UW Oshkosh Head Start

About Us Mission History Program Governance Services Early Childhood Classroom Curriculum Disabilities Services Health Services Mental Health Services Nutrition Service Family Service Families Parent Involvement Community Partnerships Register for 2009/2010 school year Income Guidelines Staff Employment Opportunities Contacts Contact Us Locations Links UW Oshkosh UW Oshkosh Titan Mail UW Oshkosh - College of Education & Human Services National Head Start Association Wisconsin Head Start Association	University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Head Start EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION SERVICES The education component blends together guidelines from Head Start Performance Standards, State of Wisconsin rules for Group Day Care and from the Active Learning Philosophy of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation for Young Children. Preschool-aged children ages 3, 4 and 5 are engaged in one of several options most appropriate for their development. Each option provides opportunities for stories, music, poetry, beginning social studies, math, science, and language development. All activities are geared to the developmental level of the child and individualized lessons, in the area of a child’s special needs or interests, are provided. There are always a variety of quiet activities, active play, directed activities, child initiated activities, and in the classroom options, small and large group activities. Care is taken that all activities reinforce ethnic backgrounds and seek to be non-sexist. Program Options Classroom Program UW Oshkosh Head Start offers several options for children enrolling in the classroom program: Half Day Session: This is a three and one half hour per day, either morning or afternoon, offered Monday through Thursday at one of 10 UW Oshkosh Head Start sites. Extended Day Session: This is a six hour, four day per week program offered at one of 10 UW Oshkosh Head Start sites. 4K or Pre-Kindergarten: This is an extended day program that provides both a Head Start teacher as well as a public school teacher and offers enhanced services to Head Start eligible children. Currently all public school collaborations are held at Head Start sites. Child Care Collaborations: This is an extended day program that meets family’s needs for full day child care and eliminates the transition from the Head Start program site to the child care site. Enrolled children receive both child care and Head Start in their child care setting. Combination Program: In this option, enrolled children participate in a one-half day classroom experience twice each week and are visited in their homes twice each month. This option exists only at the St. B’s site in Appleton. Home Based Program The Home Based program option offers all the services the classroom program provides and meets all of the appropriate program performance standards. A home visitor meets with the enrolled family one and half hours per week in their home and works with the parent(s) on the goals that the parent has developed. Group socialization, with a meal, is offered for the family two times per month during the school year. The Home Based Program Option is best able to: Accommodate parent’s desires for in-home programming for their child. Serve those families whose child is unable to be in the classroom program for an identified/appropriate reason. Teach parents to teach their children. Better serve families living in the rural areas of the counties served. Serve parents who are referred for parenting training. Be able to accommodate families outside the transportation area. The Home Based program is currently using an adapted version of the High/Scope Key Experiences and is exploring the use of Parents as Teachers, commonly used in other high quality home based programs. © 2009 MIS Team of UWO Head Start Program

University of Wisconsin Oshkosh Head Start

EARLY CHILDHOOD DEVELOPMENT AND EDUCATION SERVICES

The education component blends together guidelines from Head Start Performance Standards, State of Wisconsin rules for Group Day Care and from the Active Learning Philosophy of the High/Scope Educational Research Foundation for Young Children.

Preschool-aged children ages 3, 4 and 5 are engaged in one of several options most appropriate for their development. Each option provides opportunities for stories, music, poetry, beginning social studies, math, science, and language development. All activities are geared to the developmental level of the child and individualized lessons, in the area of a child’s special needs or interests, are provided. There are always a variety of quiet activities, active play, directed activities, child initiated activities, and in the classroom options, small and large group activities. Care is taken that all activities reinforce ethnic backgrounds and seek to be non-sexist.

Program Options

Classroom Program
UW Oshkosh Head Start offers several options for children enrolling in the classroom program:

Half Day Session: This is a three and one half hour per day, either morning or afternoon, offered Monday through Thursday at one of 10 UW Oshkosh Head Start sites.
Extended Day Session: This is a six hour, four day per week program offered at one of 10 UW Oshkosh Head Start sites.
4K or Pre-Kindergarten: This is an extended day program that provides both a Head Start teacher as well as a public school teacher and offers enhanced services to Head Start eligible children. Currently all public school collaborations are held at Head Start sites.
Child Care Collaborations: This is an extended day program that meets family’s needs for full day child care and eliminates the transition from the Head Start program site to the child care site. Enrolled children receive both child care and Head Start in their child care setting.

Combination Program:
In this option, enrolled children participate in a one-half day classroom experience twice each week and are visited in their homes twice each month. This option exists only at the St. B’s site in Appleton.

Home Based Program
The Home Based program option offers all the services the classroom program provides and meets all of the appropriate program performance standards. A home visitor meets with the enrolled family one and half hours per week in their home and works with the parent(s) on the goals that the parent has developed. Group socialization, with a meal, is offered for the family two times per month during the school year.
The Home Based Program Option is best able to:

Accommodate parent’s desires for in-home programming for their child.
Serve those families whose child is unable to be in the classroom program for an identified/appropriate reason.
Teach parents to teach their children.
Better serve families living in the rural areas of the counties served.
Serve parents who are referred for parenting training.
Be able to accommodate families outside the transportation area.

The Home Based program is currently using an adapted version of the High/Scope Key Experiences and is exploring the use of Parents as Teachers, commonly used in other high quality home based programs.