Suwannee Valley Community Coordinated Child Care Inc

TO ADVANCE EARLY CHILDHOOD SCHOOL READINESS AND FAMILY SELF-RELIANCE BY PROVIDING COMPREHENSIVE SERVICES IN A HEALTHY, SAFE, NURTURING, HIGH-QUALITY LEARNING ENVIRONMENT THAT PROMOTES EDUCATION, PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT, FAMILY-COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT AND PROGRAM EXCELLENCE.

SUWANNEE VALLEY COMMUNITY COORDINATED CHILD CARE, INC. (SUWANNEE VALLEY 4CS) IS THE GRANTEE FOR HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START SERVICES IN COLUMBIA, HAMILTON, LAFAYETTE AND SUWANNEE COUNTIES. HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START ARE COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAMS WHICH PROMOTE SCHOOL READINESS BY ENHANCING THE SOCIAL, PHYSICAL AND COGNITIVE DEVELOPMENT OF CHILDREN THROUGH THE PROVISION OF HEALTH, EDUCATIONAL, NUTRITIONAL, SOCIAL AND OTHER SERVICES. SUWANNEE VALLEY 4CS FUNDED ENROLLMENT FOR THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR WAS 231 HEAD START AND 184 EARLY HEAD START FROM OCTOBER 1, 2022 TO MAY 31, 2023, AND 214 HEAD START AND 160 EARLY HEAD START FROM JUNE 1, 2023 TO SEPTEMBER 30, 2023. OVER 415 CHILDREN RECEIVED SERVICES INCLUDING HEALTH SCREENINGS/EXAMS. HEAD START CHILDREN WERE ASSESSED THREE TIMES PER YEAR AND EARLY HEAD START CHILDREN WERE ASSESSED FOUR TIMES PER YEAR. HOME VISITS AND PARENT CONFERENCES WERE COMPLETED DURING THE YEAR, AS REQUIRED, FOCUSING ON FAMILY NEEDS AND GOALS. THE OUTCOMES OF THE HEAD START AND EARLY HEAD START PROGRAMS INCLUDE CHILDREN THAT ARE PREPARED TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN. CHILDREN'S HEALTH NEEDS AND CONCERNS HAVE BEEN ADDRESSED. PARENTS ARE MORE KNOWLEDGEABLE REGARDING THEIR CHILD'S HEALTH, EDUCATION AND DEVELOPMENT AND THEY ARE PREPARED TO ADVOCATE FOR THEIR CHILDREN. CHILDREN BENEFIT FROM INTERACTION IN A LESS RESTRICTIVE ENVIRONMENT WHICH FACILITATES SOCIALIZATION, PEER ACCEPTANCE AND OVERALL DEVELOPMENT. IN ADDITION, FAMILIES HAVE BEEN LINKED WITH NEEDED COMMUNITY SERVICES AND HAVE INCREASED SELF-ESTEEM FROM INVOLVEMENT IN PROGRAM DECISION MAKING AND GOAL ACCOMPLISHMENT.

COVID-19 CARES ACT AND AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN.

THE USDA PROGRAM PROVIDES NUTRITIONAL MEALS AND SNACKS FOR ELIGIBLE CHILDREN. SUWANNEE VALLEY 4CS PROVIDED 55,592 BREAKFASTS, 55,834 LUNCHES, AND 43,764 AFTERNOON SNACKS TO CHILDREN.

VOLUNTARY PRE-K IS A PROGRAM DESIGNED TO PREPARE FOUR-YEAR-OLDS IN FLORIDA FOR KINDERGARTEN. THIS PROGRAM GIVES EACH CHILD AN OPPORTUNITY TO PREPARE FOR KINDERGARTEN BY FOCUSING ON THE HIGH LITERACY STANDARDS AND CURRICULUM NECESSARY TO ENTER KINDERGARTEN. DURING THE 2022-2023 SCHOOL YEAR, SUWANNEE VALLEY 4CS PROVIDED VOLUNTARY PRE-K SERVICES TO 45 HEAD START CHILDREN AT TWO OF THE HEAD START CENTERS. THE VOLUNTARY PRE-K PROGRAM WORKS IN CONJUNCTION WITH THE HEAD START PROGRAM TO PROVIDE A FULL DAY OF LEARNING ACTIVITIES TO HELP PROVIDE A STRONG FOUNDATION NEEDED TO START A SUCCESSFUL EDUCATIONAL JOURNEY.