By Quin Welch, Building Kentucky
Louisville Metro Director of Early Childhood Development Leanne French joined OVEC leaders on Thursday to celebrate the grand opening of OVEC’s 22nd Head Start facility in its region.
After a soft opening in December, Burnett Head Start is fully open and operational. Currently, 28 children attend the school, but Burnett has a licensed capacity to serve up to 62 Head Start and Early Head Start children. Because families continue to move to the area, OVEC planned for the long-term by giving itself the opportunity to grow the site to include community children who may not qualify for Head Start. The organization plans to open the facility to those additional children within the coming year.
“I am so proud of our team for opening our 22nd Head Start facility in our region and our sixth in Jefferson County,” said Jason Adkins, OVEC CEO. “This a strategic location for serving children and families in multiple neighborhoods and enticing educators to make a difference at Head Start.”
According to the Office of the Administration for Children & Families, Head Start programs support children’s growth from birth to age 5 through services centered around early learning and development, health and family well-being. Although the National Head Start Association (NHSA) reports that Head Start students enter Kindergarten with enhanced cognitive function and make students more likely to graduate from high school, the benefits of Head Start are not restricted to the classroom. Overall, Head Start students are healthier, less hyperactive and demonstrate better self-control than children who do not have access to early childhood education, according to the NHSA.
“Early childhood education is critical to every child’s development,” said Dr. Erika Nygard, Head Start Director for OVEC. “The opening of Burnett Head Start is already making a difference in the lives of the kids who learn here now, and will make a difference for families looking to give their kids a head start on their education journeys.”
The need for additional Head Start facilities in Kentucky is critical. A recent U.S. World News & Report study found that Kentucky ranks 43rd in the nation for pre-school enrollment, highlighting the significant need for more Head Start facilities in the Commonwealth.
“Louisville children deserve access to high-quality early childhood education,” said Leanne French, Director of Early Childhood in Louisville Metro Government. “By opening another Head Start facility in our community, OVEC ensures that more of our kids will be prepared to thrive in Kindergarten and beyond.”
To learn more about OVEC Head Start and for information on how to enroll your child in an OVEC Head Start facility, head to ovecheadstart.org.
