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Pre-Kindergarten
What Is The Oregon Head Start Prekindergarten (OPK) Program?
The OPK program is a State of Oregon funded program based
on the Federal Head Start program. This child and family
development program serves primarily low income children
aged 3-5. At least 10% of enrollment opportunities are made
available for children with disabilities, regardless of
income. We currently serve about 108 children in West Multnomah
County.
Where Are We ?
We have classrooms in Multnomah Village at 3445 SW Moss
St., Markham Elementary School at 10531 SW Capitol Hwy.
and at Friendly House, 2617 NW Savier.
Program Design
Ninety-six (96) children are enrolled in a combination
model. Children attend a classroom 2 or 3 days a week for
four hours. Home visits are scheduled with parents and children
by Head teachers.
Ten (10) children are enrolled in a home-based model. A
Home visitor visits with parents and children weekly for
1½ hours and organizes several group socializations
each month.
Transportation is provided to and from the classroom for
families living within the service areas for each site.
Our Mission
To provide comprehensive educational opportunities, support
services, and community resources to empower and support
positive growth of children, parents and staff while embracing
diversity.
We Believe
- Children need a supportive open environment in which
to learn, explore, and grow.
- Children need an individualized early childhood education
program, developing each one socially, emotionally, cognitively,
and physically.
- Families need encouragement and support in identifying
and achieving their own goals.
- Parents need assistance in finding the resources to
meet their needs.
- Parents are their child's first and most important
teachers.
- Parents provide valuable information to the program
that increases the effectiveness of the program.
- Families have a right to adequate, affordable medical
care.
- Children need nutritious foods in order for them to
grow in mind and body.
- Families should be supported in feeling capable, competent,
and in control of their lives.
- Parents face stress and need help in dealing with their
children and other family issues.
- Staff should have the opportunity to provide input
on program issues that affect their position.
- Staff should be encouraged and supported to grow and
excel in their jobs.
Our Goal
Our goal is to achieve school readiness in children by
promoting their social, cognitive and physical development.
The specific services and educational opportunities are
provided in the following areas.
Health:
Our program emphasized wellness through preventive health
practices.
Nutritious meals are provided each classroom day and at
group socializations; children are taught to wash their
hands frequently to prevent the spread of disease; and children
are provided with toothbrushes and toothpaste for daily
teeth cleaning.
Early identification and treatment of health problems is
accomplished with medical, dental and mental health screenings.
Referrals are made to appropriate medical personnel or agencies
for needed services.
Families are encouraged and supported in establishing a
medical and dental home and in obtaining services through
their medical insurance.
Child Development:
Using the Creative Curriculum as a guide, furniture and
materials in the classrooms are arranged to provide a stimulating
learning environment for children. Areas are organized to
provide children experiences with dramatic play, emergent
literacy, creative expression, problem solving, and math
and science concepts.
A classroom day involves a mix of large and small group
activities, indoor and outdoor activities, teacher and child-directed
activities. The classroom atmosphere is one of children
learning from exploring the materials presented and from
interacting with the adults and children present. The teachers
present ideas and materials to children based on emergent
and anti-bias curriculum methods.
Each child receives a developmental screening and ongoing
assessment. Head teachers encourage parents to recognize
themselves as their child's primary education and most important
influence and engage them in observing their child, selecting
goals for their child, and participating in activities to
help their child achieve those goals. The goals and activities
selected for each child are also integrated into the classroom
daily plans.
Disabilities Services:
Additional screening for vision, hearing and speech and
arranged for the children early in each program year. Referrals
are made to Portland Early Intervention Program or other
agencies for needed services.
Family Partnerships:
Family Services staff visits families regularly to assist
them in identifying immediate and long-term needs and personal
and family goals.
In partnership with parents, staff develop a plan that
outlines steps to be taken to obtain their needs or achieve
goals, identify community resources that could be used,
and clarify who will be responsible for each step.
