A decision was made to permanently move the CAPC South Jefferson Head Start Program to Mannsville Manor next year. The program has called Wilson Elementary home for the past twenty years, where they are certified by the New York State Office of Family and Children Services. This certification process, lined with red tape and many hoops to jump through, is exhaustive, and enough reason, among many others, to avoid relocation. However, the district has cited a limited amount of space and available rooms at Wilson, so they feel as though their hands are tied as they make this decision.

While Head Start operates as their own entity, utilizing district facilities, it is a critical piece of early intervention and kindergarten readiness that contributes to the social, emotional, and educational development of students. The program’s impact reaches beyond the classroom, providing valuable resources and a support network to families and the greater South Jefferson community.

Head Start staff and parents are left with a feeling of uncertainty amidst change and transition. There is a lingering apprehension that the longevity of the program may continue to be compromised in the years to come as new challenges arise in response to this decision; newly incurred transportation issues may jeopardize enrollment, just to name one, and without sufficient enrollment, SJ Head Start may not be able to continue to operate.

While I can understand that the decision to move the program was certainly not done with malicious intent, it is hard not to take with affront, considering the fragility of education in the current political climate. As a federally funded program, the future of Head Start has been challenged in just the past few weeks alone. Funding freezes left so many programs in limbo, staff went unpaid, and vulnerable children lost access to the programs they rely so heavily upon. While many of these issues were resolved quickly, it still left so many of us with a window into the frightening reality of what we stand to lose. 

Now, more than ever, it is important to leave these standing institutions alone, as they are, without further barriers or burdens that may hinder success. The President of the United States signed an executive order, just yesterday, to dismantle the Federal Department of Education. All we can do is hope that the value of Head Start will remain seen and the program will continue on, unaffected. But as this callous attack on education continues, we need to be mindful in our own communities, and do all we can to advocate locally for the generations to come.