EARLY HEAD START REPORT for the 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR
From the Early Head Start Director
ICS EHS Program provides high quality, early, continuous child development and family support services to low-income families. We provide educational and developmentally appropriate activities and instruction for children ages birth to 3 years in Benton County ,MS. ICS Early Head Start currently 96 infants and toddlers.
Our services are child and family focused and has the overall goal of increasing the School Readiness of young children. All of our services are center based and comprehensive. Children attend our program five (5) days a week in a safe, nurturing learning environment. Activities and routines address approaches to learning, social and emotional development, language and literacy, cognition, and perceptual motor and physical development domains. Learning experiences are within the context of children cultures and community.
Early Head Start is committed to protecting and strengthening the bond between parents and children. We support parents as the primary educator of their child. We provide continuity of care in our program which helps children build strong relationships that are critical for their social and intellectual development. We support parents’ efforts to fulfill their parental role and be an advocate for their child. We provide resources and training that will help parent’s support their child’s development and move them toward self-sufficiency and life preparedness.
It is our goal to provide a positive impact in the communities that we serve by working and partnering with those in the community who share common goal of strengthening families. We work continuously to fortify established relationships and build new relationships to enhance services to infants, toddlers and families.
Karen Pegues,
Early Head Start Director
Early Head Start enrolled 100 participants during the 2024-25 school year. Funded enrollment was 96 infants and toddlers.
68% - income eligible
26% - on public assistance
2% - in Foster Care, and
4% - over income based on other needs.
School Readiness
In development of our School Readiness goals the School Readiness Committee reviewed and used the following documents:
- The Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework
- NAEYC Standards
- Early Learning Guidelines IT for Mississippi
- Learning Accomplishment Profile (Birth to Kindergarten))
- The Creative Curriculum for Infants, Toddlers and Two’s
Our efforts to prepare children begin with access to proper prenatal care and training for expectant mothers to focus on healthy birth outcomes. Once children are enrolled, well baby checkups are maintained and developmental, social emotional, vision, and hearing screenings are administered within forty-five (45) days.
Children are assessed at least three (3) times yearly using online LAP-BK assessment. Child Development Support Plans and teacher-child interactions are individualized to enhance child’s development and to meet School Readiness Goals. Transition begins for children within six (6) months of their 3rd birthday.
ICS Early Head Start program continues to make measurable progress in supporting the holistic development of infants and toddlers. Through intentional teaching, family partnerships, and data-driven practices, we remain committed to preparing children for lifelong learning and success.
Early Head Start LAP-BK Developmental Assessment Progress
The five (5) charts below reflect the range of scores for children enrolled in ICS-EHS based on the School Readiness Goals for Infants and Toddlers in Head Start and Early Head Start Programs. Graphs and numbers represented by the graphs are based on the highest score, the lowest score, and the average score for all Early Head Start children in the program with assessment results during that checkpoint.
Our Early Head Start Families
The follow charts are a breakdown of the composition of the families we serve in EHS, their employment, job training, and educational levels. Our goal in EHS is to meet our parents where they are and assist them with achieving goals for both themselves and their families.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT REPORT for the 2024-2025 SCHOOL YEAR
From the Director of Child Development
With support from our families and community partners, ICS Head Start pre-school provides comprehensive services for the whole child and their families. We know that each child is unique and will succeed at their own rate of readiness. Families are the children’s first, and most important caregivers and advocates. Our families are respected and supported as the primary influence in their child’s early learning. As quality early childhood educators, we acknowledge our students and individuals whose development is as unique as their personalities. We understand the importance of creating inclusive environments that support the various learning needs of each child. As a result, teachers provide individualized instruction and modify their teaching methods and lesson plans to suit the learning style of children. This ensures that all children can thrive and reach their full potential.
The curriculums used in our Head Start Pre-school classrooms are Our World of Learning, Learn Every Day, and Mississippi Beginnings Pre-K. All curriculums are research based and are aligned with Mississippi State Early Learning Outcomes Framework.
