(Oakton, Va., April 27, 2015) Northern Virginia Family Service is registering infants and toddlers for its new Early Head Start location*, which will be located at Galilee United Methodist Church, 45425 Winding Road in Sterling. The Office of Head Start, under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services’ Administration for Children and Families, granted NVFS a total of 32 slots for the new Loudoun program.
The Early Head Start location will offer four classrooms led by 12 NVFS staff. Parents and volunteers also play a key role in early childhood education.
“We are delighted to bring this expanded service to Loudoun County,” says Malinda Langford, senior vice president of programs for NVFS. The Sterling location joins a network of center-based and home-based Early Head Start programs in Arlington and Prince William Counties totaling 282 infant and toddlers that will be served. There are currently 204 students enrolled in the NVFS Head Start program in Arlington County.
In 2013, NVFS was the first early childhood program to earn a five-star rating from the Virginia Star Quality Initiative for its Early Head Start program at Georgetown South in Manassas. Last year, its Arlington Head Start Center underwent the same evaluation process and earned a three-star rating. Children in the Early Head Start program will benefit from evidence-based curriculum; health, mental health and nutrition services; and family engagement in the child’s development and learning plan.
“Galilee United Methodist’s central location and current pre-school program for three to five-year olds make it an ideal partner for NVFS in Loudoun County,” adds Langford. “Local children will have one place for all their childhood education needs.”
To qualify for the Early Head Start program, families must be living at or below Federal poverty guidelines. Parents interested in enrolling their children, up to two years old, should contact Kaffa Goda at 571.224.7861 or kgoda@nvfs.org
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