For
more information or to register
a child, please contact: 703-277-2624
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Program
Overview
 The
Family and Early Childhood Education Program FECEP/Head
Start is
a free child development program for children
birth to age five, including children with
disabilities or special needs, from income-eligible
families. Parents and community professionals
work with program staff to provide comprehensive
services which address children's educational,
social, health, nutritional, and emotional
needs. Fairfax
County Public Schools operates FECEP/Head
Start classrooms in selected
schools throughout the county. There
are three major focus areas in the FECEP/Head
Start Program:
Fairfax
County Public Schools FECEP/Head Start
is committed to providing a child development
program for children from birth to
age five, expectant parents, and their
families through quality early childhood
practices. Working collaboratively,
parents, staff and community provide
comprehensive services, which address
individual and unique needs of children
and their families. Through these
services, children and families will
be empowered to reach their fullest
potential as competent and creative
citizens.
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Models
of Implementation
The
following program models are implemented
to meet the diverse needs of families:
- Part
Day Students
attend classes 3 to 3-1/2 hours per
day.
- Full
Day Students
attend classes 6-6½ hours per
day. Teachers and assistants
work 7-1/2 hours per day. Full
day classes offer a longer day to accommodate
parents who work or attend school.
- Double
Sessions The
same teaching team (teacher and assistant)
works with two groups of students. One
group of students attends morning classes
for three hours and another group of
students attends afternoon classes
for three hours. Teachers and
Assistants work 7½ hours per
day.
- Early
Childhood Integration Program (ECIP) Since
1992, FECEP has implemented a collaborative
integration project with FCPS Preschool
Special Education Program (PSSE). This
program is currently operating in schools
where FECEP and PSSE classes are co-located. In
order to provide an array of services
to meet the individual needs of preschool
children, different program models
are offered. The decision about
class placement of special education
students is made collaboratively by
the program staff and parents at the
individualized education program(IEP)
meeting. Percentage of time with
the FECEP staff and students is indicated
on the IEP. Research indicates
that for children to benefit from integrated
activities, they must be provided at
least one hour, three times a week.
Related services (e.g., speech/language
therapy, physical therapy) are delivered
within the context of integrated or
self-contained settings based on individual
needs.
- ECIP
Partial Integration Children
with disabilities spend specified parts
of the school day in activities with
peers without disabilities. The staff
from each class share responsibility
for planning, implementing, and evaluating
these experiences.
- ECIP
Full Integration Children
with and without disabilities are together
throughout the entire school day. The
teaching teams share responsibility
for daily planning, program implementation,
and evaluation of all children. Classes
may be grouped in different combinations,
yielding a ratio of more children without
disabilities to those with disabilities.
- ECIP
8 - 4 In
the 8 - 4 model, four FECEP/Head Start
students together with eight Preschool
Special Education students participate
in a half-day, totally integrated program. One
PSSE teaching team is responsible for
daily planning, program implementation,
and evaluation of all the children.
The teacher has expertise in both early
childhood special education and early
childhood education.
- FECEP/K
Model In
the FECEP/K model FECEP students together
with kindergarten students participate
in a full day educational program. At
some sites, the FECEP and kindergarten
teachers teach the class and in other
models the kindergarten teacher is
responsible for both the FECEP and
kindergarten students.
The FECEP students and families continue
to receive the full support of the FECEP/Head
Start program. The kindergarten
teacher receives training in FECEP/Head
Start policies and procedures, and attends
appropriate meetings and professional
development activities. High School Work
and Family Studies/FECEP/Head Start In
this model, the FECEP students are provided
the learning laboratory for the High
School Work and Family Studies Program.
The FECEP teacher along with the high
school Work and Family Studies teacher
and high school students enrolled in
the class provide an educational program
for all of the students. The FECEP
students receive the full support of
the FECEP/Head Start program, and all
policies and procedures are followed.
