Summer Enrichment Program
Supporting Head start and Summer Enrichment Programs is Investing in Quality Early Childhood Education in Howard County. CAC’s Head Start programming is aligned with National Education Goal #1 which provides for Children Entering School Ready to Learn.
Their purpose is to ensure that all children will have an opportunity to enhance their skills, knowledge, and abilities by participating in classrooms and field trip activities that are recognize individual differences, cultivates their strengths, and help them become problem solvers. Promoting school readiness in these critical years of life is essential for establishing a foundation for learning and school success for years to come.
In Howard county we give our children that opportunity through the summer enrichment program. 152 HS students began a 7 week intensive program from May 26th to July 10th. Offered at two of the centers, Ellicott City and Dasher Green. Monday through Friday, 6 hours a day.
The goal is to promote the school readiness of children by enhancing their cognitive and social emotional development and have them enter school ready to learn.
The program adds an additional element of enrichment to the Head Start program by offering a diverse array of cultural and field trip activities, guest visitors and local artists throughout the 7 week period.
Students transitioning to kindergarten in the fall were administered a pretest at the beginning of the program based on a check list of topics from the Howard County Public Schools. At the end of the 7 week program, the students were given a post test to determine if students improved with their scores:
Pretest average 73%
Posttest average 85%
Overall improvement 12%
The assessment of young children is about promoting learning, not simply measuring it. Through Head Start and the Summer Enrichment program young children have the ability to work through activities, to solve problems, to work independently, and to reflect on their thinking. They are active, spontaneous, creative, curious, and capable of self-direction.
These are the qualities that make all of us good students and leaners and set the path for success for our children who are our future.
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