FECEP/Head Start

Program Overview
Early Childhood Development & Health Services
Family & Community Partnership
Program Design & Management
Enrollment
FECEP/Head Start Schools

Program Overview

The Family and Early Childhood Education Program FECEP/Head Start is a free child development program for children ages three to 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:

Early Childhood Development & Health Services
Family & Community Partnerships
Program Design & Management

Fairfax County Public Schools FECEP/Head Start is committed to providing a child development program for children ages three to 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.

Early Childhood Development & Health 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 parent involvement.

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 monitored 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" and “dental 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

On a daily basis, children receive nutritious meals that include breakfast, lunch, and a snack. These meals meet national standards and are healthy, safe, and diverse. Parents are provided information on selecting and providing their families with healthy foods.

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 staff and FCPS early childhood special education work closely with parents and community agencies to provide services to meet the needs of children eligible for special education services.

Family & Community Partnership

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 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.

Program Design & 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. Through school based committee meetings, parents 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. If you are a regular volunteer, evidence of a negative tuberculin skin test is also required.

Curriculum

The Prekindergarten Program of Studies (PreK POS) Curriculum is implemented in all FECEP/Head Start classrooms. The PreK POS curriculum and indicators support a developmentally appropriate early childhood program for children three to five years of age. It is based on current research around early childhood curriculum and best practices as well as input from early childhood and special educators. Ongoing training on the PreK POS Curriculum is provided for all program teachers and assistants. The prekindergarten curriculum addresses each child's needs, interests, and level of development. Children's social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth is enhanced through a variety of learning experiences which meet individual and group needs. Great emphasis is put on language development, which makes the curriculum ideally suited to children from all cultures.