Head Start Program Areas & Volunteer Information
Four Key Areas
Health & Nutrition
We coordinate with health care providers and family and community health agencies to make sure children’s physical exams, developmental screenings, vision and hearing tests, immunizations and dental exams are all current—and our families have the supports they need to keep their children healthy.
Disabilities & Mental Health
Head Start programs make at least 10% of their enrollment opportunities available to children with documented disabilities and provide:
Services, therapy and intervention for children with Individual Education Plans (IEPs)
Mental health professionals to provide services and training to children, families and staff, with an emphasis on positive mental health practices
Educational Outcomes
We provide a variety of learning experiences to foster each child’s social, emotional, intellectual and physical growth, and individual development plans to guide that growth.
Our certified teachers and program staff use developmentally appropriate curricula to:
Introduce children to concepts of letters, words and numbers
Encourage children to express feelings in a positive manner and develop self-confidence
Work with children to develop social/emotional, physical, cognitive and language/literacy skills
Parent, Family & Community Engagement
Staff members support families in identifying and working toward life goals that help to improve their quality of life through community outreach and resources, referrals, adult education/GED classes, job readiness, emergency assistance, and/or crisis intervention.
Because we recognize parents as a child’s first teacher, parent participation is strongly encouraged—and in some cases mandated—in all aspects of the program. Parents are elected to serve on the BCHS Policy Council and are automatically members of their classroom and program committees. The Policy Council is part of the governing body and shares in the major decision making with the governing board and program staff.
Parent Involvement opportunities in all areas: Education, Health & Nutrition, Program planning, Community Advocacy, etc.
Volunteer opportunities
Shared decision-making with governing board and program staff
Family goal setting opportunities
Connection to community services/resources
College tuition assistance
Employment opportunities
Father and male involvement
Family literacy
Donating your time and talent helps Baltimore City Head Start provide essential services throughout the year while helping us meet our non-federal in-kind match of 25% of the federal funding.
The list below contains just a few of the ways you can help. For more information, contact one of our programs (See Directory of Baltimore City Head Start Programs) or complete a Volunteer Application.
Family and Community Engagement
Recruit children and families to the program
Recruit other volunteers
Participate on Classroom and Policy Committees
Translate
Child Education
Read to children as a group or individually
Work with children on classroom projects
Chaperone field trips
Present to classrooms about your culture, job or areas of expertise
Administrative
Provide clerical or fiscal support (e.g., filing, typing and data entry)
Research and write for publications (e.g., newsletter, website and flyers)
Plan and organize special events, trainings and meetings
Participate in annual program self-assessment and community assessment
Nutrition/Mental Health/Environmental Safety
Serve on the Health Services Advisory Committee
Assist with meal preparation and health screenings (e.g., height, weight, dental and vision)
Renovate and decorate
Clean and maintain classrooms and facility
