!

If your Head Start student will be returning this fall, contact your family service assistant or home visitor to update your paperwork and reserve your child’s space. If a younger sibling will be joining us, your family service assistant or home visitor can help with that too.

Head Start families must live at or below 130% of the Federal Poverty Line (FPL). Families receiving SNAP (Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program), TANF (Temporary Assistance to Needy Families) or SSI (Supplemental Security Income) are automatically eligible. Homeless children and children in foster or kinship (grandparents) care are also automatically eligible.

Head Start also serves children with disabilities.

Registration can be started online at www.lccaa.net/forms. Packets are also available at all of our centers.

Share your Head Start story with friends and neighbors. Make sure they know Head Start Works!

Preparing for Kindergarten

Preschoolers spend lots of time working on the self-help skills they need to take care of their body independently. School readiness skills are equally important.

Teachers expect students to respond when they are spoken to. Help your child practice by encouraging them to look up, make eye contact and/ or verbally respond so adults they encounter know they were heard.

Young children respond better when they are given a warning before big transitions and this is common in preschool. In kindergarten, they will need to learn to change activities more quickly. You can practice this too. Try to get your child involved in an (non-screen time) activity that sustains their attention for a length of time (ex. books, games, or art projects). Then help them transition from that activity to a different one. The ability to hear and distinguish the different sounds in words, also known as phonological awareness, is so important to develop in your

Lorain City Schools is in the process of changing its cut-off date for kindergarten enrollment. Always check with your school district for the best information on enrollment dates and processes.

child’s brain. Even if your child can’t identify any letters, they can still learn sounds.

Help your child play with sounds by saying rhyming words and tongue twisters. Clap out the syllables in words and try to teach your child new words to build their vocabulary. Have conversations where you are asking your child to remember things that happened in the past and the order of events. Count going up

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Dads and Father Figures Welcomed in Centers

LCCAA Head Start centers welcomed fathers, grandfathers and other special people in our students’ lives.

Family members enjoyed a variety of activities and snacks while spending quality time with their students

and seeing classrooms up close.

Thanks to all who attended and enjoyed the activities. We loved having you!

Please see our Facebook page for more photos.

Upcoming Days Off

X March 4: No School, Conferences

X March 11: No School, Conferences

X March 29: No School, Good Friday, Agency Closes at 12 p.m.

X April 1-5: Spring Break

X April 8: No School, Solar Eclipse

X April 26: No School, Records Day

Don’t Be Afraid of the Letters I.E.P.

Your child’s teacher has expressed concerns about his development and now you’ve heard those three intimidating letters: I.E.P.

Fear not. Those letters could be the keys to success for you and your child. The Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process is designed to create a support system around the student and empower parents and teachers to help them succeed.

An IEP is a legal document, unique to each child, which allows the local school district to provide specialized instruction, support and services to children who may need additional assistance in certain areas to strengthen skills.

What is the Process?

Head Start provides a number of different screenings which will be discussed between teacher and parents. Concerns expressed - by either you or the teacher - may warrant evaluation by specialists and referrals to your local school district. The school district representative will interview parents about the child’s health,

development and the concerns they have. They will also assess the child at play and make observations. The school district representative will decide whether to move forward with the referral process.

The next step will be a team meeting. You, your Head Start teacher, the school district’s psychologist, and possibly other staff will develop a plan and set goals for your child. The services your child will receive and a schedule for them will also be determined at that point.

If your child qualifies for an IEP, a teacher from your local school district will provide services at their Head Start site. Having early intervention support can truly impact your child’s transition into kindergarten and set them up for success at an early age.

Remember, YOU are your child’s first teacher, and you have the power and support to give them a Head Start to be successful! If you have further questions about your child’s development or referral, please reach out to Julie Charles, Disabilities Manager at 440-204-3124.

Terms to Know When Seeking Early Intervention

LEA: Local Education Agency also known as your local school district

Itinerant Teacher: school district teachers who travel to provide individualized services rather than running a classroom. Itinerant means they move from place to place which may include homes, early childhood centers, schools, community-based programs and hospitals.

ETR: Evaluation Team Report - the initial step for identifying a disability and determining the appropriate educational needs of the student

Preparing for Kindergarten

Continued from page 1 or down steps and compare sizes of things you see. Use directional words like in, under, behind, left and right.

Every day has opportunities for learning if you look for them! Make running errands an adventure by having a contest to see who can find the most letter Zs, red objects or frogs.

Don’t forget Ready Rosie has a video library where you can search easy activities based on your location (on

LCCAA Head Start uses School Status

Connect to keep families informed of classroom activities and much more.

If you have trouble accessing the platform, please contact your FSA.

Upcoming Home-Based Socializations

Home-based students and families meet regularly to encourage social interaction.

Here are upcoming dates:

March 8: EHS

March 15: Preschool

March 22: EHS

April 12: Preschool

April 19: EHS

For details on socializations, contact your home visitor.

the go, grocery store, outdoors, restaurant waiting, etc.) and by age.

At your upcoming parent teacher conference, you will receive a kindergarten transition folder with a book, school readiness goals and more activities that will help continue the transition to kindergarten.

