South Shore Stars Inc

SOUTH SHORE STARS, INC. (STARS), FOUNDED IN 1970, PROVIDES THE HIGHEST QUALITY OF EARLY EDUCATION, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT, AND FAMILY SUPPORT PROGRAMS FOR COMMUNITIES SOUTH OF BOSTON. DURING FISCAL YEAR 2021, OVER 770 CHILDREN, FROM BIRTH THROUGH ADOLESCENCE, THRIVED AS A RESULT OF ATTENDING STARS' PROGRAMS; EARLY HEAD START, FAMILY CHILD CARE, PRESCHOOL, SCHOOL-AGE, SUMMER CAMP AND YOUTH PROGRAMS.

PRESCHOOL PROGRAMSOUTH SHORE STARS OPERATES THREE NATIONALLY ACCREDITED (NAEYC) PRESCHOOL CENTERS, LOCATED IN QUINCY, RANDOLPH AND WEYMOUTH. EACH CENTER IS OPEN YEAR-ROUND AND IS DESIGNED ESPECIALLY FOR PRESCHOOL CHILDREN AGED 3 TO 6 YEARS. TEACHERS CREATE AN ENVIRONMENT AND PLAN CHILD-CENTERED ACTIVITIES THAT SPARK EXPLORATION, CREATIVITY, AND MASTERY OF NEW SKILLS USING THE HIGHSCOPE CURRICULUM AND MONITOR CHILD PROGRESS USING THE PRESCHOOL CHILD OBSERVATION RECORD (COR). WE ARE COMMITTED TO SERVING A DIVERSE POPULATION, WITH AN EMPHASIS ON SUPPORTING LOW-INCOME PARENTS AND AT-RISK CHILDREN. OUR TEACHERS ARE SKILLED AT SUPPORTING CHILDREN WITH SPECIAL NEEDS THROUGH ACCOMMODATIONS AND INDIVIDUALIZED PLANNING. WE HAVE STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH PUBLIC SCHOOLS AND SOCIAL SERVICE AGENCIES. WE HELP FAMILIES IDENTIFY AND ACCESS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE FOR CHILD CARE AND EDUCATIONAL SERVICES, UNDERSTANDING THAT WE MUST SUPPORT AND PARTNER WITH OUR PARENTS IN ORDER FOR THEIR CHILDREN TO THRIVE. WE WORK TO INCREASE OUR FAMILIES' ACCESS TO COMMUNITY PROGRAMS AND SERVICES, FOCUSING ON HELPING OUR PARENTS OBTAIN BASIC SERVICES (FOOD, HOUSING AND UTILITIES). WE ALSO SUPPORT SELF-SUFFICIENCY THROUGH ADVOCACY, COLLABORATION, AND PARTNERING WITH OTHER AGENCIES.

SCHOOL AGE PROGRAMSSCHOOL AGE (GRADES K-6) IN OUR FOUR SCHOOL AGE CENTERS, LOCATED IN THE COMMUNITIES OF QUINCY, RANDOLPH AND WEYMOUTH, CHILDREN DEVELOP SELF-CONFIDENCE, INTER-PERSONAL SKILLS, AND DECISION-MAKING CAPABILITIES, AS THEY ENJOY VARIED ACTIVITIES. WE SUPPORT SCHOOL ACHIEVEMENT THROUGH HOMEWORK SUPERVISION, AND COMMUNICATION WITH SCHOOL PERSONNEL. THE STRENGTH OF OUR SCHOOL AGE PROGRAM IS THE POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS STAFF DEVELOP WITH CHILDREN, AS WE SUPPORT OUR CHILDREN TO EXPRESS THEIR FEELINGS AND RESOLVE DISPUTES WHILE DEVELOPING SELF REGULATIONS, PROBLEM SOLVING SKILLS AND EMPATHY. BY BUILDING A STRONG SENSE OF COMMUNITY, OUR CHILDREN FEEL SUPPORTED BY BOTH STAFF AND THEIR PEERS. OUR SCHOOL AGE PROGRAMS ARE OPEN DURING THE SCHOOL VACATION WEEKS AND HOLIDAYS TO ACCOMMODATE THE NEEDS OF WORKING PARENTS. OUR SCHOOL AGE CENTERS CLOSE FOR EIGHT WEEKS IN THE SUMMER DURING WHICH WE RUN A DAY CAMP FOR 325 CHILDREN AT HALE RESERVATION IN WESTWOOD. 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERSFUNDED BY THE MASSACHUSETTS DEPARTMENT OF ELEMENTARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION 21ST CENTURY COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTERS GRANTS, STARS PROVIDES RANDOLPH 3-5TH GRADE STUDENTS, RANDOLPH COMMUNITY MIDDLE SCHOOL 6TH GRADE STUDENTS AFTER SCHOOL ACADEMIC SUPPORT, PROJECT-BASED ENRICHMENT, AND COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING OPPORTUNITIES. THESE STUDENTS ARE REFERRED BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL BECAUSE THEY HAVE BEEN IDENTIFIED AS AT RISK OF ACADEMIC FAILURE. OUR STAFF DEVELOPS STRONG PARTNERSHIPS WITH CLASSROOM TEACHERS TO SUPPORT THESE STUDENTS TO BE SUCCESSFUL. OUR SIX WEEK FULL-DAY SUMMER PROGRAMS ENGAGE STUDENTS IN MANY INNOVATIVE ACTIVITIES AND FIELD TRIPS.YOUTH IN MOTIONIN 2007, RANDOLPH HIGH SCHOOL AND STARS FORGED WHAT HAS BECOME AN EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL PARTNERSHIP TO REDUCE THE SCHOOL'S DROP-OUT RATE, WHICH AT THE TIME WAS AMONG THE STATE'S HIGHEST. INITIALLY FOCUSING ON 9TH GRADE STUDENTS IDENTIFIED BY SCHOOL PERSONNEL AS AT RISK OF RETENTION, AND NOW INCLUDING 10-12TH GRADE STUDENTS, WE HAVE BUILT POSITIVE RELATIONSHIPS AND ENGAGED OUR STUDENTS IN OUR OUT-OF-SCHOOL-TIME PROGRAMMING. EACH YEAR, STARS PROVIDES MENTORING, TUTORING, COMMUNITY SERVICE LEARNING AND ENRICHMENT OPPORTUNITIES TO FIFTY STUDENTS. IN THE PAST TEN YEARS, ALL BUT TWO OF OUR STUDENTS, WHO ENROLLED IN YOUTH IN MOTION AS NINTH GRADERS, WHOSE FAMILIES CONTINUED TO LIVE IN RANDOLPH, GRADUATED, MOST OF THEM IN FOUR YEARS.

EARLY HEAD START (EHS) STARSTHIS COMPREHENSIVE CHILD DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM IS FUNDED BY THE OFFICE OF HEAD START. IT OFFERS FREE LINGUISTICALLY AND CULTURALLY APPROPRIATE HEALTH, EDUCATION, AND MENTAL HEALTH AND CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES TO LOW INCOME FAMILIES AND YOUNG CHILDREN WITH DISABILITIES IN RANDOLPH, BROCKTON AND HOLBROOK INCLUDING PREGNANT WOMEN AND CHILDREN, AGES 0-3. THERE ARE TWO PROGRAM OPTIONS: HOME VISITING AND FAMILY CHILD CARE FOR 72 PARTICIPATING FAMILIES.