 Head Start of Otter Tail and Wadena Counties
Otter Tail – Wadena Community Action Council, Inc.
109 South Walker, New York Mills, MN
Head Start Annual Report
April 1, 2009 – March 31, 2010
Our mission: Through partnerships and collaborations, we promote the self-sufficiency of families, improve the development and competence of children and strengthen our communities
Funding and Budgets Federal Head Start
Revenues |
Actual |
Budgeted |
Grant |
$1,296,202.00 |
$1,296,202.00 |
In Kind |
462,282.70 |
462,282.70 |
USDA |
5,694.21 |
5,694.21 |
Program Income |
25,812.57 |
25,812.57 |
Total |
$1,789,991.48 |
$1,789,991.48 |
|
|
|
Expenditures |
|
|
Administrative |
$64,642.01 |
$74,909.00 |
Equipment |
718.58 |
3,000.00 |
Fringe |
75,177.59 |
41,628.57 |
Personnel |
894,587.99 |
912,318.00 |
Supplies |
31,832.37 |
29,000.00 |
Training |
21,961.61 |
18,859.00 |
Other Costs |
246,129.27 |
247,994.21 |
In Kind |
454,942.06 |
462,282.70 |
Total |
$1,789,991.48 |
$1,789,991.48 |
Federal ARRA Head Start
Revenues |
Actual |
Budgeted |
Grant |
$51,499.95 |
$55,206.00 |
|
|
|
Expenditures |
|
|
Fringe |
$15,773.75 |
$16,560 |
Personnel |
35,726.20 |
38,646 |
Total |
$51,499.95 |
$55,206 |
Head Start families, community volunteers and community partners generated over 25% non-federal match to the federal grant dollars through time and donations ($454,942).
OTWCAC Head Start also receives a State Head Start grant to fund our Early Head Start Program. This grant does not match our Federal Head Start grant periods. From July 1,2008 to June 30, 2009 we received a grant award of $323,162 and for the period July 1, 2009 through June 30, 2010 we received a grant award of $326,824.
Total Number of children Served:
Funded Enrollment 184
Actual enrollment 223
Medical/Dental Services
Dental exams completed: 73%
Medical exams completed: 91%
Assessment of Child Progress
Each child’s progress is carefully tracked in several cognitive areas. The system used to track progress is called Work Sampling, a valid and reliable research based assessment tool used to measure growth in children ages 3-5. The system tracks curriculum goals and helps staff and families decide what will help each child develop and learn.
The progress of OTWCAC Head Start 4 year old children resulted in the following outcomes:
Skill Development |
At End of Year |
% Gain Periods 1-3 |
|
|
|
Understands an increasingly complex and varied vocabulary |
67.6 |
21.9 |
Develops increasing abilities to understand & use language |
80.0 |
23.7 |
Uses increasingly complex, varied vocabulary |
65.7 |
30.2 |
Phonological Awareness |
61.9 |
40.7 |
Associates sounds with written words |
54.3 |
40.6 |
Book Knowledge and Appreciation |
95.2 |
11.9 |
Print Awareness and Concepts |
78.1 |
34.3 |
Recognizes a word as a unit of print |
72.4 |
34.8 |
Identifies 10 letters of the alphabet |
75.2 |
29.7 |
Knows that letters area special category & can be named |
79.0 |
28.2 |
Numbers and operations |
69.5 |
30.0 |
Parent Involvement activities:
From the first time the family meets are enrolled in OTWCAC Head Start, parents are offered many opportunities to be meaningfully involved in the program:
- Local site parent meetings
- Election to Policy Council
- Health Advisory Council
- ERSEA Committee
- Self-Assessment Committee
- Community Assessment Committee
Parents are always welcome as volunteers in the classroom, helping on field trips, providing input into classroom activities, sharing their cultures with the class. Parents reinforce the learning that goes on in the classroom with the child in the home setting. Parents are provided opportunities to participate with the held of translators when needed. Parent training opportunities Family Fun nights are provided regularly throughout the year. Special literacy enrichment activities take place in the classroom and at parent meetings. A special emphasis on Father/male involvement activities takes place throughout the year at all sites.
Preparation for Kindergarten:
From their first day in Head Start, children are preparing to enter Kindergarten in a year or two. Our degreed and highly qualified teachers focus on building each child’s skill development in the areas of Social/Emotional Development, Physical Development, Cognitive Development and Language and Literacy. Teachers hold home visits and conferences with parents to talk about how their child’s skills are progressing. AT the final conference of the year, parents receive information that can be shared with the child’s Kindergarten Teacher to help them get to know the child from the beginning. Teachers also share progress information to the individual school where the child will be attending.
All Head Start classrooms are located within public school building in Otter Tail and Wadena County. Children participate in school activities including library visits, reading buddies with older children, gym and recreational activities, etc. Kindergarten teachers and Head Start teachers attend joint trainings and meetings to help prepare for Kindergarten transition.
Risk-Management:
A tri-annual federal review was not scheduled during this grant period. A meeting with the Regional Office oversight team in Chicago, Illinois, August, 2009, revealed no areas of potential risk needing a corrective action plan.
Audits: Otter Tail Wadena Community Action Council financial statements and audit are available by request: Dave Butler, OTWCAC Fiscal Director 218-385-2900. |
