Learn what Head Start is (and isn’t) at Marble Falls open house April 21
Marble Falls Head Start
DANIEL CLIFTON • EDITOR
MARBLE FALLS — Aletha Laterza, the Marble Falls Head Start center director, and Sarah Dominguez of Head Start, know what many people think their program is, but it’s not.
“People think that this is a day care,” Dominguez said. “But it’s not.”
“No, we’re not a day care,” Laterza agreed. “We work with not just the kids but the whole family to get them school ready. We have a curriculum, and we work with each child to help them so they are successful in school.”
It’s a message many people in the community don’t hear, so on Friday, April 21, from 10-11:30 a.m., Marble Falls Head Start is hosting a Highlight Head Start event at the center, 700 Ave. T behind Marble Falls Elementary School.
The center offers Head Start for pre-kindergarteners and Early Head Start for children from infant to 3 years old.
During Highlight Head Start, people can check out the school and classrooms. It’s a chance, Dominguez said, for the public to see what Head Start actually does. The staff and some parents will be on hand to answer questions.
While the center is located near Marble Falls Elementary, Head Start isn’t part of Marble Falls Independent School District. The two do collaborate to make sure Head Start students are on the right track for success in elementary school.
“We have a floating teacher (from the Marble Falls school district) who works with our kids,” Laterza said.
Marble Falls Head Start is part of Opportunities for Williamson and Burnet Counties and receives federal funding. Families can apply for their children to attend Head Start.
The program doesn’t start and stop at the front door.
“We offer services for the entire family because the whole family is part of their child’s success in school,” Laterza said. “We’re really a school-readiness program — for the whole family.”
Dominguez added that while Head Start works with its families, the program is always grateful for community support and volunteers. People are more than welcome to come read to the students or help in other ways.
Highlight Head Start gives the community a chance to find out firsthand what Head Start does and offers. They’ll find out one thing for sure: It’s not a day care.
Call (830) 693-2887 for more information.
2 thoughts on “Learn what Head Start is (and isn’t) at Marble Falls open house April 21”
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Hi Gerry. I am pretty sure all head starts are the same so usually right after breakfast or lunch. The best thing to do is either ask the family advocates or the teachers themselves. there is no special amount of time required to volunteer. you volunteer when and for how long you can. if it is only 1 hour a week or the whole time the kids are there is helpful. you do not need to have a child in head start to volunteer there either. sorry this is so long. hope this helps.
What amount of time is required to volunteer to read to kids? And what time of the day is the reading done.