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 FECEP/Head
Start Schools
Annandale
Terrace Elementary
7604 Herald Street, Annandale, VA 22003
Bailey's
Elementary
6111 Knollwood Drive, Falls Church, VA 22041
Beech
Tree Elementary
3401 Beech Tree Ln., Falls Church, VA
22042
Belle
View Elementary
6701 Fort Hunt Road, Alexandria, VA 22307
Belvedere
Elementary
6540 Columbia Pike, Falls Church, VA 22041
Braddock
Elementary
7825 Heritage Drive, Annandale, VA 22003
Bucknell
Elementary
6925 University Drive, Alexandria, VA 22307
Camelot Elementary
8100 Guinevere Dr., Annandale, VA 22003
Cameron
Elementary
3434
Campbell Drive, Alexandria, VA 22303
Cardinal
Forest Elementary
8600 Forrester Boulevard, Springfield, VA 22152
Centre Ridge Elementary
14400 New Braddock Rd., Centreville, VA 20121
Chantilly
High
4201 Stringfellow Road, Chantilly, VA 20151
Clearview
Elementary
12635
Builders Road, Herndon, VA 20170
Crestwood
Elementary
6010 Hanover Avenue, Springfield, VA 22150
Cub
Run Elementary
5301 Sully Station Drive
Centreville, VA 20120
Dogwood Elementary
12300 Glade Dr., Reston, VA 20191
Fairhill Elementary
3001 Chichester Ln., Fairfax, VA 22031
Forestdale
Elementary
6530 Elder Avenue, Springfield, VA 22150
Forest
Edge Elementary
1501 Becontree Lane, Reston, VA 20190
Freedom
Hill Elementary
1945 Lord Fairfax Drive, Vienna, VA 22180
Glen Forest Elementary
5829 Glen Forest Dr., Falls Church,
VA 22041
Graham
Road Elementary
3036 Graham Road, Falls Church, VA 22042
Groveton
Elementary
6900 Harrison Lane, Alexandria, VA 22306
Gunston
Elementary
10100 Gunston Road, Lorton, VA 22079
Halley Elementary
8850 Cross Chase Circle, Fairfax Station, VA 22039
Herndon Elementary
630 Dranesville Rd., Herndon, VA 20170
Hunters
Woods Elementary
2410 Colts Neck Road, Reston, VA 20191
Hutchison
Elementary
13209 Parcher Avenue, Herndon, VA 22170
Hybla
Valley Elementary
3415 Lockheed Blvd. Alexandria, Virginia
22306
Lake
Anne Elementary
11510 North Shore Drive, Reston, VA 20190
Little Run Elementary
4511 Olley Ln., Fairfax, VA 22032
London Towne Elementary
6100 Stone Rd., Centreville, VA 20120
Lorton Station Elementary
9298 Lewis Chapel Road,
Lorton, VA 22079
Lynbrook
Elementary
5801 Backlick Road, Springfield, VA 22150
McNair
Elementary
2499 Thomas Jefferson Drive, Herndon, Virginia, 20171
Mosby
Woods Elementary
9819 Five Oaks Road, Fairfax,
VA 22031
Mount
Eagle Elementary
6116 N. Kings Highway, Alexandria, VA 22303
Mt. Vernon Woods Elementary
4015 Fielding St., Alexandria, VA 22309
North
Springfield Elementary
7602 Heming Court, Springfield, VA 22151
Parklawn
Elementary
4116 Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA 22312
Pine
Spring Elementary
7607 Willow Lane, Falls Church, VA 22042
Poplar
Tree Elementary
13440 Melville Lane, Chantilly, VA 20151
Providence
Elementary
3616 Jermantown Road, Fairfax, VA 22030
Riverside
Elementary
8410 Old Mount Vernon Road, Alexandria, VA 22309
Robinson
Secondary School
5035 Sideburn Rd., Fairfax, VA 22032
Saratoga
Elementary
8111 Northumberland Road, Springfield, VA 22153
Shrevewood
Elementary
7525 Shreve Road, Falls Church, VA 22043
Springfield
Estates Elementary
6200 Charles C. Goff Drive, Springfield,
VA 22150
Timber
Lane Elementary
2737 West Street, Falls Church, VA 22046
 West
Potomac High
6500 Quander Road, Alexandria, VA 22307
Westgate
Elementary
7500 Magarity Road, Falls Church, VA 22043
Westlawn
Elementary
3200 Westley Road, Falls Church, VA 22042
Weyanoke
Elementary
6520 Braddock Road, Alexandria, VA 22312
Woodlawn
Elementary
8505 Highland Lane, Alexandria, VA 22309
Woodley
Hills Elementary
8718 Old Mt. Vernon Rd., Alexandria,
VA 22309
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Early
Childhood Development
and Heath Services
Education
and Early Childhood Development
The
educational program is individualized to
address each child's unique needs. Every
child receives a variety of learning experiences
to foster intellectual, social and emotional
growth. The classroom program is extended
into the home through home visits and home
reinforcement activities.