Our ICS program has two very special partnerships that help children understand the importance of eating healthily and growing some of their food. Farm to Table is a program that connects early childhood settings with local food systems. They develop school gardens, visit local farms and foster relationships with their community and the natural world. They also build a foundation for lifelong healthy eating habits.
It is important to provide children with stimulating environments and experiences to enhance their abilities during their preschool years. One main benefit of early education is the support it offers to prepare children for kindergarten. We teach children to reason by integrating problem solving tasks, which help to develop critical thinking skills. Our teachers are encouraged to explore within the classroom, outdoors and the community environment, which fosters curiosity and a sense of wonder; it also allows children to exercise creativity and develop an imagination. We do integrate some age-appropriate technology that enhances learning and technical literacy, which is a practical skill in this digital age.
Linda Harris-Beard
Director of Child Development
We are engaged in collaborative partnerships with other ELCs and organizations that provide services to our children and their families. These combined efforts provide opportunities that each of us alone could not provide.
Classroom Assessment Scoring System® and CLASS® are registered trademarks of Teachstone Training, LLC (“Teachstone”), 675 Peter Jefferson Parkway, Suite 400, Charlottesville, VA 22911 http://teachstone.com. Teachstone is the copyright owner of the Pre-K CLASS® Manual and Pre-K - 3 Score Sheet by Robert Pianta, Karen La Paro, and Bridget Hamre, and these materials are used with Teachstone’s permission.
© 2025 ChildPlus by Procare Solutions. All rights reserved
FAMILY SERVICES & ERSEA REPORT for the 2024-2025 School Year
Total Funded Enrollment: 100
Total Number of Children Served: 108
Total Number of Families Served: 102
Year’s Total Wait-List Numbers: 10
Age Eligible Wait-List Children Not Served: 10%
Average Monthly Enrollment (ADA)
as Percentage of Enrollment: 80.75%
Community Assessment Data
Age Eligible Children Served: 100%
Percentage of Income Eligible Pre-School Children: 90%
Percentage of the Number Age Eligible Children
in the Target Area Served in the School Year: N/A
Race
Black/African American: 52
White: 44
Biracial/Multi-racial: 6
Asian: 0
American Indian/Alaska Native: 0
Other Category (Yemen/Middle East, Hispanic): 6
Ethnicity
Hispanic or Latino: 4
Non-Hispanic/
Non-Latino: 104
Language
English: 102
Spanish: 4
Mid-Eastern/South Asian European & Vietnamese: 2
Households
Single Parent Families: 66
Two Parent Families: 36
TANF Families: 0
SSI Families: 4
Income Above the poverty guideline: 10
Income Below the poverty guideline: 90
Families receive WIC: 28
Families receive SNAP: 25
Employment
One parent family: 50
Two parent families: 23
Significant Facts and Data
Children experiencing homelessness: 0
Children in Foster Care: 2
Children with disabilities including types of
disabilities and relevant services and
resources provided by community
agencies: 11
Health Services
97% of children received
medical examinations
98% of children received
dental examinations
SOCIAL SERVICE
There is a need for more
doctors and dentists in
some areas
NUTRITION REPORT For The 2024-2025 School Year
The ICS Head Start Nutrition Department plays a vital role in supporting the health and well-being of children and families in our program. During the 2024–2025 school year, our team worked diligently to ensure that every child received nutritious meals and snacks that meet CACFP standards, while also providing education and resources to families to encourage healthy eating habits at home.
These charts show the meal reimbursements for the 2024–2025 school year. Our department successfully managed these funds, which reflect the meals and snacks served across all centers. These reimbursements were used to provide high-quality, nutrient-dense foods for children and to ensure compliance with federal nutrition standards.
