Collaboration Enhances Access to Early Education in Ellsworth
Date: 7/20/2010
Ellsworth - Child and Family Opportunities, Inc (CFO) and RSU24 have teamed together to offer more high-quality Pre-Kindergarten and Head Start services in Ellsworth. The collaboration will be housed in the new Ellsworth Elementary-Middle School located at 20 Forrest Avenue, Ellsworth, ME. "RSU24 is very excited to join CFO in this collaboration," states Amy Peterson-Roper, Principal of the Ellsworth Elementary-Middle School. "We believe this partnership will provide more children opportunities for developmentally appropriate learning experiences by combining the strengths of public school and Head Start." CFO, the Head Start grantee in Hancock County since 1970, brings 40 years of Head Start management and innovative early education curriculum to the partnership.
The collaboration will offer both part and full-day sessions to children from all incomes, and will serve children who turn four by Oct 15th2010. The part-day Pre-K/Head Start program will serve up to 17 preschool-age students in two sessions. The morning session will be held from 7:30 a.m.-11:00 a.m., and the afternoon session will be conducted from 11:30 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. Part-day services will be four days a week during the Head Start year. This program will begin on September 7th, 2010.
Full-day Pre-K/Head Start services will occur for up to 17 children, Monday through Friday, 7:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., year-round. The program will begin August 23rd, 2010, and will follow the elementary school schedule for holidays, vacations, and snow day closures. Parents will be required to pay for child care services. "We are excited by this opportunity to incorporate full day/year-round child care in this public school setting. This brings the best of two worlds together - - quality child care with public school learning so parents aren't forced to choose one program over another," Jeanie Mills, CFO Executive Director said. CFO now collaborates with eight public schools across Hancock and Washington counties to deliver services within public schools. In addition to these programs, CFO also operates Head Start and child care services in six other facilities.
In both programs, CFO teaching staff will work in partnership with a public school certified teacher to plan and implement developmentally appropriate programming. In addition to quality education, the programs will offer nutritious meals, developmental screenings, and ongoing child assessments. Family supports will be provided to parents to link in-school education with home education and to assure supports to parents to make sure that children receive important medical and dental screenings and services. Interested parents should call (207) 667-2995 to speak with CFO's Enrollment Manager who will handle enrollment for the collaboration.
While Ellsworth-resident 4 year olds will be prioritized for services in the collaborative program, if there are openings, 4-year-olds from other RSU 24 schools may be enrolled. Head Start and Child Care services for children six weeks through 5 years will continue to be offered at CFO's Avery Lane facility in Ellsworth.