Child
Health and Development Services
Emphasis
is placed on early identification of health
problems. In collaboration with the parents,
each child's health status is determined through
a variety of examinations and screenings. This
includes a review of medical, dental, nutritional,
mental and immunization information. It is
also determined if each child has a "health
care home." As necessary, parents are
assisted in locating a source of continuous
health care and/or obtaining follow-up diagnostic
testing and treatment for identified concerns.
Child
Nutrition
Children
receive nutritious meals that may include breakfast,
A.M. snack, lunch, and/or P.M. snack. Type
and number of meals are based on the length
and time of the program day at the center they
attend. Parents are provided with information
on selecting healthy foods and preparing well-balanced
meals.
Child
Mental Health
The
FECEP/Head Start program embraces a vision
of mental wellness. The Child Mental Health
Area focuses on working collaboratively with
parents on a variety of mental health related
issues: securing the services of mental health
professionals and having a regular schedule
of on-site mental health consultations, involving
mental health professionals, program staff,
and parents.
Services
for Children with Disabilities
The
program reserves 10 percent of its available
slots for children with diagnosed disabilities.
The program's psychologist, child development
intervention specialists, and speech therapists
work closely with parents and community agencies
to provide services to meet children's special
needs.
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Enrollment
The Fairfax
County Public Schools Family and Early Childhood
Education Program (FECEP)/Head Start includes
the following services to enrolled children
with no monetary cost to families. :
- Bus
transportation through FCPS (there are
some exceptions based on addresses)
- Nutritious
meals
- Classroom
program designed for individual learning
needs of children
- Vision,
hearing, and speech screenings
- Opportunities
for parent participation
Acceptance
into the program is based on:
- A
child's age--Children must be 4 years old
by September 30 or 5 years old after September
30.
- A
limited number or children who are 3 years
old by September 30 will be accepted at
designated schools.
- Family
income--Priority placement is always given
to income-eligible applicants. 2008-2009
Income Guidelines Residency--Families
must be residents of Fairfax County.
Registration
Information
The following
information is needed in order to register
a student in the Fairfax County Public Schools
Family & Early Childhood Education Program
(FECEP)/Head Start:
- Income:
Proof of income must be submitted to verify
eligibility. A copy of the most recently
filed 1040 tax form and W-2
forms from all
income sources
are required. (If self-employed, a copy
of the Schedule C must also be included.)
If receiving TANF, submit a check stub,
or a letter or FAX from a social worker.
We also accept four current pay stubs,
documentation of SSI, or court papers showing
child support.
If unemployed: If terminated within the
past year, evidence of termination, e.g.,
letter from last employer on letterhead
paper with name and telephone number
of person to call to verify termination.
If receiving unemployment compensation,
provide letter or form showing that you
are receiving this income.
If you are supported by family member(s),
provide a notarized letter of support,
which shows exactly how much financial
support you are receiving monthly. The
letter must include the name and telephone
number of the relative. Eligibility of
families with letters of support must
be determined by the Family and Community
Partnerships Specialist.
- Proof
of birth/citizenship: An original
birth certificate is required for all
students. If a birth certificate is not
available, non-U.S. citizens may provide
a passport, alien card, I-94 (arrival/departure
record), with an affidavit; U.S. citizens
are to provide substantiating documentation
with an affidavit.
- Social
security number: Evidence of United
States federal social security number
is requested for United States citizens
and non-U.S. citizens who hold documentation
of permanent residency.
- Proof
of residency: A house deed accompanied
by a recent bill (utility, phone, cable)
, lease agreement, or resident manager's
letter is acceptable. If the lease is
more than a year old, you must have a
letter, on letterhead paper, from the
resident manager. If the family is living
in the residence of a friend or relative,
the homeowner must provide a notarized
statement stating this fact, in addition
to the homeowner's lease or deed.
