Pequot Lakes Head Start enjoying new location
By CHRISTINE DUFOUR
Staff Writer
PEQUOT LAKES
Pequot Lakes Head Start thrives at its new location at the school.
Head Start started this year at the Pequot Lakes School, giving up its former location at city hall.
The best result from the move is the collaboration with the school, said Darlene Hendrickson, Head Start teacher. The students can eat lunch at the school and use the library. Plus all the learning materials, toys and books in the Early Childhood Family Education room are available for the young students to use.
Head Start is an educational program for at-risk and disadvantaged children ages 3 to 5. Head Start focuses on hands-on active learning, Hendrickson said. Children learn best by doing.
"We work with the whole family," Hendrickson said.
Hendrickson goes into the homes of families who use Head Start and works with them on dental care, personal hygiene and educational issues. Each week for an hour and half the parent, child and Hendrickson work together in the home.
Then there are the field trips. They have at least two a month. Parents are encouraged to be involved. Most parents attend the field trips and parent meetings for Head Start students. For instance, soon they will go to the Confidence Learning Center to go snow tubing and on hay wagon rides, and to feed the animals. A special Christmas guest might even attend for the children.
The parents help set policies for the program. Any special needs the parents or teachers notice are addressed and integrated at the parent meetings.
Art is one of the activities Head Start children can experience.
"We really prepare them well for kindergarten," Hendrickson said. "We go by their ability and by their progress."
Two Fridays a month the children come to the school to paint, play, learn and listen to stories at the library. 
A Head Start student works on a number game on the computer with a Head Start mom. Head Start children are exposed to computers thanks to the collaboration with Pequot Lakes School.
"Our parents help decide what they need to work on," Hendrickson said.
All the children have physicals, immunizations and dental exams. The students are also checked for hearing and vision. Head Start collaborates with public health for the screening, Hendrickson said.
