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Rutland County Head Start and Wonderfeet Kids' Museum are holding a joint birthday celebration, marking two important milestones: Wonderfeet's second birthday in its new space and Head Start's 60th birthday!
FREE PARTY
2:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Sunday, May 18, 2025
Wonderfeet Kids' Museum
66 Merchants Row in Downtown Rutland
RSVP to (802) 779-5845
Walk-ins welcome but space is limited
This family-friendly event will feature birthday-themed activities for children, delicious food, and festive treats. It’s an opportunity for the community to come together to celebrate two programs that play a vital role in early childhood development and family engagement in Rutland County!
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Letter from the Director...
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Spring has definitely arrived, and with it, a burst of energy and creativity here at Rutland County Head Start. It's the perfect time to celebrate the 60th Birthday of the national Head Start program!
During Spring Break our incredible team was hard at work giving classrooms a fresh new feel. When I walked into the Meadow Street building at the end of the week, I was genuinely overwhelmed—in the best way. The gross motor room and classrooms had been completely transformed! But what truly stopped me in my tracks wasn’t just how beautiful and joyful the spaces looked—it was how deeply you could feel the love for children in every corner.
Angela Goepel, our amazing Health Manager, along with a dedicated team, took down old chalkboards from the 1960s, painted walls, and even added a new whimsical mural. They also set up soft floor padding and built a new climbing structure. I could instantly picture the wide eyes and big smiles when the children would see it for the first time!
In our Head Start classrooms, the magic continued. Missy Burke, our Education Manager, thoughtfully redesigned each space to reflect the interests and needs of our little learners. The rooms feel alive with curiosity, color, and care.
Walking through the building always reminds me so much of those sweet moments as a parent—like setting up the living room the night before Christmas for my own daughter just knowing how much joy it will bring in the morning.
Our team did all of this fueled by one thing: the joy of children and the belief that small touches can make big memories. It's often these little things that can have the biggest impact. That is why we were so proud to celebrate our dedicated teachers and staff in May for Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week.
As the national Head Start program celebrates its 60th birthday this week and our local program continues our third decade serving the Rutland community, I want to thank you all for your continued support and partnership! From teachers to parents, community partners to policy council members, we appreciate you all!
-Donna Barrow, EdD
Director, Rutland County Head Start and Early Head Start
| | Teacher Appreciation Week | On May 5-9th, we celebrated our amazing teachers and staff! | | |
Registration is now open for Summer Camps and Fall Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
Call us today at (802) 775-8225 or contact us online here!
| | Spring Break Room Refresh | We were happy to be on hand at the Pregnancy and Baby Expo to answer questions and register new families! | |
Important Dates
May 23
Closing at Noon for Staff Development
May 24
Memorial Day/ School Closed
May 27-30
Head Start Closed/Early Head Start Open
June 6
Last Day of School for Head Start
See the School Calendar
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-Outdoor Program Spotlight- | |
Vermont Outdoor Adventure Program at Rutland County Head Start and Summer Camp
Did you know that your preschooler can hike, canoe, and build forest shelters as part of Rutland County Head Start?
Thanks to our partnership with the Vermont Outdoor Adventure Program (VOAP), nature becomes a classroom, a playground, and an adventure zone all-in-one! A program of Rutland Mental Health Services, VOAP has been working with local schools for more than 25 years to connect children to Vermont’s great outdoors.
VOAP leaders Jim McCuen and Vicky McCuen bring small groups of students to explore beautiful local spots like Pine Hill Park and White Rocks National Park. Children of all ages experience the magic of the natural world through age-appropriate, hands-on adventures. Whether hiking forest trails, building primitive shelters, biking, or playing in the snow, children learn in ways only nature can teach.
As Jim puts it, “We take kids into all the wild places in Vermont.”
And they go all year long—even in the rain, snow, and mud! Because let’s face it—real resilience grows best outdoors.
Why Nature Education Matters:
Outdoor learning isn’t just fun—it’s transformational. Research confirms that nature play helps young children:
- Develop focus and memory
- Improve physical coordination and strength
- Build social skills and teamwork
- Learn self-regulation and confidence
Every outdoor trip becomes a full-sensory experience!
Vicky describes it best: “Every trip is an adventure—an actual physical and emotional adventure. No stone is left unturned (literally)!”
Programs like VOAP make Rutland County Head Start a high-quality 5-Star program. These experiences plant the seeds for a lifetime of healthy habits, curiosity, and love for the outdoors.
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Explore, Learn, and Grow: Outdoor Adventures with Rutland County Head Start!
If you’d like your child to participate in VOAP, speak with your lead teacher.
Contact Jim McCuen at jmccuen@rmhsccn.org with questions.
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30 Years of Growing!
For more than 30 years, RCHS has served Rutland County with high quality childcare, family services, health/nutrition programs, and community partnerships.
In the coming months, our team will be reaching out to families, alumni, and staff to share their stories. We are working on a video storytelling project to gather the experiences that are at the heart of what we do!
Contact headstart@rmhsccn.org to share your story! Also, be on the lookout for storytelling events and opportunities in the coming months.
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Grants
- The Bowse Trust
- Building Bright Futures
- Let's Grow Kids
- Delta Dental
- Vermont Arts Council / Vermont Arts Exchange
- Vermont Department of Health - Rutland
- Vermont Head Start Collaboration Office
Donations & In-Kind Support
- Wonderfeet Kids' Museum
- Child Plus
- Hickory Street Housing
- Operation Dolls
- Rutland City Schools
- Salvation Army
- Goodwill Rutland
- Teresa and Ethan Berkowitz
- Michael Drew
- Ashley Stone
- Christina Sweet, Tooth Tutor
- Alan Wilson
Training & Organizational Support
- Dr. Leigh-Ann Brown, VTSU-Castleton
- Dr. Angela Sillars, VTSU-Castleton
- VTSU-Castleton ECE/Special Education Students
- Vermont Head Start Association Board of Directors
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Parent/Policy Council Volunteers
- Hannah Hutchins, Parent/Policy Council President
- Stephanie Atwood, Parent Policy Council
- Katie Brown, Parent Policy Council
- Leslie Burg, PhD, Northeastern Emeritus Faculty
- Samantha Daly, Parent Policy Council
- Hazel LaFleche, Parent Policy Council
- Justin Pomykala, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, Health Advisory Committee
Rutland Community
Programs Board
- Jay Slenker, Principal, West Rutland School
- Renee Bousquet, Public Health Services Rutland District Director Vermont Department of Health
- Dick Courcelle, CEO, Community Care Network
- Erynn Hazlett, Parent Representative
- Tim O’Connor, Certified Financial Planner
- Shane Protivansky, Attorney
- Justine Ruhlin, Principal, Northeast Primary School
Read More...
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