CCSCT reclaims operation of Head Start program in Seguin, Guadalupe County

Seguin, TX, USA / Seguin Today

Cindy Aguirre

(Seguin) — Head Start services in the Seguin and Guadalupe County will officially return to the hands of the Community Council of South Central Texas.

Beginning July 1, the CCSCT will oversee the pre-k Head Start program as well as expanded services for even younger children. For the last five years, the program was being provided locally by Baptist Children and Family Services (BCFS). However prior to that, the CCSCT was in control of the program for over 40 years at its prior location in the old hospital building on Weinert Street.

CCSCT Executive Director Bobby Deike says thanks to Head Start’s Designation Renewal System (DRS), the administration and responsibly of the early childhood program will return to the local organization.

“In most cases, every five years, Head Start programs basically go through a re-competition process which allows eligible entities to apply for the funding and so CCSCT applied for the funding for this program and we were selected by the office of Head Start to be the grantee,” said Deike.

Deike says in addition to the current partnership agreement it has with the Seguin ISD, the Head Start Program will also be offering Early Head Start Services. He says this program will be something new for young families.

“CCSCT plans to serve children zero up to five years old so we will have an Early Head Start Program that serves children zero up to three and then we will have a Head Start Program that serves three and four year old children so this is a full program with the intent of current office of Head Start – kind of their vision of what Head Start programs look like in the local communities,” said Deike.

Deike says the overall program will come equipped with these changes which includes with the operation of a free standing center. Deike says the CCSCT is currently in negotiations of where that Head Start center will be located.

 “I think the biggest change is serving children – again, the broad range of age and children over the last five years, Head Start here in Seguin and Guadalupe County was primarily for four-year-old children served through Seguin ISD and we do plan to continue that relationship with Seguin ISD and partner with them for four year old but we are also going to offer a free standing center services again for those children zero to three years of age. So, families that have children, infants and toddlers will now be able to access Head Start services or in this case Early Head Start services,” said Deike.
 
Deike says the CCSCT is excited to again operate the program and looks forward to passing on the great services to local families. He says while the pre-k program will continue at Seguin ISD’s Ball Early Childhood Center, the program for the younger children will be open to any family in Guadalupe County.

 “I would describe it as a child development center, age appropriate activities for children assisting in the full development of children, school readiness – those types of things. But in addition to that, the Head Start funding provides for family services which includes a health component and other types of services that families can benefit and it assist with the overall health of the child,” said Deike.
 
Both the Head Start and Early Head Start Services will be provided at no cost based on income eligibility.
 
Deike says the CCSCT is committed to a seamless transition and looks forward to hammering the details about its new location next month. Also, in the next weeks, Deike says his agency will be notifying families and the community regarding their next steps to enrolling in the program.
 
CCSCT is a non-profit Community Action Agency that empowers vulnerable families and individuals in the greater South-Central Texas area to achieve self-sufficiency by eliminating barriers through innovative programs and strong community partnerships. Counties serviced include Atascosa, Bandera, Comal, Dimmit, Edwards, Frio, Gillespie, Guadalupe, Karnes, Kendall, Kerr, Kinney, LaSalle, Live Oak, Maverick, McMullen, Medina, Real, Uvalde, Val Verde, Wilson, and Zavala.