Family Hanbook
Table of Contents
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About York County Head Start
This Handbook is an overview of the services, opportunities, and safety policies we have in place to keep children, staff, and parents healthy and happy while in the Program.
York County Community Action Corporation (YCCAC) through its Early Head Start and Head Start programs has been providing high-quality early childhood care and education to children 6 weeks to 5 years across York County for more than 57 years.
York County Head Start is funded through State and Federal Head Start and Early Head Start funds. The Program is free to qualifying families. We operate in accordance with the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and we are licensed by the State of Maine Child Care Licensing Unit in all locations.
Head Start/Early Head Start is one of the many programs of YCCAC which offers a wide variety of services including Economic Opportunity, Energy Services, Housing and Economic Development, Health Services, Transportation and WIC.
Head Start/Early Head Start does not discriminate against any child or family because of race, color, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability or religion.
Our Mission
“We partner with families of young children, helping them achieve their self-identified family goals with a focus on their child’s health, education and well-being.”
The Head Start program is built upon a holistic family approach. We believe that families are their child’s first and most important teacher and we encourage each family to participate in all aspects of the Program!
Teachers, Family Liaisons, and parents work together to make sure every child is prepared to succeed in school and in life. Our lessons are developed to match each child’s social, emotional, physical, and educational growth. This way, they will feel confident and excited as they get ready for kindergarten and beyond!
The People at Our York County Early Childhood Education Centers
York County Head Start has Early Childhood Education Centers in the two most populous areas of York County – Biddeford/Saco and Sanford/Springvale. The Centers are managed by a Center Manager (one for Sanford/Springvale and one for Biddeford/Saco), responsible for the safety and comfort of children, staff, and parents while on the premises. For classroom locations and hours of operation, please, review our APPENDIX: Centers’ and classrooms’ location and hours of operation.
We have nutrition staff in each center preparing age-appropriate and culturally sensitive fresh and nutritious meals.
Our Early Head Start (EHS) rooms provide year-round, full-day, Monday through Friday, childcare and education to children 6 weeks to 3 years old. Each classroom has 3 staff members. Some of our Early Head Start classrooms also have a Teacher-in-Training who is working towards their Child Development Associate degree (CDA) through hands-on learning. Our EHS classrooms offer:
- Small group size of 8 children with staff trained in infant/toddler development;
- Individualized infant feeding and sleeping routines;
- Diapers, wipes, formula, and many other items provided as needed during school time;
- Nutritious meals and snacks to toddlers;
- Daily written communications to parents;
- Monthly family engagement events to connect learning between home and school;
- Age-appropriate classroom activities that grow the child’s social, emotional, and cognitive abilities.
Our Head Start (HS) classrooms are for children 3 to 5 years old. With focus on school readiness, the daily schedule includes activities promoting social, emotional, physical, and educational growth and skills. Each classroom has 3 staff members.
- Every classroom has no more than 15 students;
- School-year schedule with 2 classrooms opened year round;
- Nutritious meals and snacks;
- Individualized curriculum to support literacy, numeracy and math skills, creativity, health and nutrition
- Social-emotional learning program focused on child’s well-being;
- Full-day pre-K classroom in partnership with Biddeford School Department (transportation provided).
Family Liaisons: Family Liaisons will connect you and your family with wrap around services and resources that will support you and your family to live better. They will partner with you to meet the goals you set up for you and your family and can refer you to emergency assistance if needed. They are your trusted partner who will work with you to prepare you and your child for school and beyond.
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Next: Program Policies
Table of Contents
History
Mission
The People at the Program
Transportation
Arrival and Pick Up
Attendance and Absences
Suspension and Expulsion
Cancellations and Delays
Outdoor Activities
Field Trips
Celebrations and Diversity
Open Door Policy
Curriculum and Assessment
Learning Genie
School Readiness
Educational Home Visits
Dual Language Learner
Special Services
Behavioral Health Services
Transitions
Parent and Family Engagement
Policy Council
Family Linkz
Classroom Family Engagement
Volunteer
In-Kind
Breastfeeding
Special Diets
“No Food IN- No Food OUT” Policy
Sleeping
Pacifiers
Diapering
Toilet Training
Exclusion due to Illness
Management of Communicable Diseases
Medications
Over-the-Counter Products and Medication
Head Lice/Fleas
Emergency Preparedness Procedures
Serious Injury
Incident Reporting
Rights of Children
Tobacco-Free Policy
Weapons Policy
Car Seat Safety
Mandatory Reporting: Child Abuse and Neglect
Mandatory Reporting: Domestic Violence
Use of Pesticides
Lead Testing
Professional Boundaries
Confidentiality
Centers’ Capacity
Classrooms’ Location and Hours of Operation
Temporary Exclusion due to Illness
CACFP
CACFP Non-Discrimination Statement
Sample Daily Schedule
In-kind Ideas
Sample Monthly Menu
Oral Health Tips
Lead Poisoning Prevention