NEK-CAP to close four Head Starts; Holton stays open

Four Head Start Centers in northeast Kansas are set to close, representatives from NEK-CAP, Inc. announced Thursday. A total of 59 students will be affected by the closings.

The Head Start Program at the NEK-CAP facility in Holton will continue to operate, it was reported.

Centers in Sabetha, Oskaloosa, Wamego and Troy are being closed for several reasons, according to a press release issued by NEK-CAP (Northeast Kansas Community Action Program).

The press release states that “the decision to close the centers came after much deliberation and is due to several conditions including changes of some key staff, new expectations from the Head Start Region VII Office, review of Head Start strategic plans and fiscal evaluation of the Head Start program.”

Jeanette Sperfslage, associate director of Kansas NEK-CAP operations, said that the decision to close these centers was not based on lack of funding or assistance from the federal government.

Sperfslage said that NEK-CAP is funded through the United States Department of Health and Human Services.

The centers set to close are located a 530 W. Jones St. in Troy, 204 Warren St. in Oskaloosa, 714 Plum St. in Wamego and 16 Main Street, Suite B, in Sabetha.

NEK-CAP representatives said they are thankful for the communities’ support of Head Start and noted that Early Head Start and Family and Community Resources will continue to serve those communities in some capacity.

Head Start was created in 1965 as a national program to serve children ages three to five and their families. The goal of the child-focused program is to increase the school readiness of young children in low-income families.

While in Head Start, children participate in a variety of activities including reading, math and science. The children also receive free medical and dental check-ups and follow-up care, have healthy meals and snacks and participate in field trips.

Early Head Start was added in 1994 to target the needs of pregnant women, infants and toddlers, in response to research that demonstrates the incredible importance of children’s earliest years on brain development and the readiness to learn.

Both Head Start and Early Head Start are free programs to those who qualify, it was reported.

Early Head Start programs in Atchison, Brown, Doniphan, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Marshall, Nemaha and Pottawatomie counties will remain open.

Head Start programs will also continue to operate in Atchison, Brown, Jackson, Jefferson, Leavenworth, Marshall, Nemaha and Pottawatomie counties.

According to the Kansas Head Start website, Head Start operates in 86 counties in Kansas, and 48 counties have Early Head Start programs. 

There are 407 Kansas Head Start classrooms in almost 200 centers.

The Kansas Head Start community includes more than 2,000 staff members and more than 17,000 volunteers. More than half of those volunteers are parents.

NEK-CAP’s mission is “to provide comprehensive education and social services to low-income community members through collaborative partnerships focused on promoting family development, empowerment and economic security.”