- Health
documentation: Virginia law requires
every student to be immunized against
DPT (diphtheria, pertussis, tetanus),
polio, MMR (measles, mumps, rubella),
Hepatitis B, varicella (chicken pox)
or provide a statement from the doctor
explaining why immunizations were not
given. Complete dates (day, month, and
year) for every dose of immunization
are required. One dose of DPT and polio
must be given after the student's fourth
birthday. The MMR must have been given
at age 12 months or older and a second
measles or MMR is required for students
registering in kindergarten. Head Start
also requires documentation that students
are immunized against Hepatitis B. A
certificate of recent physical examination
by a licensed physician (form MCH 213D)
is required.
Tuberculosis screening requirements: Evidence
of a negative tuberculin skin test, done
within one year. If the tuberculin test results
are positive, provide a recent chest X-ray.
If you are a volunteer parent, evidence of
a negative tuberculin skin test is also required.
- Dental
exam: A report of dental examination
is also strongly recommended.
- Classroom
Placement: Classroom assignments
are made in July and August. Spaces are
limited and not all applicants can be
enrolled. Enrollment is done by an eligibility
point system, prioritizing the lowest
incomes and oldest children first, not
by the date of application. If
your child is accepted into the program,
you will be notified by mail, and the
teacher will contact you before the child's
class begins. If your child is not accepted,
you will receive written notice from
our office.
For
eligibility and registration sites please call
703-277-2624
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2008-2009 Income Eligibility Guidelines
Fairfax
County Family and Early Childhood Education
Program (FECEP)/Head Start
Federal
Guidelines |
|
Local/Free
Meals Guidelines |
Birthdays
Oct. 1, 2004 - Sept. 30, 2005
(3 years old for school year 08-09)
|
|
Birthdays
Oct. 1, 2003 - Sept. 30, 2004
(4 years old for school year 08-09) |
Household
Size |
Yearly |
Monthly |
Weekly |
Yearly |
Monthly |
Weekly |
Yearly |
Monthly |
Weekly |
| 1 |
$10,400 |
$867 |
$200 |
$13,520 |
$1,127 |
$260 |
$19,240 |
$1,603 |
$370 |
| 2 |
$14,000 |
$1,167 |
$269 |
$18,200 |
$1,517 |
$350 |
$25,900 |
$2,158 |
$498 |
| 3 |
$17,600 |
$1,467 |
$338 |
$22,880 |
$1,907 |
$440 |
$32,560 |
$2,713 |
$626 |
| 4 |
$21,200 |
$1,767 |
$407 |
$27,560 |
$2,297 |
$530 |
$39,220 |
$3,268 |
$754 |
| 5 |
$24,800 |
$2,067 |
$476 |
$32,240 |
$2,687 |
$620 |
$45,880 |
$3,823 |
$882 |
| 6 |
$28,400 |
$2,367 |
$546 |
$36,920 |
$3,077 |
$710 |
$52,540 |
$4,378 |
$1,010 |
| 7 |
$32,000 |
$2,667 |
$615 |
$41,600 |
$3,467 |
$800 |
$59,200 |
$4,933 |
$1,138 |
| 8 |
$35,600 |
$2,297 |
$684 |
$46,280 |
$3,857 |
$890 |
$65,860 |
$5,488 |
$1,267 |
For
Each Additional Family Member Add |
|
+$3,600 |
+$300 |
+$69 |
|
+$4,680 |
+$390 |
+$90 |
|
+$3,600 |
+$540 |
+$125 |
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Family
and Community Partnerships
Family
Partnerships
Parents are
offered opportunities and support for growth
so that they can identify their own strengths,
needs, interests and problem-solving skills.
Through a "Family Partnership Agreement," staff
and parents collaborate to set family goals and
develop strategies to meet those goals.
Parents are
involved in all aspects of the program, including
training, planning, and implementation. There
are opportunities to serve on center level committees,
parent policy committees and the grantee policy
council. Parents attend training sessions on
a variety of topics, such as: positive parenting;
budgeting; leadership, personal safety, first
aid, and other interests identified by parents.
Community
Partnerships
Community
agencies and organizations collaborate with the
program to improve the delivery of services to
children and families.
Advisory
committees include representatives from community
agencies and organizations to work with parents
and staff in program planning.
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Program
Design and Management
Governance
The FECEP/Head
Start program provides for a formal structure
of shared governance through which parents can
participate in policy making or in other decisions
about the program.
As
a delegate agency, our program establishes
a Parent Policy Committee, made up of representatives
from each center and community representatives
from local agencies. The grantee agency,
Fairfax County Office for Children establishes
a Policy Council, made up of parents from
all the delegate agencies.