Child and Adult Care Food Program Meal Reimbursements
PARENT ENGAGEMENT REPORT For The 2024-2025 School Year
ICS Head Start Preschool and Early Head Start programs place a strong emphasis on parent, family, and community engagement. The involvement of parents, in our endeavors, is critical to the child’s growth and development. Parent Engagement main focus is getting parents, families, and the community involved.
The hearts of our staff, parents, and communities is where it all begins. Parents play a big part in their children’s life as their main teachers and supporters. Building strong positive relationships between staff and parents allows staff to better assist and support parents as they navigate the challenges of parenthood. To help our families get the resources they need to achieve their full potential, our team collaborates closely with community partners. ICS offers a parent learning curriculum and a fatherhood program. Training is provided to parents through each program service area and parents are encouraged to volunteer at their child’s center. Parents may serve as members of the Policy Council and Board of Directors, having a voice in all policy decisions.
The staff, parents, and communities have shown remarkable resilience and achieved positive results in spite of a variety of life challenges and various obstacles. Parents are making amazing progress, achieving their goals and pursuing their dreams for themselves and their children’s future.
Parent Gauge (Family Outcomes)
Parent Gauge is a family engagement assessment tool that is designed to measure the parent’s experience and the impact of our Head Start Preschool and Early Head Start program. This assessment tool is implemented twice a year. It allows us to identify areas of strengths and improvement.
Fatherhood/Male Involvement
Research-Based Parent Curriculum
Research-Based Parent Curriculum
100% of fathers or father figures actively engaged in workshops and activities specifically designed for male parents.
Research-Based Parent Curriculum
Research-Based Parent Curriculum
Research-Based Parent Curriculum
Benton County surpassed the anticipated outcome goal of 50% for parent participation in the Systematic Training Effective Parenting (STEP) research-based parenting curriculum by 34%.
Our Head Start Parents
102
Total Families
66
Single-Parent Families
36
36
Two-Parent Families
Parent's Level of Education
At ICS Head Start Preschool and Kindergarten, we believe that every child is unique and capable of reaching their full potential. We provide a nurturing environment that fosters creativity, curiosity, and lifelong learning.
2024/2025 Year End Outcome Data
SHOWING EFFORTS TO ENGAGE & PARTNER WITH PARENTS/FAMILIES
ASSET BUILDING / FINANCIAL LITERACY 79%
EMERGENCY/CRISIS SERVICES 6%
ESL CLASSES 6%
INCARCERATED FAMILY MEMBERS 0%
JOB TRAINING/AID TO ENROLL IN PARENT EDUCATION PROGRAM 18%
RELATIONSHIP/MARRIAGE SESSIONS 8%
HEAD START SUCCESS STORIES
Hi, my name is Miss Dean. I am the mother of Montreal Ramsey and Anna Dean. I have so much respect for Ashland Head Start and Early Head Start. The way my babies have grown is so amazing. They are so smart. My kids have learned so much since being at the center. I love how they're so excited to go to school and be ready to learn and then come home and tell me all about their day. The teachers and the staff, they're heaven sent.
I just want to say thank y'all for everything that y'all do for me. Y'all are truly a blessing. And the reason why I say that is because I'm a single mother of four and the support that I get and help and the reaching out that the staff do is everything. Y'all aren’t nothing but angels. I just want to say that I love y'all and thank you for everything that y'all do and have done for me. and keep up the great work.
AUDIT STATEMENT & BUDGET For The 2024-2025 School Year
Audit
The Institute of Community Services, Inc. financial statement was prepared by ICS Fiscal staff and audited by an independent accounting firm. The financial statement present fairly in all material respects the financial positions of the Institute of Community Services, Inc. as of January 31, 2025.
The annual audit was conducted in accordance with General Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP) and as required by Title 2 U.S. Code of Federal Regulations Part 200.
The statement of financial positions, activities, functional expenses, and cash flows are all an integral part of these financial statements.
Frances Reola Young
Chief Financial Officer
Proposed Budget
Institute of Community Services, Inc. Head Start Program January 31, 2025 Expenses
