Waabinong Head Start Family Resource Centre to celebrate 20 years of operation

NEWS RELEASE

WAABINONG HEAD START FAMILY RESOURCE CENTRE

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Waabinong Head Start Family Resource Centre and Shkiyaak Niigaansiwag (Shh-ki-yuck Nee-gawn-say-wag) Pre-school room, are celebrating 20 years of operation in the local community.

To mark the occasion, they will be hosting a 20th anniversary celebration at their Spring Street location and would like to invite all former, current, prospective students and families, and anyone interested from organizations and the general public to take part in the festivities.

The 20th anniversary celebration will take place on July 26 at 169 Spring St., Sault Ste. Marie, Ont. from 12 p.m. to 4 p.m. and will consist of a come-and-go BBQ and open house. During the open house, those in attendance will be invited to look at pictures, speak to staff and tour the centre.

“We look forward to seeing many of our past graduates and families of the program at the event,” says Kevin Tegosh, manager of the Waabinong Head Start Family Resource Centre. “Over the past 20 years, Waabinong Head Start has come into contact with 1,000 children and their families.”

Waabinong Head Start is a pre-school learning centre licensed under the Child Care Early Years Act, 2014. A non-profit charitable organization, Waabinong Head Start Family Resource Centre opened its doors in 1997.

Funded under the Public Health Agency of Canada, it is a free program for Aboriginal children within the city of Sault Ste. Marie. Children who are two years of age and up qualify to attend the program.

The centre offers childcare services to the urban Aboriginal community with two half-day programs per day from Monday to Thursday, staffed by qualified early childhood educators (ECEs) in a safe, clean, learning environment with free transportation to and from the Centre.

Practical lessons in everyday life skills that children need to live a healthy life are practiced on a daily basis. Waabinong has had a total of 48 children registered into their program each year.

Waabinong Head Start is a unique program in the City of Sault Ste. Marie as it focuses on Aboriginal preschool children and their families and includes programing in each of the following six components:

1. Culture and Language - Provides children with knowledge and experience of culture

2. Education and Social Readiness - Encourages life-long learning and all aspects of a child’s education are met

3. Health Promotion - Empowers caregivers to increase control over and improve health

4. Nutrition - Helps develop and enhance good eating habits

5. Social Support - Gives information and access to assistance and service to meet there need

6. Parental and Family Involvement - Encourages caregivers to be role models for their children with a deeper understanding of their kids

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