Local 3- and 4-year-old children sat around tables specially made for people their size on Tuesday afternoon at the Rosa Parks Learning Center near Hanford's Coe Park. They passed around hamburgers and all of the traditional fixings, while being subtly encouraged to share, practice manners and take advantage of the nutrition available to them.

The Head Start program, a federally-funded preschool run locally by Kings Community Action Organization, began Tuesday for the new school year at 13 sites around the county. The program will serve 499 children between the ages of 3 and 5 years old during the 08-09 school year, with a focus to develop children educationally and socially for kindergarten and for success in their future, said KCAO Community Outreach and Marketing Specialist, Jeff Garner.

This year, Head Start boasts a new curriculum that is centered around children. Crerative Curriculum is based on the children's wants and ideas, providing them with information that they have expressed an interest in, said Doreen DeLaCruz, site director at the Rosa Parks Learning Center. DeLaCruz said that if children were to inquire about planets, materials would be brought in to educate them on planets.

"It's all about encouraging creative thoughts," DeLaCruz said. "We're really thinking about what the kids want."

The program's previous curriculum was more academic based, with activities stemming from the teachers.

"The kids will feel important like they're being listened to," DeLaCruz said of the benefits of the new curriculum. "It's validating kids' feelings and ideas."

But it's not just about the curriculum. Head Start gives children a boost in behavior, sanitation and social development, as well as kindergarten readiness.

DeLaCruz said that in a typical day, Head Start begins with children washing their hands and having a meal -- breakfast for morning sessions , lunch for afternoon sessions. All meals at the Rosa Parks center are served family style, to encourage sharing and consumption of available food. The children then brush their teeth and sit down in a circle for a "health check," DeLaCruz said.

One teacher, Eva Silva, led her classroom of children in such a check on Tuesday afternoon, asking them if any part of their body hurt that day. She also led the circle of children in a song about spiders and counted the number of present boys and girls in the class -- five of each -- in English and in Spanish.

The group time -- which also serves as a point to gather some ideas for the Creative Curriculum -- is daily followed by free time, which is followed by outside time and music. The program finishes each day with another meal -- lunch for the morning session and a snack for the afternoon session.

Through a year in the program, DeLaCruz wants children to become familiar with the concept of school.

"I want them to feel that they can go to school next year and feel like this is the place for me and I feel safe here," DeLaCruz said.

Garner emphasized the importance of early childhood education, citing research that shows college enrollment to be higher among children who attended HeadStart in their childhood.

Head Start operates under the premise that in order for children to succeed, the family unit has to be served, Garner said. So, children enrolled in Head Start receive a physical medical examination, a dental examination, immunizations if they are not up to date, a vision screening and a hearing screening. Additionally, Head Start sites are equipped to refer families of enrolled children to places where they can receive services they may need, Garner said.

Head Start is a free program available to families who meet income requirements. Families of four must have an income of less than $21,200, and families of 5 must have an income of less than $24,800. Although all sites are fully enrolled, applications for the current year are still being accepted in case of drop outs. Sign ups for next school year will begin in the spring. Head Start is able to serve children with disabilities.

Head Start sites in Kings County are located in Avenal, Corcoran, Kettleman City, Stratford, Lemoore, Hanford and Hanford's Home Garden and Gardenside areas. To sign up or get more information on any HeadStart opportunities, contact the Kings Community Action Organization at 582-4386.

The reporter can be reached at 583-2424.

(Sep. 4, 2008)