Remember to talk positively about school and kindergarten so you can help your child become excited about their next big step!

Head Start is Wild About Health and Nutrition

March is National Nutrition Month and to celebrate, LCCAA Head Start is going wild with two free events for students and families.

Both events will include food demonstrations, community agencies sharing information, awesome door prizes and give aways for the students.

A tasty taco bar will also be served at both events.

Griswold Head Start will host the Wild About event on March 14 from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Hopkins-Locke will host the event on March 19 from 5:30 to 7 p.m.

Families from other LCCAA Head Start sites are welcome to attend either event. For additional information, contact your child’s teacher or family service assistant.

Learn more about National Nutrition Month at www.eatright.org.

Better Breakfast Recipes Shared, Tried

LCCAA Head Start helped families Build a Better Breakfast with its February Out of the Box cooking series.

Out of the Box presentations include a recipe demonstration by a registered dietician from Pisanick Partners. The demonstration is filmed and presented via Zoom. Registered participants then receive a box of ingredients and, in some cases, equipment to recreate the recipe at home.

This round of recipes included Egg Muffins and Overnight Oats.

Firelands student Maverick Hall and his older brother, right, enjoyed trying the Overnight Oats recipe at home.

Both recipes and videos are available on our website. Scan the QR code to review.

Students Enjoy Trying Quinoa

Scan this code to see the latest menu for most of our Head Start Centers.

Try Day events are multi-sensory experiences designed to expose children to new foods. Classes receive the food in raw form, talk about how it is grown and can feel, smell and see it before they taste it.

In January, students explored quinoa. They enjoyed a Quinoa Mango Salad. One Hopkins-Locke class used food coloring to dye the quinoa and enjoyed exploring it.

Mayor, Families Enjoy Winter Games

Griswold’s Winter Games drew more than 150 people including Elyria Mayor Kevin Brubaker last month.

Olympic-style events were held with parents pitted against children. A total of 88 children and 69 adults attended.

Mayor Brubaker followed up with a February visit to read to one of the classes.

Thanks to all who made the games a huge success! For more photos, please see our Facebook page.

Read Your Way to Free Baseball Tickets

March is National Literacy Month and LCCAA Head Start is excited for the return of Stomper’s Reading Club.

The mascot of the Lake Erie Crushers is the face of the reading club presented by the Lorain Public Library System. Students are challenged to “crush” their reading goals and earn rewards redeemable during the upcoming baseball season.

Every Head Start student will

receive a bookmark. For every book read, they are to color in a baseball. After coloring all the baseballs, they will return their bookmark for two tickets to a Crushers game.

Head Start students should return their completed bookmarks by the end of March to receive their free tickets.

The reading club is also available for students in kindergarten through eighth grade.

In the Small, Small Pond

If your child has a hard time sitting for story books, instead of having a power struggle, start with short books with a few words per page. LCCAA Head Start recommends Denise Fleming’s In the Small, Small Pond

Find books that are silly and will make them laugh or books that have an interactive element like finding something hidden, counting or motions to imitate. The more kids discover that books can be fun, the more likely they will be to sit still and listen. Gradually, they will be ready for longer books.

Try reading In the Small, Small Pond together and talk about one or two words that are new to your child.

Upcoming Spirit Days

March 21

Crazy Sock Day

March 26

Wear Purple Day

April 10

Wear Blue Day

April 22

Earth Day

April 25

Super Hero Day

Head Start to Mark the Week of the Young Child

The Week of the Young Child is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the world’s largest early childhood education association.

LCCAA Head Start will join in the fun-filled week from April 6 to 12 this year. We encourage all children, families and staff to celebrate early learning, young children, their teachers, families and communities.

For Music Monday on April 8, LCCAA Head Start’s contracted music therapist, Izzey Donovan from Music Izz Groovy will produce a You Tube video so families can have a dance party at home. Miss Izzey will also include some fun information on that day’s solar

Eclipse News

LCCAA Head Start will be closed April 8 while the community views the much-anticipated solar eclipse. Many school districts in the area and across the state have chosen to close for the event which is expected to attract thousands to prime viewing areas, including Lorain County. Each student will receive two pairs of eclipse glasses along with information on safe viewing.

Many area public libraries are offering eclipse related activities and events. Check them out!

eclipse. All LCCAA offices and centers will be closed the day of the eclipse.

For Tasty Tuesday on April 9 students will receive a fun lunch bag with plums. Every student will also receive a copy of the classic Eric Carle book The Very Hungry Caterpillar and simple cooking activities to do at home that are related to the story.

during their school days.

For Artsy Thursday, April 11 each classroom will explore a famous artist and their masterpieces. The children will be creating their own replica of the artist’s masterpiece by painting on their own canvas.

Wednesday April 10, each classroom will receive a classroom fort kit. Children will learn about collaboration and Working Together by building their fort. Lots of imaginary and creative play will follow as the children use the fort

On Family Friday, April 12, we encourage you to enjoy quality family time together by ending the week with a family game night and a story. During the week, children will bring home the book Me and the Family Tree to keep. We encourage families to share their Week of the Young Child celebrations by posting pictures on School Status Connect (formerly ClassTag) under the WOYC post. Watch our Facebook page for photos too!

