Grant Proposal Could Expand Head Start

LINCOLN — Head Start in Lincoln may eventually be able to serve infants and children up to five yearsold, according to Brenda Zedlitz, director of children’s services for Economic Opportunity Agency in Washington County.

Zedlitz said a grant proposal on expansion of the Lincoln Head Start program is being written and will be sent to the Office of Head Start in Washington, D.C., next month.

“There is a need in west Washington County for this,” Zedlitz said. The proposal called, “Zero to Five” is to serve infants as young as six weeks-old up to five years-old when children transition to kindergarten.

“The current facility that is provided by the city of Lincoln, we anticipate could serve 16 infants and toddlers and 15 three and four year-olds, if we are successful in our proposal,” Zedlitz said about the center located at 901 S. Mitchell Avenue.

“We are limited to this number due to the capacity of the current facility.”

Zedlitz added the EOA is interested in partnering with other entities in Lincoln to expand the number of infants and toddlers served if there are other facilities available for Head Start.

Rhonda Hulse, grants writer and Lincoln Water Department office manager, said she hopes the Head Start grant will come through because of the need for expansion at the city’s West Washington Head Start Center.

Hulse confirmed the city owns the current location but wasn’t sure if there could be another facility available but said it would be looked into if the need arises.

“This would be great for the area because there are so many people here that could use Head Start, like parents who need to work but can’t afford daycare,” Hulse said. “This would give them an option.”

Automatic budget cuts that went into effect in March were felt by Head Start parents, teachers and directors of the Washington County Head Start program, including the Lincoln center.

The 2013 school year in Lincoln has only one classroom of 16 children, ages 3-4 years.

“We reduced the number of classrooms from two to one this year due to budget cuts from the sequestra- tion,” Zedlitz said.

Zedlitz said in April the required $ 150,000 budget cuts would have ripple effects by taking away 29,718 hours of education from early childhood development and family services, as well as taking away the 10,000 meals served for breakfast and lunch each day. Lincoln’s center closed 13 days earlier than usual due to the budget cuts.

Though a proposal is being sent to Washington to request more money for west Washington County, budget cuts could still impact Head Start in 2014.

“At this time, we are being told unofficially that the cut could be 2-percent,” Zedlitz said. “We are focused on quality service delivery to our children and families but would encourage community members to reach out to Congress on behalf of Head Start to stop another 2- percent from being cut from our budget.”

Zedlitz said the grant proposal is a “great opportunity” for Head Start, adding it would be June 2014 before the EOA gets the results of the grant.