Western Dairyland Collaboration

"It’s a very pleasant place to work
and I think it’s very beneficial for the children
that we are working with both the families and the children."



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A Head Start Manager's View

								I’m Debbie Misch and I’m the Blair/Taylor Center Head Start Manager and Head Teacher. I was involved in the forming of the collaboration and it’s been in existence for about eight years now. I think it’s been a wonderful program to have worked in. I’ve enjoyed working with the school staff and the school facility. We’ve had our combination classroom and inclusion classroom.



Working with the School System

								It’s been a real advantage to our community and to Head Start to be in the Blair/Taylor School District. For one, we have wonderful transportation to the school system. They’ve been real helpful with the bussing situation, as far as providing drivers and pickup times and following the Head Start regulations. I think it’s been an assistance to their Early Childhood program that way, too. The children ride on buses together. Also, we’re involved in the school lunch program and that’s a real help to us. They provide and meet therequirements for Head Start. They’re very friendly and the children enjoy going up to the school lunchroom and seeing the staff up there. That’s been a good part of the program.



Specialist in the Classroom

								“My name is Robin Crosby, and I’m the Early Childhood Special Ed teacher here at Blair-Taylor elementary school. My job is, I work here in the morning and I also work in a self-contained Early Childhood Special Ed classroom in the afternoon. But I work with Head Start here in the morning in an inclusive classroom and I really enjoy it. It’s a very pleasant place to work and I think it’s very beneficial for the children that we are working with both the families and the children. I think it’s very beneficial.”



The Benefits of a Team Effort

								I think there’s many benefits of an inclusive program, especially with Head Start. There’s many things that maybe a district can’t provide. Like materials, collaborating on materials you double all the materials you have to work with your children during the day. Having parent meetings, activities, and being able to do things with much more family involvement. It’s much easier. Child development days, which I’m in charge of, that’s every year. We try to round up all the two and 1/2 to three and 1/2 year olds in the district to try to screen them for any possible delays they might have. Head Start is fantastic, they help, they do it. It’s like a team effort.”