By Mike Hutchens, UC Schools Communications Director
Union City, Tenn.–The little children at Northwest Tennessee Head Start obviously looked up to their visitors last week. And not just because of their size.
Senior athletes and cheerleaders from Union City High School – heroes to most all young people ‑ interacted with students in the Head Start and Early Head Start programs at the Miles Center.
The high school student-athletes visited with the young children while they ate lunch and also participated in some classroom activities as part of their visit.
UC Schools partners with the federally-funded program, which includes children from two months to two years (Early Head Start) and 3- and 4-year-olds (Head Start).
There are 75 children enrolled – eight per class in the Early program and 17 per class in the Head Start category.
The programs focus on entire-family home involvement and all parents are required to serve in some volunteer capacity at various times during the school year.
Sharon Haslett, who taught for 36 years in the Union City School System, is the center coordinator for the NTHS Program, having served in that capacity for five years.
All teachers in the program must have a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education and all aides must have at least an associate’s degree in the same field.
Head Start sign-ups for the 2019-2020 school year will be held March 1 at the Miles Center.
Photo by Mike Hutchens.