Family Handbook: Education Services

York County Head Start values and appreciates the diversity and capability of all children, their families and cultures. We welcome all children at their own developmental level and support their growth in each stage, realizing that this is a unique and individual process for each child. We believe that growth occurs best in a safe, supportive environment where children are free to learn and explore their world, grow and develop through active learning experiences. We also believe that the parents are their child’s first and most important teacher, and should be partners with teachers and children in this educational process.

Our Program follows Teaching Strategies: The Creative Curriculum (Infants, Toddlers and Twos and Revised Preschool Editions) which is a developmentally appropriate, research-based curriculum that supports children as active participants in their learning. Teaching Strategies is supported by Maine’s Early Learning Development Standards, Maine DHHS Rules for Licensing of Child Care Facilities, and The Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework Birth to Five.

York County Head Start program uses Conscious Discipline as a social-emotional curriculum. Conscious Discipline is an approach to discipline and guidance that emphasizes respect for each child, developmentally appropriate expectations of children’s behavior, and the use of positive discipline and guidance strategies.

Our staff members strive to create a relaxed, positive environment that enables children to explore and experiment while remaining safe and feeling well-supported. Through positive guidance strategies and modeling social skills, staff helps children learn pro-social behaviors, build confidence and self-esteem, and develop greater respect for others’ rights and feelings, as well as a sense that they are themselves respected.

Discipline concerns are handled by staff in a way that encourages children to solve problems and develop a sense of inner self-control. Children are given authentic choices and the opportunity to be an active part of decision-making in their environment, thus fostering a sense of personal responsibility. Staff helps children to understand the reasons for rules and limits and to feel good about the choices they make.

York County Head Start has a Child Behavior Specialist on staff and contracts with a Licensed Clinical Social Worker (LCSW) to implement strategies to support children with mental health and social emotional concerns, and assist teachers to improve classroom management and teacher practices. Strategies that include classroom observations and consultations are used to address teacher and individual child needs and create physical and cultural environments that promote mental health and social emotional functioning. Individual child observations may occur only with your permission as a parent/guardian. While we do not suspend or expel students, the Child Behavior Specialist and/or LCSW in collaboration with the teaching staff and you may create and implement Behavior Support Plan/Safety Plan/ Prescriptive Program Plan depending on the needs of your child if they need extra support in the classroom.