About Early Explorers
In 1965, the Office of Economic Opportunity launched Project Head Start as an eight-week summer program. Head Start was part of the War on Poverty, which embodied a basic belief that education as the solution to poverty. Head Start was designed to help break the “cycle of poverty” by providing preschool children of low income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and psychological needs. Born of the civil rights movement and part of the new political thinking on the nature of poverty and the uses of education, was that the government was obligated to help disadvantaged groups in order to compensate for inequality in social or economic conditions. The concept of “maximum feasible participation” represented a new philosophy in federal government that low-income people should help plan and run their own programs. Education and child development specialists,
community leaders and parents enthusiastically received Head Start across the nation and recruited children age three to school-entry age. Over 985,000 preschool children are served in Head Start across the United States.
Established during the 1994 Reauthorization of Head Start, Early Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood program serving primarily at-risk children prenatal to age three, pregnant women and their families. Over 135,000 infants and toddlers are served in Early Head Start.
Early Explorers Head Start began as Newport School District Head Start in the summer of 1966 in Towner serving 3o children as a summer program. Early Explorers Head Start and Early Head Start is a grantee agency of the TGU (Towner, Granville, and Upham) School District #60. The TGU school board and the Early Explorers Policy Council, composed of enrolled parents and community representatives, govern Early Explorers. Our mission is accomplished by involving parents in the total operation and administration of the program and supporting the growth of children, families and staff through encouragement, nurturing, education and empowerment.
I believe that this is one of the most constructive, and one of the most sensible, and one of the most exciting programs that this nation has ever undertaken. We have taken up the age-old challenge of poverty and we don’t intend to lose generations of our children to this enemy of the human race.”
Our Purpose
Promote school readiness in a learning environment that supports children’s growth in language, literacy, mathematics, science, social and emotional functioning, creative arts, physical skills, and approaches to learning.
Our Vision
Exploring the Possibilities Together
Our Core Values
- Attitude: We believe that remaining positive and looking ahead are essential parts of achieving goals.
- Communication: We work toward the clear exchange of information, both written and verbal.
- Honesty: We believe that being truthful establishes lasting relationships and promotes positive communication.
- Humor: We believe that laughter brings us together. We should have fun while being productive.
- Respect: We know people feel valued when they are shown consideration. We believe each employee has the right to work in an environment of mutual respect.
Our Mission & Vision
Early Explorers Head Start and Early Head Start are early childhood development programs dedicated to providing quality services through collaboration with families and communities. We employ a comprehensive approach built upon:
- Engaging and empowering families to create positive change;
- Ensuring school readiness through best practices; and
- Promoting optimal health and well-being from prenatal to adulthood.
Five-Year Strategic Plan (2024-2029)
Our Roadmap
This strategic plan will serve as a roadmap to guide us through the next phase of our journey. The goals, objectives, and action steps listed in this plan will lead decision-making over the course of the next three years. The initiatives and approaches resulting from this plan will be measured to ensure progress is being made toward our common goals.
Annual Reports and Financial Audits
Our Strategic Goals
Goal #1
Staff Readiness & Wellness
Goal #2
Children & Families
Goal #3
Community Engagement
Goal #1: Staff Readiness & Wellness
Objective 1–A: Research and develop relevant onboarding, training, and support approaches.
Strategies and Tactics for Objective 1-A:
Strategy: Develop a virtual orientation system to ensure consistency
- Assess Head Start requirements and childcare licensing mandates
- Identify peer models, approaches, and training platforms
- Contract instructional designer to guide new virtual orientation system
Strategy: Create a tiered training system
- Identify training mandates
- Review existing systems and models
- Engage Training and Technical Assistance in developing the system
Strategy: Develop best practices and coach for success
- Revise coaching system to meet current needs and modify to address anticipated needs
- Determine the coaching model, criteria, and roles and responsibilities
Objective 1-B: Strive to achieve program excellence and identify areas for growth
Strategies and Tactics for Objective 1-B:
Strategy: Achieve professional excellence
- Identify areas for improvement
- Strengthen ongoing monitoring systems
- Create a measurable action plan
Strategy: Create and ensure succession plans are in place
- Work with a consultant to develop a set of best practices and help develop individualized succession plans
- Update policies and procedures
Strategy: Develop and promote an organizational culture that prioritizes staff wellness
- Empower the Sunshine Committee to provide guidance on staff wellness
- Educate and encourage employees to understand all available benefits
Goal #2: Children & Families
Objective 2-A: Apply data to shape outcomes and measure program impacts.
Strategy: Strengthen school readiness and program services:
Strategy: Develop a virtual orientation system to ensure consistency
- Implement updated school readiness goals for Early Head Start and Head Start
- Develop and implement parent outcomes based on data
- Develop a case management rubric to identify at-risk families
Objective 2-B: Strengthen support services to improve child well-being
Strategy and Tactics for Objective 2-B:
Strategy: Improve optimal health and development outcomes for children
- Increase the number of well child visits completed at appropriate intervals
- Identify and engage available professional supports
- Improve internal behavioral support system
- Implement multi-year Pyramid Cohort to address and improve child behavior
Objective 2-C: Encourage stronger parent-to-school relationships
Strategy and Tactics for Objective 2-C:
Strategy: Enhance parent engagement initiatives and opportunities
- Connect more families to parent education and supports
- Assess current parent communication approaches
- Where necessary, develop new parent communication approaches
Goal #3: Community Engagement
Objective 3-A: Explore all funding and partnership options to remain viable in communities.
Strategies and Tactics for Objective 3-A:
Strategy: Find and serve income-eligible children
- Develop and implement new recruitment strategies
- Identify wrap-around services that meet enrolled families’ need
- Increase mutual referrals with other professional agencies
Strategy: Develop and implement public relations and outreach strategies in each community
- Identify and connect with key stakeholders and funding sources
- Identify and use best available media channels in each community
- Pursue opportunities to showcase Early Explorers and connect with the public
