Education
ACE'’s Early Learning Programs are committed to providing opportunities for its staff to participate in professional development in such areas as early learning and kindergarten standards, assessments, curricula, and culturally and linguistically responsive strategies to help families build protective factors, build parents’ capacity to support their children’s learning and development, and engage parents as decision-makers in their children’s education. In addition to the network meetings, state, regional, and national conferences, mentor/coaching, focused discussions, reflective supervision, onsite workshops and presentations, and expert consultation
Transition
Throughout a child’s life, especially in the years from birth to age twelve, there will be many transitions. Within our Early Learning Programs, transitions take place from the Pregnant Moms Program to EHS, from EHS to HS or Pre-K Counts, from HS/Pre-K Counts into school age or community programs. Each of these times of change creates stress for children and families. Therefore, it is important to plan activities to make these transitions a positive experience.
Special Needs and Mental Health
The goal of the Special Services area is to work collaboratively with parents, the program staff, and community providers in the fields of early intervention and mental health services. This collaboration allows for the program to identify, refer, and assess children with a suspected or known disability and or social/emotional/ behavioral concerns and to ensure needed services to any eligible child. This includes the provision of all Head Start and Early Head Start services.
Family Engagement
Parent and family engagement in Head Start/Early Head Start (HS/EHS) is about building relationships with families that support family well-being, strong relationships between parents and their children, and ongoing learning and development for both parents and children. SLHDA uses the Parent, Family and Community Engagement (PFCE) Framework as a research-based approach to program changes that show how an agency can work together as a whole – across systems and service areas – to promote parent and family engagement and children’s learning and development.
Health and Nutrition
Head Start’s Health Services area oversees the enrollment of 1473 children: 40% Head Start, 35% PA Department of Education, 11% Early Head Start, 5% EHS-CCP and 9% Pre-K Counts. Nurses track physicals, dentals, immunizations, nutritional services, monitor treatment, and work with parents in the early identification of health problems.
the nutrition component evolved to include nutrition education for children, parents, and staff; nutrition staff qualifications; community nutrition programs and resources; and introducing a variety of foods to young children. Menus are prepared by a Registered Dietitian who provides nutrition training and consultation to staff, parents, and partnering child care centers
Diversity Education
Vast populations of families in our Early Learning Programs have different cultural backgrounds. In 2017 Lackawanna County, 21 children were identified as Dual Language Learners in the EHS program option. From this group, 19 children spoke a primary language other than English (ex. Spanish, Nepali, Middle-Eastern and African Languages).
Professional Development
ACE’s Early Learning Programs are committed to providing opportunities for its staff to participate in professional development in such areas as early learning and kindergarten standards, assessments, curricula, and culturally and linguistically responsive strategies to help families build protective factors, build parents’ capacity to support their children’s learning and development, and engage parents as decision-makers in their children’s education. In addition to the network meetings, state, regional, and national conferences, mentor/coaching, focused discussions, reflective supervision, onsite workshops and presentations.