The Head Start program provides grants to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies to provide comprehensive child
development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a special focus on helping preschoolers develop
the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school. In FY 1995, the Early Head Start program was established
to serve children from birth to three years of age in recognition of the mounting evidence that the earliest years matter a great deal to
children's growth and development.
Head Start programs promote school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision
of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families. They engage parents in their children's
learning and help them in making progress toward their educational, literacy and employment goals. Significant emphasis is placed
on the involvement of parents in the administration of local Head Start programs.
MISSION STATEMENT
The Office of Head Start (OHS) advises the Assistant Secretary for Children and Families on issues regarding the Head Start program
(including Early Head Start). The Office develops legislative and budgetary proposals; identifies areas for research, demonstration, and
developmental activities; presents operational planning objectives and initiatives relating to Head Start to the Assistant Secretary for
Administration for Children and Families; and oversees the progress of approved activities. OHS provides leadership and coordination
for the activities of the Head Start program in the ACF Central Office including the Head Start Regional Program Units. The Office represents
Head Start in inter-agency activities with other Federal and non-Federal organizations.
Early Head Start promotes healthy prenatal outcomes, enhances the development of infants and toddlers, and promotes healthy family
functioning.
PURPOSE
Head Start is a national program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through
the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children and families.
Contact Information:
v Location:
SWO Head Start and Early Head Start
45698 Veterans Memorial Drive
Agency Village, SD 57262
SWO Head Start Enemy Swim Center
Enemy Swim Community
v Phone Number: (605)698-3103
(605)947-4404
v Fax Number: (605)698-3503 Head Start Agency Center
(605)698-4238 Early Head Start
(605)947-4604 Enemy Swim Center
v Email Address: RenettaG@swo-nsn.gov
Mailing Information:
P.O Box 509
Agency Village, SD 57262
Program Information:
Program Manager: Renetta Goeson
Service Hours: Head Start 8:00-4:30 Monday - Friday
Early Head Start 7:30-5:00 Monday- Thursday 8:00-4:30 Friday
Service Area: Sisseton, Long Hollow, Big Coulee, Peever, Enemy Swim, Agency Village and surrounding areas.
Eligibility Requirements:
2009 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States
and the District of Columbia
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Persons in family Poverty guideline
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1........................................................... $10,830
2............................................................ 14,570
3............................................................ 18,310
4............................................................ 22,050
5............................................................ 25,790
6............................................................ 29,530
7............................................................ 33,270
8............................................................ 37,010
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For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,740 for each
additional person
PROGRAM SERVICES
· Early Childhood Development and Health
· Family and Community Partnerships
Early Childhood Development and Health
Head Start’s commitment to wellness embraces a comprehensive vision of health for children, families, and staff. The objective of Child
Health and Development Services is to ensure that, through collaboration among families, staff, and health professionals, all child health
and developmental concerns are identified, and children and families are linked to an ongoing source of continuous, accessible care to
meet their basic health needs.
The objective of Education and Early Childhood Development is to provide all children with a safe, nurturing, engaging, enjoyable, and
secure learning environment, in order to help them gain the awareness, skills, and confidence necessary to succeed in their present
environment, and to deal with later responsibilities in school and in life. Each child is treated as an individual in an inclusive community
that values, respects, and responds to diversity. The varied experiences provided by the program support the continuum of children’s
growth and development, which includes the physical, social, emotional, and cognitive development of each child.
Family and Community Partnerships
Head Start offers parents opportunities and support for growth, so that they can identify their own strengths, needs and interests, and find
their own solutions. The objective of Family Partnerships is to support parents as they identify and meet their own goals, nurture the
development of their children in the context of their family and culture, and advocate for communities that are supportive of children and
families of all cultures. The building of trusting, collaborative relationships between parents and staff allows them to share with and to learn
from one another.
Head Start serves families within the context of the community, and recognizes that many other agencies and groups work with the same
families. The objective of Community Partnerships is to ensure that grantee and delegate agencies collaborate with partners in their
communities, in order to provide the highest level of services to children and families, to foster the development of a continuum of family
centered services, and to advocate for a community that shares responsibility for the healthy development of children and families of all cultures.
Other Services Offered by this program:
Ride Safe Program
The Indian Health Service (IHS) developed Ride Safe to help tribal communities address motor vehicle injuries among American Indian and
Alaskan Native children. Specifically, Ride Safe aims to reduce the rate of motor vehicle related injuries to children, aged 3 to 5 years, enrolled
in participating Tribal Head Start programs, by promoting motor vehicle child restraint use.
The Ride Safe Program will achieve its overall goal by meeting the following objectives:
1. Provide funding and support for at least one Tribal Head Start Center staff member to complete the National Highway Traffic
(NHTSA) Child Passenger Safety (CPS) technician training.
2. Provide a one to two-day CPS training for all Head Start staff who participate in Ride Safe activities.
3. Educate parents and childcare providers about proper and ageappropriate child restraint use.
4. Distribute to parents and care givers one car seat or booster seat for each child at a Head Start Center that implements the
Ride Safe Program.
5. Conduct follow-up home visits to educate parents and other caregivers about proper car seat use and to reinforce positive child
passenger safety messages.
6. Gather community child restraint use data.
7. Promote community awareness about how to lessen the severity of motor vehicle crash injuries through car seat use.
Sleep Safe Program
American Indian and Alaska Native (AI/AN) children are at high risk of death due to housefires. Residential fires are the third leading cause of
death for AI/AN children ages 1-4. Smoke alarms nearly double the chances of surviving a house fire, yet many reservation homes do not
have adequate numbers of working smoke alarms.
Head Starts are uniquely suited for implementing injury prevention projects because of their contact with children and parents. Since 1999,
Head Start, Indian Health Service, and US Fire Administration have collaborated on the Sleep Safe Program. The goal of this program is to
reduce house fire-related injuries in AI/AN HS children by providing a curriculum for program development and parent/student education,
smoke alarms for installation. Photoelectric smoke alarms are provided because they are less sensitive to false alarms from cooking,
an important contextual factor in AI/AN communities.
Program Events:
Family Fun Nights are held monthly, where families can come to the centers and enjoy a meal and fun activities and gather information
for the benefit of the whole family.
Families are always welcome to volunteer or come and have lunch with their child enrolled in the program.