Sierra Cascade Family Opportunities Head Start/Early Head Start program is committed to working with families to ensure that their children, including those with disabilities receive the inclusive services needed to meet each child’s developmental, health, and social needs. The Education Services Manager and educational staff are prideful in the partnerships that have been built between SCFO staff and Local Education Agencies (LEA) to best meet the needs and rights of children with disabilities.

The SCFO curriculum supports active learning and individualizing to meet different learning styles and development levels of all children. Classroom routines, activities and environments are conducive to supporting goals and outcomes on Individual Family Service Plans (IFSP) and Individual Education Plans (IEP).

It is the role of SCFO staff to support and partner with families to ensure the best opportunities and experiences are offered to all children in the Head Start and Early Head Start program.

A child’s mental health is directly related to his/her social emotional development. In order to promote and build strong attachment, resilient, and self-help skills SCFO Head Start and Early Head Start is focused on building collaborative relationships between children and their families, staff, mental health professionals, and the community in order to improve the understanding and recognition of mental wellness.

Positive mental health opportunities are provided to both home based and center base programs and are supported through variety of services including child screenings, classroom on-sites, parent trainings and individual meetings with contracted mental health professionals. Classrooms support children with consistent routines and activities that encourage positive mental health. These activities promote skills in the areas of self-regulation, impulse control and initiative.

Health and Wellness

Because children must be healthy and well nourished in order to thrive and learn, SCFO pays careful attention to health.  All enrolled children have timely immunizations and screenings for cognitive development, physical health, mental health, speech and language, hearing, vision, nutrition, and oral health.  Once screenings have been completed, SCFO staff work with families to ensure that follow-up services are received for any identified needs.

Oral Health

Beginning at age 6 months, Early Head Start children and parents are encouraged to see a dental professional.  At age 2 years and annually thereafter, enrolled children receive a complete dental examination.  Treatment needs are promptly addressed and staff support and guide families to the appropriate services.

Nutrition Services

Nutritional health helps keep children well and enhances the ability to learn.

SCFO staff provide nutritional assessments and education to help families make healthy food choices.

Meals are carefully prepared at each center by the Kitchen Manager. There is a strong emphasis on using whole fresh foods and cooking from scratch.  The children are offered a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables.  Weekly classroom nutrition activities help children learn about new foods.

In the home based program snacks are offered periodically at home visits.  This provides an opportunity for families to work together, with guidance from the Family Educator, to create an enjoyable dish to share.  Home based socialization always feature something tasty to enjoy.

During the SCFO enrollment process, families are given information about the WIC program and are assisted to apply if not already receiving WIC services.

Parent and Family Engagement at SCFO

In the context of the family each child learns how to communicate, express caring, and solve problems and work together to succeed in life. Our strength based programs are focused on all the significant adults in a child’s life. We believe that parents are the first and foremost teachers of their children. SCFO also realizes that both parents and professionals have the knowledge, expertise, experience and resources that re needed d to build and maintain healthy families and prepare children for a successful future. SCFO structures our programs so that each family walks away with new connections and resources that fit their unique interests and support their child’s development and their family’s success.

SCFO believes that children begin learning prenatally and that children develop in the context of relationships with their family, culture, and community. Our programs are effective because our work is inclusive of not only children but everyone in the family system. SCFO is successful in providing comprehensive holistic services that truly make a difference in the lives of children and families.

Parents as Educators

Parents are the primary educators of their child. SCFO supports parents in taking an active role in the development of their children to ensure School Readiness and success. Our program also encourages parents to take a leadership role by engaging parents in many aspects of decision making through their child’s early learning experience. SCFO believes that when parents voice their ideas and concerns early in their child’s schooling, those leadership skills continue long after their children are in preschool.

Parents in the Classroom

SCFO has an open door policy; parents are always welcome to come and join school activities. SCFO recognized that through active partnering, parents and teachers can make the greatest gains towards School Readiness.

Decision Making

SCFO believes all parents have the right and the responsibility to advocate for their child. Our programs offer parents the opportunity to engage in decision making at their local site. Parents take an active role in the ideas regarding curriculum, field trips, and other local site events. Another leadership opportunity is to serve on SCFO’s Policy Council. Here parents give their input into policy and the program direction of SCFO on behalf of all enrolled children and families. Some of the areas that Policy Council makes decision on are the annual budget, program planning and policy and procedures that affect children, families, and staff.