Monday Is 'Head Start Day' at State Capitol
January 20, 2005
Head Start parents and staff from across Montana will converge on the Capitol Monday for "Head Start Day at the Legislature."
Viola Wood, president of the Montana Head Start Association and director of the Fort Peck Head Start program, will preside over the event, which will take place from noon to 2 p.m. in the Capitol rotunda. Gov. Brian Schweitzer will be the featured speaker.
The purpose of the event is to give those involved with the Head Start and Early Head Start programs an opportunity to see the legislative process in action. Some parents plan to spend the afternoon meeting with their legislators and watching the House or Senate in session.
In addition to the governor, Supt. of Public Instruction Linda McCulloch will address the group. Others in attendance include Dr. Robert Wynia, director of the Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services; Hank Hudson, administrator of the DPHHS Human and Community Services Division; Linda Fillinger, chief of the Early Childhood Services Bureau; and JoAnn Dotson, chief of the Family and Community Health Bureau.
Head Start is a comprehensive child development program that has served low-income families since 1965. Along with the Early Head Start program, it helps to increase school readiness for children from birth to 5 years of age, pregnant women, and their families.
There are 28 Head Start and Early Head Start programs in Montana serving 4,500 children and their families.
For more information, contact Christy Hill Larson, director of the Montana Head Start Association, 406-449-6265, hillarson@msn.com ; or Mary Jane Standaert, director of the Montana Head Start / State Collaboration Office, 406-444-0589 or mstandaert@mt.gov.
Page last updated: 06/15/2006
