Looking Back on 2022 with Jessie, Director of Head Start

We sat down with Jessie Leonard, Director of the Head Start program here at CAAS, to talk about the process the Head Start team made in 2022 and what they hope to achieve in 2023. From continuing a return to classroom and supporting students’ mental and emotional wellness, it’s been an exciting year of growth and change for Head Start. We’re looking forward to see what comes next!

How has the work your team done in 2022 differed from your work in 2021? How has the return to the classroom changed the work of your team?

The first half of 2022 was the second half of our first year back in person with open classrooms. The first half of the year brought a 3rd and (hopefully) final surge of the COVID Omicron variant, along with revised guidance and protocols from our governing agencies. It was a very challenging time. Staff time that had been devoted to a variety of programming and services to children and families in pre-COVID years was instead consumed with managing weekly COVID testing and responses to positive cases. 

But as the weather warmed, spring turned to summer, and the pandemic began to shift to an endemic, we returned in the fall to a program year that very nearly resembled “back to normal.” Families were once again welcomed into their childrens’ classrooms. In-person engagement experiences - like ESOL classes, parent-volunteer training, and our in-classroom Jumpstart program - finally resumed. Although COVID is still a part of our program, it has taken a much needed backseat, and our team is once again wholly focused on providing high quality education and family engagement services to our community.

The impact is significant. We know that all children who were unable to access in-person learning experiences during the pandemic suffered developmental losses. The first year back to in-person classes called on our teachers and support staff to focus heavily on making up for that lost time. It required us to shift our approach to meet the children where they were developmentally, regardless of their chronological age. We could still observe the impact of the pandemic on children’s development when they entered our classrooms this fall, but now we are seeing the children quickly making gains across all developmental domains. The benefits of in-person, group-based early learning experiences can not be overstated.

What do you think makes Head Start different from other early education programs?

Head Start is different in many ways from other early education programs. First, it is a free program to all who qualify, and qualification is based largely on a low-income status, as well as other factors including homelessness, court-involvement, and other hardships. Head Start is for the families with the greatest need for both childcare and a demonstrated pathway out of poverty. Head Start is also unique in the ways it partners with families. We are a program designed to invest significant resources to support families with wrap-around services and engagement in their children’s learning, as well as their own. 

The Head Start Early Learning Outcomes and Parent and Family Engagement Outcomes are science-based frameworks that guide our work with children and families. They’re adopted by many other non-Head Start providers, including public pre-k programs, as the gold standard in early childhood education.We offer ESOL and parenting classes, nutrition workshops, volunteer and leadership opportunities, and even a college course in child development. We are governed by a parent policy council, placing the parent/caregiver perspective at the heart of policy and decision-making.

What are some of the most impactful curriculum plans you think you were able to bring into the classrooms this year? What made them impactful? Are these lessons you’ve done in the past?

The curriculum we use in the classrooms is determined by our program and approved by our parent Policy Council. It must also be an established, evidence-based curriculum, pre-approved by the Office of Head Start. We use the Creative Curriculum and Teaching Strategies Gold curriculum and assessment package, which is aligned with Head Start’s Early Learning Outcomes frameworks. We also supplement with other curricula and materials gained through our many local partnerships.For example, we have a nature curriculum designed in partnership with the Somerville Growing Center that includes weekly visits to the gardens in Union Square. 

We have also really been enjoying a yoga and mindfulness curriculum brought to our classrooms by our own Education Specialist, Eidy Williams, through a generous grant from the Somerville Health Foundation. This program has been a real joy to implement and we hope to continue it in the years to come. The program includes weekly planning and goals, and features more opportunities for teacher participation. We recognize the importance of health and wellness in our classroom community, particularly in our full-day/full-year programs, where there is a greater need to support children with challenging behaviors. These classrooms contain our highest needs and our working families, including families experiencing homeless, domestic violence, and other serious circumstances. The children in these classrooms often have big feelings and are working through trauma. The inclusive yoga and mindfulness programming is a key aspect of our work in supporting these children.

Head Start works not only with children but also with their parents to bring learning outside of the classroom. Why do you think this is such an important part of the program?

Our work with families is one of the aspects of our program that makes us so special to the community. All early education professionals know that parents are their child’s first and most important teacher. Partnering with parents and caregivers enriches the learning experiences for children and leverages the resources surrounding the child. It also serves to strengthen the family bond and prepare the child and their family for long-term school success - truly the most fundamental goal of any Head Start program. We engage families to grow their understanding of and skill with their child’s development.For some parents, this initial experience with child development and parenting workshops leads to continued training and education, which in many cases leads to pursuing a career in the field! It’s a win-win!