Parent
Involvement/Volunteers
Parents
take an active part in all aspects of the program.
They are involved as volunteers in the classrooms
and as policy makers on center and policy committees.
They receive training in child development,
including ways of working successfully with
their children at home. Parents are also encouraged
to further their education and enhance their
job skills.
Volunteers
play an important part in FECEP/Head Start.
Parents, students, senior citizens, etc. are
encouraged to offer their much-needed assistance
to classroom and central office staff.
Curriculum
The
High/Scope Curriculum is implemented in all
program models. High/Scope is a "cognitively-oriented" curriculum
based on Piagetian assumptions about how children
learn. It stresses the importance of the child's
initiative/choice and active learning in the
acquisition of concepts through "key experiences." Ongoing
training on the High/Scope Curriculum is provided
for all program teachers and assistants. High/Scope
organizes the classroom into learning areas
where children are provided with a variety
of materials and activities from which to choose
each day. Children plan their day individually
with the teachers and recall and discuss their
plan when it has been completed. The curriculum
emphasizes active learning that engages children
in purposeful activities according to their
level of development. Great emphasis is put
on language development, which makes the curriculum
ideally suited to children from all cultures.
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Other
Head Start Links
For more
information on Head Start visit:
Administration
for Children and Families (ACF),
within the Department of Health and Human
Services (DHHS) is
responsible for federal programs which
promote the economic and social well-being
of families, children, individuals, and
communities.
The Children's
Defense Fund mission
is to Leave No Child Behind® and
to ensure every child a Healthy Start,
a Head Start, a Fair Start, a Safe
Start, and a Moral Start in life and successful
passage to adulthood with the help of caring
families and communities.
East
Coast Migrant Head Start Project is
committed to preparing young children for
educational success - especially the children
of migrant and seasonal farmworkers - by
providing holistic, high quality early
childhood services for families in a nurturing,
culturally sensitive environment.
Early
Head Start - National Resource Center (EHS
NRC) was created in 1995 by the Head Start
Bureau (HSB), Administration
for Children and Families (ACYF)
and is currently operated by ZERO
TO THREE, Washington, DC, in collaboration
with WestEd of
Sausilito, CA. The EHS NRC works in partnership
with the Infant/Toddler Specialists at
the regionally-based Quality Improvement
Centers (QICs) to ensure that Early Head
Start programs have information and training
on "best practices" on a range
of topics.
For
information on other county programs, human
services, libraries, public safety, court and
government, visit Fairfax
County Virginia's Home Page on the
World Wide Web.
Head
Start Bureau (HSB), Head Start
and Early Head Start are comprehensive
child development programs which serve
children from birth to age 5, pregnant
women, and their families. They are child-focused
programs and have the overall goal of increasing
the school readiness of young children
in low-income families.
The
Head Start program is administered by the Head
Start Bureau, the Administration on Children,
Youth and Families (ACYF),
Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Department
of Health and Human Services (DHHS).
Grants are awarded by the ACF Regional Offices
and the Head Start Bureau's American Indian
and Migrant Program Branches directly to local
public agencies, private
organizations, Indian Tribes, and school systems
for the purpose of operating Head Start programs
at the community level.
Head
Start Information and Publication Center is
a federal information clearinghouse operated
as a service of the Head Start Bureau.
National
Clearinghouse on Child Abuse and Neglect
Information is a national resource
for professionals and others seeking information
on child abuse and neglect and child welfare
National
Head Start Association is the only
nonprofit organization that specifically
represents Head Start's millions of impoverished
children and families before Congress and
offers training and support to Head Start
staff.
Reading
is Fundamental (RIF) develops and
delivers children's and family literacy
programs that help prepare young children
for reading and motivate school-age children
to read.
The US
Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS)
is the United States government's principal
agency for protecting the health of all
Americans and providing essential human
services, especially for those who are
least able to help themselves
The US
Department of Agriculture, Food and Nutrition
Services reduces hunger and food
insecurity in partnership with cooperating
organizations by providing children and
needy families access to food, a healthful
diet, and nutrition education in a manner
that supports American agriculture and
inspires public confidence.
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Note
this page contains web links outside the FCPS
network.
FCPS does not control the content or relevancy
of these pages.
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Last Updated
Instructional
Services Department