WELCOME BACK!
As summer fades and leaves begin to turn, the teachers and staff at Rutland County Head Start (RCHS) have been thrilled to welcome new and returning students to our Meadow Street and Discovery Center campuses!
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Letter from the Director... | |
We are so excited for this new school year!
Last year brought many wonderful changes and memories! We opened Rutland's first-ever Early Head Start program for infants and toddlers in addition to our existing preschool. We also opened the new Family Resource, Art & Literacy Center and unveiled five new mural projects. We introduced Circle of Security as our Mental Health and Wellness Framework and Rutland Mental Health Services (RMHS), led by Lauren Norford, manager of the Early Childhood Team, began providing teacher training and new groups for families. This wonderful curriculum has helped us better understand behavior, promote security and independence, and support emotional health and wellness.
As we look ahead, we have many opportunities to support our community, particularly with the housing crisis, shortage of special education and mental health providers, and demands on families. As such, our Family Services Manager Kristen Nugent will be partnering with Homeless Prevention Center and local school districts to better support families facing housing insecurity. Angela Goepel, our Health Manager, is coordinating some on-site clinics. And, Kitchen Supervisor Cindy Heir is building connections between good health, food, and fun!
We are also excited to create additional spaces for our youngest community members! Education Manager, Missy Burke, has been working with Intrinsic Landscapers/Contractors to create an improved infant/toddler playground at Meadow Street in the coming year. She and Education Team Supervisors, Bonnie Wilson and Mellisa Hoyer, have as been working closely on classroom improvements, curriculum, and general beautification.
As always, parents are key to our success! We encourage parents/caregivers interested in program governance to contact us to join our Policy Council. Meetings are held in person or virtually. We provide child care, dinner, and a stipend for in-person participation.
Finally, we are so fortunate to have nearly all of our amazing staff return this year! Our team is the strongest early childhood, family support, and nutrition team in the region. We are proud to have such a talented, dedicated, and caring workforce. Together, we are a learning community dedicated to enriching the lives of children and supporting community growth. We know what a rare program we have here in Rutland and will continue to look for ways to show our team and our families how much we appreciate them all!
-Donna Barrow, EdD
Head Start and Early Head Start Director
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The Butterfly Effect
To build on the joyful learning experiences we strive to create every day, local artist Kathryn Wiegers, who created many of the Downtown Rutland murals, created the large front door mural last summer and expanded it with butterflies later in the school year to help guide families to our new Family Resource, Art & Literacy Center on River Street. She also created the beautiful murals inside our main stairwell!
“I came up with the design by incorporating the curiosity and excitement while discovering nature that seems to come more naturally to children... the imagination that goes along with it." said Wiegers.
"I hope that instead of seeing a brick building as the kids go into Head Start, that they see the butterflies, their variety, movement and bright colors- opening up their imagination for the day ahead.”
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The Great Outdoors
Rutland County Head Start (RCHS) is now offering the Vermont Outdoor Adventure Program (VOAP) to our 3-5 year-old preschool students. VOAP is an outdoor program led by Jim McCuen and his team from Rutland Mental Health Services (RMHS).
With parent permission, the guides lead children on regular outdoor trips to explore Vermont’s natural landscapes. Recent trips have included hiking at White Rocks Recreation Area and exploring Wheelerville Brook in Mendon.
“We began offering outings to Head Start in 2010. These consisted only of clients from RMHS,” says McCuen. “This summer we began offering trips to all Pre-K attendees at Head Start.”
“VOAP counselors get kids moving and engaged in the great outdoors with the benefits of a therapeutic modality,” says Donna Barrow, Director of Rutland County Head Start and Early Head Start. “The response has been tremendous!”
Read More...
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Family Resource,
Art & Literacy Center
The new center features space for parents and community groups to meet, library space for infants to 5-year-olds, an art space for creative play and classes, a kitchen and breastfeeding space.
The Family Resource, Art & Literacy Center utilizes space on River Street to inspire creativity, connection, and love of the arts and education for our students. It also features murals joyfully designed and painted by RCHS teachers on every wall.
Officially opened in February, we continue to utilize the space for children's art classes, events such as support and playgroups, Coffee Hour and Tea Time, and parent workshops. The space is also available for community use and events.
Email Family Services for more info!
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VTSU-Castleton
(formerly Castleton University)
Since 2022, the Vermont State University-Castleton Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Special Education program has partnered with Rutland County Head Start (RCHS) to increase program quality and better prepare our region's early childhood educators by increasing access to best practices, research, and mentoring by faculty experts in the field. This is an extraordinary benefit for the community!
The VTSU-RCHS partnership is very important for teacher preparation in Rutland County. Given the challenges of recruiting and retaining a highly trained, credentialed ECE workforce in rural areas, it provides an important pipeline to increase teacher preparedness. The partnership is a model for rural regions like ours which face unique challenges since an abundance of research has shown teacher preparation is directly correlated to improved student outcomes.
- Ongoing RCHS staff workshops led by Dr. Leigh-Ann Brown, Ph.D.
- Creation of unique college course led by Dr. Lauren Weiss, ECE faculty
- Practicum learning for VTSU-Castleton students that supports community learning requirements and adds volunteer support to RCHS classrooms.
- Mural projects created by Dr. Angela Sillars and her Creative Arts students with RCHS teachers and students.
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College courses taught at Meadow Street location for VTSU students and Head Start teachers where RCHS children participate in art, music, dance, and creative movement lessons.
- RCHS and VTSU Keynote Speakers at the Eighth Annual Vermont Early Childhood Educators Institute.
"The amount of joyful learning this partnership has brought to teachers and children is amazing,” says RCHS Director, Donna Barrow. “We just couldn't afford to have this level of expert training and support otherwise. It's a gift to the staff, children, and families."
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Thank You To Our
Contributors & Volunteers!
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Grants
- The Bowse Trust
- Let's Grow Kids
- Delta Dental
- Vermont Arts Council
Donations & In-Kind Support
- Child Plus
- Hickory Street Housing
- Operation Dolls
- Rutland City Schools
- Salvation Army
- Teresa and Ethan Berkowitz
- Michael Drew
- Ashley Stone
- Christina Sweet, Tooth Tutor
- Alan Wilson
Training & Organizational Support
- Dr. Leigh-Ann Brown, VTSU-Castleton
- Dr. Lauren Weiss, Maple Leaf/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
- Winifred Bird, Parent Policy Council
- Leslie Burg, PhD, Northeastern Emeritus Faculty
- Jonathan Gilmore, Maple Leaf Clinic
- Erynn Hazlett, Parent Policy Council
- Hannah Hutchins, Parent/Policy Council Member
- Ariel McCollough, Rutland Regional Medical Center
- Justin Pomykala, Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) Program, Health Advisory Committee and Policy Council Member
- Laure Williams, Parent Policy Council
Rutland Community Programs Board
- Jay Slenker, Principal, West Rutland School
- Renee Bousquet, Public Health Services Rutland District Director Vermont Department of Health
- Tim O’Connor, Certified Financial Planner
- Shane Protivansky, Attorney
- Justine Ruhlin, Principal, Northeast Primary School
Contact Us to Get Involved!
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