Parent and Committee Meetings

If you would like to join one of our committees, contact your Family Service Assistant. Parent meetings are held monthly at our larger centers and every other month at our smaller centers.

LCCAA Head Start volunteers will be recognized during April Parent Meetings.

Visit the Lorain County Resource Fair

Connecting for Kids will present its annual Lorain County Resource Fair from 6 to 8 p.m. March 12 at Lorain County Community College’s Spitzer Conference Center in Elyria.

LCCAA Head Start will participate in the fair, along with more than 60 other organizations throughout the community.

Both in person and drive up “grab and go” options are available. In-person attendees who pre-register are eligible to win an Amazon gift card.

The Resource Fair is designed for families with children aged 0 to 22 and highlights services available for a variety of needs. March is Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month and resources for attention issues, ADHD, learning disabilities, autism spectrum disorders and more will be provided.

Resources for children with dyslexia will also be available in response to a new law requiring public school

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students be screened between kindergarten and third grade.

Mental health resources including therapists will also be available. Participants can visit with representatives from a variety of organizations to discuss services and explore program options.

The first 100 families who stop by the Connecting for Kids table will receive a free stuffed animal courtesy of Wild Republic along with a disability awareness pin and bookmark.

For a complete list of participants or to pre-register for the event or reserve a grab and go bag, visit www. connectingforkids.org/lorain-resource-fair. You can also call or text 440-570-5908.

Making the Most of the Produce Center

LCCAA offers convenient curbside service at its Produce Center at 204 W. 10th St. in downtown Lorain.

The center focuses on fresh food items and is designed to help stretch your budget and encourage better health.

The LCCAA program is open to residents living at or below 200 percent of the Federal Poverty Level. The program is strictly designed and staffed around appointment times.

If an appointment-based service doesn’t work for you, we will help you find another pantry.

Ordering windows are open from 8 a.m. Monday to 11 p.m. Sunday or until all appointments

are full. Pickups are the following Wednesday and Thursday.

The LCCAA Produce Center uses the online ordering system, Order Ahead. You can find the link to the system on our website.

The first time you order, you will be asked to create a free account and to answer some questions about your situation.

Those picking up are also asked to approach the Produce Center using Reid Avenue and West 10th Street and not cut through the parking lot at 936 Broadway Ave. Please follow all signs and staff instructions. Staff will bring food orders to your car.

LCCAA operates the Produce Center in partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank of North Central Ohio and Food Forward Lorain. A start up grant also came from the City of Lorain.

The center is staffed by youth assigned to LCCAA’s Youth Services program. If you have questions about the center, contact Center Manager Deirdre Paynter at 440-457-0327.

Winter Crisis Ends March 31

The Winter Crisis Program will help you if your primary heating source is disconnected, a disconnection notice has been received, or you have less than a 10-day supply of bulk fuel.

Appointments for Winter Crisis can only be made online and are conducted over the phone.

If you receive a disconnect notice during the crisis period, make an appointment right away. If you make an appointment for at least 48 hours before your scheduled disconnection AND you enter your utility account number, the utility will put a hold on the disconnect while you are waiting for your appointment.

If you miss or reschedule your appointment, the hold is removed and you may lose service.

Winter Crisis will operate through March 31, 2024.

You do not need an appointment to apply for HEAP or to reverify your information for the PIPP Program.

Learn more about all your options by scanning the QR code to download our Guide to Energy Services.

Programs Supporting Pregnant Women Merge

Do you or someone you know need help from the LCPHUB?

Scan the QR code to make a referral.

LCCAA Head Start’s Pregnancy Support Services program is now part of the LCCAA Lorain County Pathways HUB (LCPHUB).

Melissa Carroll has joined the LCPHUB as its Community Health Worker (CHW) Coordinator. In her new role, Carroll – an experienced CHW herself - will be a mentor, program coordinator and advocate for the HUB’s CHWs serving in area hospitals and social service programs.

“This is a very natural integration of two programs that have the same goals,” said LCPHUB Director Nina Brooks. “The women Melissa has been working with will continue to be served and we are thrilled to have her overseeing this great work.”

LCPHUB has also announced a new partnership with El Centro de Servicios Sociales, Inc. El Centro will hire and house a CHW who

will serve pregnant women as part of the HUB.

The LCPHUB is a free program seeking to reduce infant mortality and improve the health of at-risk moms and infants in Lorain County. The LCPHUB is funded by grants from the Ohio Commission on Minority Health, the Center for Disease Control’s CHWs for COVID Response and Resilient Communities Initiative, and Lorain County Public Health.

In Lorain County, 13 out of every 1,000 Black or African American infants die in their first year of life. The rate for white infants is 4.5.

The HUB-funded CHWs connect people with services that address the social determinants of health. Social determinants of health include problems such as food insecurity, lack of access to prenatal care and other issues that can add to health problems, especially for pregnant women.

Though the HUB is currently focused on pregnant women and their families in at-risk African American and Hispanic communities, the program is open to all Lorain County pregnant moms in need. They bridge the gap between communities and the health and social services system while advocating for individual and community needs.