Tableland Early Childhood Education programs receive perfect scores

Tableland Services Inc. aced its Early Childhood Education Department's programs.

Tableland's programs were reviewed during the 2021-2022 school year and both reviews produced perfect scores, with no findings noted. Both the federal grants for Early Head Start and Head Start and state grants for PA PreK Counts and Head Start Supplemental Assistance conducted the reviews.

The reviews looked at overall development, follow through and delivery of services. Reviewers were able to look at documentation, speak with staff, parents and stakeholders, as well as visit classrooms.

More:Tableland Services receives donation for housing assistance program

"This is a tremendous accomplishment. It's a real testimony to the hard work the staff and office people do all year long," said Dave Mrozowski, executive director at Tableland. "It's always stressful when auditors come in. They look at the office and the centers' classrooms. We have a tremendously dedicated staff who do so many things to get kids ready for school."

Community action

Tableland Services Inc. is the community action agency for Somerset County that offers services to the area through community services, housing, homelessness support, weatherization, transportation and early childhood education. Early Childhood Education at Tableland involves 13 center-based classrooms for Head Start and PA PreK Counts in Berlin, Conemaugh Township, Meyersdale, North Star, Rockwood, Salisbury, Shade, Somerset and Windber. Confluence will have a new center opening this fall. There are five home based groups across the county for Early Head Start.

"When looking at our staff — including bus drivers, bus aides, cooks, lead teachers, assistant teachers, teacher assistants, school readiness aides and managers — we hold 541 years of experience just within Tableland Services Inc., with many more years of cumulative experience within careers," said Anne Garrison, director of Early Childhood Education, at an All Staff Opening Session Tuesday morning at the Somerset Country Club. "When I look at the number of people we have here, a lot of people have been here a long time. That means our program is strong."

More:What Somerset County residents should know about the 2022 tax season

Perspectives

Tuesday's program was themed "Perspectives."

"We are excited this year to celebrate our staff and accomplishments as we enter the new school year focusing on our own and different 'perspectives'," Garrison said in a press release. "We are thrilled to be the leading and largest early childhood program in Somerset County — and hope to be able to assist the community in building that foundation for early learning in a way that helps our schools and communities be a success in the short and long term. We have held the Federal Early/Head Start grant since inception in 1966 and PreK Counts since 2007."

The numbers of students Tableland serves across Somerset County include: 48 in Early Head Start; 93 Head Start; 123 Full or Part Day PA PreK Counts; and 17 State Head Start Supplemental Assistance.

"Because of the stability and reliability of our program through Federal Head Start, our PreK Counts portion of the program has been given reciprocity in the state Q-RIS system, or STARS system," she said. "Currently, all classrooms eligible for STARS are categorized as STAR 4."

The Early Childhood Programs at Tableland Services Inc. also includes The Family Center — which is a home-based family support program offered to any family regardless of the income.

"The program is free. Families qualify based on incomes," Garrison said. "The Family Center takes all income levels."

More:Access to child care becomes a barrier to employment, business growth in Somerset County

Early Head Start and Head Start

Early Head Start is a home-based year-round program that offers free health, education and social services to pregnant women and children 0 to 3 years of age. Families that fall below 130% of the Federal Income Guidelines are eligible. A home-based case manager visits with the families weekly for 90 minutes to help them met family goals and assess developmental milestones. Playgroups are also offered to provide the families with opportunities to socialize on a bi-monthly basis.

Head Start and PA PreK Counts is a center-based program, with most classrooms located in district school buildings. Students are ages 3 and 4 and they can attend a classroom for two years before moving to kindergarten at age 5. Most of the classrooms are blended funding that supports all income levels of students. Families are eligible for Head Start if they fall below 130% of the Federal Income Guidelines. Families are eligible for PA PreK Counts if they fall below 300% of the Federal Income Guidelines.

"We provide training for when they get into public schools. We're training them 10 different ways because we're in each school in the county and are following that school's rules," Garrison said.

Curriculum

Tableland uses a state approved, research-based curriculum for preschool, which provides each child with individualize learning experiences based on age and their ability in literacy, math, science, social studies, the arts and technology. This curriculum includes technology that allows parents to talk with their child’s teacher and share information. That way they are the most up to date about their child’s education. Parents are also invited to attend celebrations of their child’s learning.

There are also support curriculums in handwriting and social and emotional development in the program to encourage growth of the whole child and family. The time spent also includes meals, snacks, music movement, physical activity and art, which keeps the children interested. It prepares them for kindergarten at the same time.

Tableland and school district partnerships, plans and connections keep the children's flow from PreK to school age smooth and successful, she said. The program helps the parents and school districts work together in transition and student support. It operates on school districts’ schedules as much as possible and transportation is provided in some locations.

"It's a whole child program — from the aspect of the child and the family," Garrison said. "If we can build it strong now, then they can initiate a relationship with the school district when it's time for them to attend school."

Parent engagement

Parent engagement is a key factor in the Tableland program. It aims to have parents become involved by attending parent meetings and activities, volunteer in the classroom, participate in home visits and serve on the governing board. Parents use a parenting curriculum as well as an online communication tool to set goals and use resources to support their overall growth, too. The parents work with Family Service specialists to meet family goals that they have set.

In addition to direct individualized education, the Tableland program provides comprehensive services to the families that includes goal setting, health connections and screenings, mental health support, community connections, student disability support, parental growth through committees and possible employment.

The lead teachers are fully Pennsylvania Certified Teachers holding Level 1 and 2 certificates and bachelor and master’s degrees. Having this level of staff to deliver services to the students and families is a huge support in the classroom, and for the districts that will soon be the provider of their educational journey, Garrison said.

"Get to know the kids, get to know the families. You're there for a reason," Garrison told the Tableland group.Tableland Services Inc. Early Childhood Educational Services is at 535 East Main St., Somerset, 814-445-9628 x221.

This article originally appeared on The Daily American: Tableland's Early Childhood Education programs receives honors