BRANCH COUNTY — The new school year for Branch County’s Head Start and Great Start Readiness programs began last week, but both programs are facing challenges. They are short two teachers and have room for more students, according to Cindy Hutson, early childhood assistant superintendent for the Branch County Intermediate School District.
Head Start, a federal program designed to prepare low-income children from birth to age five for school, focuses on education, social, and emotional development. Meanwhile, the Great Start Readiness Program (GSRP) offers free pre-kindergarten education to eligible four-year-olds based on family income.
Staff are available to help parents determine their eligibility and the programs for which they might qualify.
Last Thursday, Head Start hosted open houses at its four centers: Bronson, Girard, Lincoln, and Quincy. The events welcomed 127 students accepted into Head Start, 80 students in a blended Head Start/GSRP program, and 52 students in the Great Start program. Hutson reported that Head Start is currently 90% enrolled, needing 23 more children to reach full enrollment. The goal is to achieve at least 97% enrollment by the end of September.
The GSRP, including blended Head Start students, is 92% enrolled. Despite being fully staffed at the end of July, the program has since lost three teachers, with only one position filled. Thirteen teachers started classes on Tuesday.
“We need two more Head Start teachers, one at Lincoln and one at Girard,” said Hutson.
The pay for these positions ranges from $19.69 to $27.77 per hour, depending on experience and education.
On Thursday, the BISD board approved a new one-year contract for early education staff, which includes a 2.35% cost-of-living increase. The agreement also enhances tuition reimbursement per credit hour and shortens the longevity pay scale, allowing employees to receive bonuses sooner.
BISD Superintendent Chris Jenkins stated, “We are working to retain staff, provide incentives, and increase salaries.” Early education programs employ 16 full-time teacher assistants and 14 center aides. These staff members perform similar duties to assistant teachers but work fewer hours. Until additional staff can be hired, the Girard Center will consolidate students from one class into the other two.
Bronson and Quincy schools each have three early education classes. The Lincoln Elementary building in Coldwater now houses three Early Childhood Special Education classrooms and six classrooms for Head Start and GSRP. Of these six classrooms, four are full-day programs. The remaining two offer morning and afternoon sessions.
Half-day classes are offered based on parent choice. Typically, four-year-olds are enrolled in full-day classes, while younger three-year-olds are placed in part-day sessions.
Class sizes range from 15 to 18 students, depending on the classroom.
Lincoln Elementary also features a playgroup room for community playgroups.
The early education programs focus on helping children develop social skills, including sharing, taking turns, and making friends. Daily activities aim to teach math, reading, and thinking skills through engaging, hands-on experiences to prepare children for kindergarten next year.