Skagit/Islands Head Start receives $7,817,445 five-year grant

Skagit Valley College Skagit/Islands Head Start (SIHS) is pleased to announce that they have received a notice of award from the Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families, Office of Head Start and will receive a grant totaling $7,817,445 for Early Head Start and Head Start.

The five-year grant runs from September 1, 2019 through August 31, 2024. In addition to the base funding, SIHS has been awarded additional funding to increase the hours of services in both Head Start and Early Head Start. 

For Head Start:

• $3,554,611 for operations;
• $46,177 for training and technical assistance;
• $1,370,236 for additional hours of services.

For Early Head Start:

• $1,592,795 for operations;
• 30,785 for training and technical assistance;
• $1,222,841 for additional hours of services.

In addition to the five-year grant, supplemental start-up funding of $6,695,976 was also provided to address one-time program needs including vehicles, staff training, classroom furnishings and materials. The start-up funding also offers the opportunity to support the addition of four centers, including:

• The construction of an Early Learning center on SVC’s Mount Vernon Campus;
• The purchase and remodel of a new center in Burlington;
• The purchase and remodel of a new center in Oak Harbor;
• The purchase of a new modular building to replace the older modular in Friday Harbor.

This award will also create 38 new full-time positions in a variety of roles. Please refer to the SVC Human Resources webpage for opportunities, https://www.skagit.edu/about/human-resources/current-job-openings/

SIHS will continue to offer full-day and part-day preschool, and will add more full-day classes. Early Head Start models will include a combination approach classroom to serve children 16 to 24 months and will provide center-based classes two days a week, with weekly home visits. In addition, new part-day classrooms for children 2 to 3 years old, and additional full-day, full-year classes will be available.

Head Start is a federal program which provides free, comprehensive early learning and family services for qualifying families, pregnant women, and children from birth to five years old. Specific services for children focus on education, socio-emotional development, physical and mental health, and nutrition.

Skagit/Islands Head Start provides a safe, healthy, nurturing environment so that each family, child, and staff member may reach their potential within the community. The program currently serves 428 children and families in Skagit, Island, and San Juan counties. To learn more about Skagit/Islands Head Start, visit http://www.sihs.skagit.edu/

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