By collaborating, we truly serve the whole child and family by developing academic readiness and providing comprehensive services, such as general health, mental health, dental, and nutrition.

-- Linda Broyles, Director (Coffeyville), SEK-CAP Head Start

Wow! That first day of preschool was a doozy. I questioned whether it was necessary to serve the children both breakfast and lunch. It brought a tear to my eye when one of our staff told me about...

-- Beverly Newton, Director of Food Services, Rossville

By combining state and federal resources, we are able to keep our program more stable and make the most of what we have, to provide the highest level of service.

-- Phyllis Marmon, Director (Rossville), Community Action, Inc., Head Start

It's exciting to enhance our programs for young children by combining our efforts and strengths with other agencies in our community.

-- Laura Cano, Federal Programs Director, Liberal USD

“Most children see each other as equal play friends, not as different.  It is the adult who influences how children perceive each other as different.”

-- EJ Salley, Four-Year-Old At-Risk Teacher, Liberal USD

I really like that our daughters are in classes with a variety of children -- different backgrounds -- everything. That is so important, because that's life.

-- Heather Heslip, Parent, Coffeyville

In the first two weeks that our son was here, they identified the things he needed help with and came to us... It's just so exciting to see him develop and change and become the little boy that we...

-- Foster Parent, Rossville

I don’t know what we would have done without the preschool this year.  They have helped our whole family.  They have found us food banks and helped with doctor appointments. I live way...

-- Parent, Rossville

The Hamm Early Learning Center is worthwhile and working!  It’s taking a lot of dedication, hard work and collaboration of all the partnerships.

-- Tammy Blaich, M.S., L.C.P., Four County Mental Health, Coffeyville

I think this project is an exemplary model for combining resources, dollar resources and people resources, to collectively do something stronger and better for kids and families.

-- Jim McDaniel, Superintendent, Kaw Valley USD

Read more...

Local and state K-12 leaders are finding that collaborating with community-based providers such as Head Start programs, child care centers and faith-based organizations can help them develop and implement high-quality pre-k programs that meet the needs of young children and their families in a comprehensive way.

Read the report, "Beyond the School Yard: Pre-K Collaborations with Community-Based Partners".

 

School districts across the nation are blending preschool classrooms.  Mary Baskett, Executive Director of Kansas Head Start Association, and the Demonstration Learning Communities project are featured on Early Ed Watch, a blog from New America's Early Education Initiative.

Read the article, "All in One Classroom: Blending Head Start and Non-Head Start Students".