TODDLERS

SERVICE

I N F A N T S

C O M M U N I T Y

Mercer County Head Start/Early Head Start

and Pre K Counts

2015-2016

ANNUAL REPORT

C O L L A B O R A T I O N

P R E S C H O O L E R S

1901 Memorial Drive, Farrell PA 16121 724-346-4482

Toll Free 1-866-284-1059

www.mchs-ehs.org

FA

MIL

Y

S T A F F

Dear Community Leaders, Parents, Staff and

Friends,

The program year 2015-2016 was a very

exciting year for the Head Start community.

The Head Start program celebrated 50 years

of service to young children and their

families nation-wide. In May of 1965, the

first Head Start summer program began.

These programs provided the most

vulnerable preschool children and families

with comprehensive services to meet their

emotional, social, health, nutrition, and

mental health needs. Mercer County Head

Start-Early Head Start & PA Pre-K Counts is

proud to be part of such a long standing high

quality comprehensive early childhood

program.

At the end of the year we said goodbye to

our previous Director, Wilma Torres. She will

remain connected to our programs as the

new Executive Director of our Grantee,

Community Action Partnership of Mercer

County.

As the new Executive Director of our

programs, I have reflected on the Mission &

Values of our program. These statements

need to be the foundation of what we have

accepted as our daily work; focus on new

opportunities and growth.

With the help of our families and other

community partners we will help children be

prepared for the next step in their

educational journey.

Wendy A. King

Executive Director

Mercer County Head Start-

Early Head Start and PA Pre-

K Counts connects children,

families, schools and

communities by partnering

quality education with caring

support services today for a

better tomorrow.

We believe that parents

are a child’s first and

best teacher.

We believe that our

entire staff should be

committed to children,

families, fellow staff

members and our

community partners by

demonstrating the

highest levels of

professionalism, dignity

and respect.

We believe that the key

to self-suffiency is

through quality

education, parental

responsibility and

community

partnerships.

We believe that

education and the love

of learning is critical to

school readiness and a

family’s future success.

We believe that

providing comprehensive

services for physical and

mental health

development are crucial

to a child’s overall

development.

We believe in the

empowerment of families

to ensure self-reliance.

We believe that a child

that has healthy

nutrition and a safe

environment can learn

effectively.

Mission & Values

Financial Information

The program receives Federal and State funding to provide comprehensive early

childhood services to 550 pregnant women, infants, toddlers, preschoolders

and their familes. The program must generate 20% of the federal funding to

support its Federal Programs in contributions “In-Kind” by way of items or

services donated to the program. These items or services must be “allowable”

and would be paid for in the normal course of business to run our program

such as volunteers and space. The program must also utilize USDA funds to

support nutritious meals for children.

Grant Name Received Expended

Head Start & TA 2,347,453 2,347,453

Early Head Start & TA 515,864 515,864

PA Pre-K Counts 663,000 663,000

HSSAP - State 604,444 604,444

USDA 253,622 243,605

Inkind 737,434 737,434

Totals 5,122,817 5,112,800

2015-2016 Public and Private Funds

Funded Enrollment by program:

Early Head Start 66

Head Start (Fed.) 313

Head Start (State) 93

34 additional slots were

awarded in January 2016

through expansion funds

PA Pre-K Counts 78

Of the Publicly Funded, High-

Quality Pre-K programs in

Mercer County–the number of

children enrolled by Program

and Percent of Population for

children Age 3-4; Mercer

County Head Start and PA

Pre-Counts serve 19.5% of the

population.

Audit

Hill, Barth & King, LLC an independent auditing firm, conducted an audit of

the combined financial statements and programs of Farrell Area School

District-Mercer County Head Start, Early Head Start and PA Pre-K Counts

programs. It was the opinion of the firm that the combined financial

statements present fairly, in all material respects, the financial position of the

programs as of June 30, 2016 and 2015, and the changes in their fund

balances for the years then ended in accordance with accounting principles

generally accepted in the United States of America.

Federal Review

The Administration for Children and Families (ACF) conducted an on-site

Leadership/Governance/Management Systems review in June of 2016. There

were no areas of non-compliance or any corrective action needed according to

the report dated August 14, 2016. This review concludes the five on-site federal

review required for the five year grant cycle ending June 2018.

2,395,548

960,225

232,531

433,373

69,529 39,747

244,413

737,434

2015-2016 Expenses

Salaries Fringes Supplies Contractual Training Travel Other In-Kind

2015-2016 Performance Indicators

Head Start Early Head Start

Enrollment:

Funded Enrollment 406 66

Cumulative Enrolled Children 472

Cumulative Children 0-3 and Pregnant Woman 131

Health:

No. of children with Health Insurance 467 113

No. of children with up-to –date immunizations 469 112

No. of children with a medical home 472 114

No. of children with medical exams 316 65

No. of children with a dental home 470 114

No. of children with dental exams 240

Disabilities:

No. of children with an IEP or IFSP 82 13

Nutrition:

No. of children considered underweight 17

No. of Children at a healthy weight 284

No. of children considered overweight or obese 164

No. of families enrolled in WIC 201 76

Family Services:

Total no. of families 441 91

Familes who received at least one family service 412 81

In 2015, the Office of Head Start updated the Head Start Early

Learning Outcomes Framework to include Infants / Toddlers.

Mercer County Head Start / Early Head

Start / PA Pre-K Counts took this new infor-

mation and revised the way the program de-

termines School Readiness Goals. The Goals

are grouped according to the needs of in-

fants / toddlers and preschoolers. This revi-

sion has given the program the opportunity

to take a more in depth look at the needs of

the enrolled children according to their age

and developmental domains. This has helped

with program planning and professional de-

velopment for staff as well as identifying ma-

terials and activities that could support the

children in the classroom as well as the home

based setting. The following page shows the

overall progress that was reported for both

infants / toddlers and preschoolers.

