Northern Neck
Head Start
About Us
The Northern Neck Head Start (NNHS) program was established March 1993 by the Northern Neck Alliance, Inc. NNHS serves a five county geographical area that consists of Essex, Lancaster, Northumberland, Richmond, and Westmoreland County, Virginia. We also provide home-based services as an alternative. The Northern Neck is the name given to one of the three Tidewater pennisulas. With the exception of Essex County, which is located in the Middle Peninsula, all counties are located on the same peninsula. The Northern Neck counties are located in planning district 17, while Essex County is located in planning district 18. All localities are partially surrounded by the Rappahannock and Potomac rivers. Essex County is separated from the other counties by the Rappahannock River. All five counties and the Town of Colonial Beach are rural areas.
Educational Services
NNHS provides a five day classroom schedule the coincides with the operational schedule of each public school system serving the program. Creative Curriculum is used in all NNHS classrooms, which is a scientific research-based curriculum that prepares children for the kindergarten level through active learning. Activites are offered in the classroom enhance skills in the following Head Start Child Outcomes: Language Development; Literacy; Mathematics; Science; Creative Arts and Expression; Social Studies; Physical Development; Social and Emotional Development; Approaches to Learning; Logic and Reasoning; and English Language Development.
Transition Services
NNHS staff members will assist the families and children in the transition for Head Start to Kindergarten. Activites include: working with the schools to ensure all necessary records are transferred to the school; taking the children in the Spring to the Kindergarten classroom to see the classroom and meet the Kindergarten teacher; providing the parents with information about the school staff; assisting the parents in talking with the school regarding their child; and supporting the parents and children as they make the transition.
Our Mission and Vision Statements
Mission
NNHS exists to promote school readiness for pre-school aged children through parent involvement, comprehensive services, fundamental education activites, and volunteer utilization for Virginia's Northern Neck low-income children and their families.
Vision
NNHS is a child-centered, family focused, comprehensive and community-based program, which includes comprehensive education, health, nutrition, dental, mental health, social services, and parent involvement oppurtunites to low-income children and their families.