Children's program accepting fall-enrollment applications

Jefferson County parents who want to enroll their children in the Community Action Planning Council's Head Start program this fall should submit applications by April 30.

Applications are accepted year round, but parents are more likely to secure one of the 275 spots available if they get their applications in by the April deadline, said Marie E. Ambrose, the Planning Council's Head Start prekindergarten director.

Head Start is a federal program that funds local school readiness programs for economically disadvantaged children ages 3 and 4 and their families.

The program has been filled to capacity for the past six years, Mrs. Ambrose said, and its waiting list is growing.

Nearly 200 children are on the waiting list now, but that figure is misleading, Mrs. Ambrose said, since admissions are made on the basis of need. Children in foster care, those whose parents have substance abuse problems or those in other high-risk circumstances are given higher priority for admission.

"We're still looking for more kids," she said.

Fifty-one program slots are reserved for 3-year-olds, and 224 for 4-year-olds. Four-year-olds are given higher priority for admission since they are closest to starting kindergarten, Mrs. Ambrose said.

If the waiting list grows much larger, Mrs. Ambrose said, 3-year-olds on the list most likely will receive a slot the following year when they turn 4.

The council, 518 Davidson St., offers full-day and part-day Head Start classes, as well as home visits or a combination of classroom and home learning. Transportation is provided for children living near any of the five program locations, in Watertown, Adams Center, Carthage, Antwerp and Dexter. The program also provides healthy meals, snacks, field trips, family support and bilingual services, hearing, vision and developmental screenings and inclusive settings for special-needs children.

Children's eligibility for Head Start programs is based on family income. In 2007, the maximum income level for a participating family was raised to 130 percent of the federal poverty level, making more children eligible for the program.

That means a family of four must have an annual gross income of $28,665 or less to qualify. Income requirements can be waived in certain circumstances. For more information or to apply, call Mrs. Ambrose at 782-4900.

New Head Start children will be selected for the fall class in May.

Children must be 3 or 4 years old on or before Dec. 1 to participate in Head Start.