Staff encourage parents to become involved in the program
through participating in and planning home visits, contributing
to ideas for the classroom curriculum, sharing their skills
and experiences with children and staff in the classroom,
planning activities for families through the center parent
committees, developing leadership through serving as officers
of the parent committees or Policy Council, and contributing
to the planning of the program by being a member of Policy
Council.
Community Partnerships:
Staff reaches out into the community to discover the resources
available for families, to contribute to planning for the
county, to improve skills in working with children and families,
and to coordinate services for families.
Staff:
The OPK staff is highly skilled, well educated and motivated.
Staff has education and experience in early childhood education,
case management, program management, and health services.
Almost half of the staff is bilingual, including fluency
in Spanish, German, Russian, Somali, Swahili, Arabic and
Urdu. Most of the other staff is studying to increase their
other language skills.
Staff constantly works at increasing their knowledge of
other cultures and increasing their cultural competency
skills.
For more information: call 503-246-1663 ext. 129.
To make an application call 503-293-2414 ext. 201.
Head Start research indicates that:
Children having had Head Start services are:
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Less Likely
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- to be retained in grade
- to require special education
- to drop out of school
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More Likely
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- to have improved intellectual/cognitive skills
- to be healthier
- to have enhanced self-esteem
- to exhibit good social/emotional skill development
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Parents involved in Head Start:
- have increased self-confidence
- have increased involvement with their children
- are more knowledgeable about their child's learning and
development
- are more likely to continue involvement when their child
enters the public school system
- are more aware of community resources
- feel they have more control over their lives
Head Start has played a key role in focusing the attention
of the nation on the importance of early childhood development.
What is the Early OPK Program?
Early OPK is located at 11135 SW Capital Highway and receives
funding through a grant from the City of Portland Children's
Investment Fund (CHIF) to provide Early Head Start services
to infants, toddlers, and their families in the City of
Portland in West Multnomah County and North Portland. Early
OPK provides services to 65 infants and toddlers and their
families.
The Early OPK program is year-round and delivers services
through two options Home-base and Family Child Care.
In the home based option, 4 Home Visitors are each assigned
10 infants and/or toddlers and their families. The Home
Visitors schedule 42 weekly visits per year, at least 1.5
hours in length, with each parent and their child(ren).
Other visits or contacts are made with the families as needed.
There is also a minimum of 24 scheduled two-hour parent-child
socializations each year. Each family receives a minimum
of 14 contact hours per month through home visits and socializations.
The Family Child Care option is provided in partnership
with the Neighborhood House Parenting Program (NHPP) and
Child Care Improvement Project (CCIP). Through this option,
Early OPK services are provided to an additional 25 infants
and/or toddlers and their families. The children are in
child care with a Family Child Care Provider who is working
with the CCIP network and residing in West Multnomah County
or North Portland. In this option, a Family Child Care (FCC)
Visitor visits with both the parent and child in their home
(at least one per month) and with the Family Child Care
(FCC) Provider and child in the child care home. The FCC
Visitors work in partnership with the parent and FCC Provider
to plan activities to promote the development of each child.
The FCC Provider is supported in acquiring the skills to
meet the individual needs of the child.
Early OPK provides screening for all enrolled children in
the areas of development, vision, speech, and hearing. These
screenings are completed within the first 45 days of enrollment,
with follow-up screenings every three months or as needed
thereafter. All Home Visitors work with parents to ensure
that resources are located to assist the family in meeting
the identified needs of their child. Home Visitors also
advocate for the family when necessary.
Social Service support and referrals are also provided to
families by the Home or FCC Visitors. Families are encouraged
in setting goals for themselves and receive support and
community referrals to support such goals.
Once enrolled, children and their families stay with Early
OPK until they are eligible to apply for the Oregon Head
Start Prekindergarten (OPK) Program at the school age of
three. It is possible for children to be served for three
years by Early OPK.
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