Education Services and School Readiness

Preschoolers:

Of the 462 children enrolled in our

Head Start / PA Pre-K COUNTS class-

rooms with assessment data:

There was a 38% increase of stu-

dents who applied approaches to

learning skills resulting in a to-

tal of 439 students who were suc-

cessful in meeting the goal.

There was a 45% increase of stu-

dents who demonstrated positive so-

cial-emotional skills including social

relationships, with 416 students

who were successful meeting the

goal.

There was a 41% increase of stu-

dents who developed and demon-

strated language and literacy skills ,

with 411 students who were suc-

cessful in meeting the goal.

There was a 30% increase of stu-

dents who improved their physical

and health development skills

resulting in a total of 439 students

who were successful in meeting the

goal.

87%

50% 48%

86%

78%

90%

68%

59%

91%85%

91%

83%

70%

92%87%

Children will learn to

apply ap proaches to

learning skills.

Children will

demonstrate positive

social-emotional skills,including social

relationships.

Children will develop

and demonstrate

language and literacyskills.

Children will improve

skills to promote

physical health anddevelopment.

Chldren will develop and

demonstrate cognition

and general knowledgeskills.

Overall School Readiness Goals and Progress for Infants / Toddlers 2015-2016

Fall Winter Spring

57%

45% 48%

65%

47%

87%

78% 78%86%

78%

95%90% 89%

95%87%

Children will learn toapply approaches to

learning skills.

Children willdemonstrate positive

social-emotional skills,

includin g socialrelationships.

Children will developand demonstrate

language and literacy

skills.

Children will improveskills to promote

physical health and

development.

Chldren will developand demonstrate

cognition and general

knowledge skills.

Overall School Readiness Goals and Progress for Preschoolers 2015-2016

Fall Winter Spring

Infant / Toddlers:

Of the 61 children enrolled in our Early

Head Start home-based program with

assessment data:

There was a 4% increase of students

who applied approaches to learning

skills resulting in a total of 56

students who were successful in

meeting the goal.

There was a 33% increase of stu-

dents who demonstrated positive

social-emotional skills including so-

cial relationships, with 51 students

who were successful meeting the

goal.

There was a 22% increase of stu-

dents who developed and demon-

strated language and literacy skills ,

with 43 students who were success-

ful in meeting the goal.

There was a 6% increase of students

who improved their physical and

health development skills re-

sulting in a total of 56 students

who were successful in meeting the

goal.

Family Services and Outcomes

Family Outcomes

364 families participated in a family goal setting process with their home visitor. 17 areas were measured

of which 6 showed the greatest amount of improvement.

The areas with the greatest gains were:

Child Development/Parenting Skills- Parent or family exhibits appropriate knowledge of child

development activities.

Nurturing Relationships-Parent or family is attached/bonded to child and needs more information on

developing nurturing relationships or has formed a positive parent/child relationship.

Family Education at Home-Family is engaging in age appropriate activities with the child at home.

School Readiness-Family understands child assessment data, participates in conferences or program

functions and knows how to support their child for school readiness.

Transition-Family is aware, advocates and engages in transition planning.

Transportation-Family has adequate transportation or knowledge of how to access public transportation.

Parent/Family Activities

EVENTS

Autumn Fest

Book Bingo

Movie Night

End of Year Celebrations

TRAINING/INFORMATION

Fire Safety & Prevention

Pediatric First Aid & CPR

Stress Management

Gardening

Health & Fitness

Positive Behavior Techniques

STEM-Mathematics

Curricula

Literacy

Nutrition-Healthy Eating &

Cooking

Water & Summer Safety

Pet Safety

Policy Council Officers

Michael Burns, President

Zachary Schou, Vice President

Sharon James, Secretary

Jeffrey A Simmons, Treasurer

Community Representatives

Sharon James — Farrell Area School District Board Member

Ed Palanski— , Community Action Partnership of Mercer County Board Member

Georgiana Luce — Adult Education Administrator, MIU

Dr. Douglas R. Hazlett – Professor, Theil College

Jeffrey A. Simmons — Assistant Manager, First National Bank

Amber Dye— Past Parent

Other Representatives

Wilma V. Torres, President/CEO – Community Action Partnership of Mercer County

Dr. Lora A. Adams-King, Superintendent - Farrell Area School District

Roger Shaffer, Attorney – Barr and Shaffer

Parent Representatives

Michael Burns Zachary Schou Jeffery Tompkins

Chevelle Nunnemaker Amanda Rodgers Michelle Johnston

Jamie Galentine Pamela Crouser George Schuffert

Valerie Gravatt Shanen Ondic Juley Alford

Tina Norris Justin Wallace Jamie Palazzo-Scarmack

Director

Wendy A. King, Executive Director

Mercer County Head Start/Early Head Start and PA Pre– K Counts

Only the educated are free

~Bradford Angier

Mercer Co. Head Start/EHS

Administrative Offices 1901 Memorial Drive

Farrell, PA 16121 Telephone: 724-346-4482

Fax: 724-346-4431 Toll Free: 1-866-284-1059

Thank you to all of the Staff and to the School Districts, for providing space for our classrooms.

We also want to thank our Collaborative Partners and Classroom Volunteers for all you do to help us

help our children and famililies prepare for life.

Thank you again for emboding the the “Spirit of Excellence” in everthing you do!