By PAMELA ROBINSON
Thirty-six Headstart students are graduating today from Headstart and will be attending Edison Elementary School in the fall.
Each graduate will receive a graduation gift bag which includes a Headstart 2009 tee shirt, diploma, pencils, crayons, a book and a ruler.
“It’s been a big year,” said Gainesville Independent School District Headstart Director Dorris Walker, “a very wonderful and exciting year at school.”
“We have served 70 children and families this year,” said Walker. “That’s what we do here at Headstart.”
“These seventy students hit the door every morning and ‘it is on,’” said Walker. “We are in to it! We start our day!”
“Three and four-year olds need lots of nurturing,” said Walker, and in the midst of all of that we teach them the skills they need.
“We work with Edison Elementary and all their benchmarks to make sure our children are ready,” said Walker. “Children here learn to recognize their numbers, letters, sounds, shapes and patterns.”
Walker said the Texas legislature did not make financial cuts that affect Headstart and no cutbacks as far as the number of children.
Walker said that a few changes have been made but overall, the legislative changes have been for the better. “As long as the concentration is on these children,” said Walker.
The GISD budget cuts did affect Headstart. The school will be losing one teacher’s aide position and the school nurse. At this time, Headstart has not been informed of the plans to have access to a nurse for their students.
Walker said that one teacher is retiring, but will be replaced by another teacher.
Headstart just went through the federal monitoring that takes place every three years. Walker said that federal officers came in a team of 12 and were at the school a whole week.
The federal monitoring includes an education check to see if the school is following Headstart guidelines, health and safety checks and a fiscal audit.
Walker said that in the end, “we did really, really, really great. The feds tipped their hat to us and got out of Dodge.”
Walker said that Headstart follows and meets both the Headstart guidelines and the GISD requirements.
Walker proudly said, “if President Obama would say right now, ‘I want to come see your program,’ I’d say ‘come right on.’”
Like other GISD students, many Headstart students went home from school this year two weeks earlier.
Walker said “that kind of wiped out the graduation and some parents were upset, but things change.”
“Our Superintendent Gravitt, he is very supportive of me and this program,” said Walker. “He has been very gracious and very supportive of the Headstart program.”
“This year we had a new principal over Headstart, Paula Moore,” said Walker. “She has been very entrusting.”
During class, some four year old students talked about how they will spend their summer break.
“I’m going swimming,” said one youngster.
“I’m going swimming too,” said her friend.
One little boy said, “I’m going to Mexico with my sister.” Another said, I’m going to ride on my bike.”
Another little girl said, “I’m going to play in my big sister’s room.”
“I love what I do,” said Walker. “I’m good at what I do.” She has been here in Gainesville with Headstart since 1986.
Walker said she tells her students, “you can do anything you want to do, and be anything you want to be. All you have to do is work at it.”
