The INDEPENDENT, March 1, 2000
Page 5
Vernonia Head Start meets the needs of both children and families
Story and photos by
Judy Hill
Vernonia Head Start Center
M anager Ruth Donaldson is
living proof that the program
works. The product of a low-
income and abusive family, she
found herself m arried with
three young children before
she was twenty-one.
“I had no parenting skills.
Becoming a Head Start parent
turned my life around and gave
me training and a career,” she
said. Today, all three of her
sons have graduated from col
lege and are doing well. Don
aldson is close to com pleting
her own Bachelor degree in
social services, although she
jokes that retirem ent may
come before the degree does.
In between tasks and visi
tors and obvious excitem ent
about a trip to Anchorage for
the Regional Head Start C on
ference, Donaldson talks about
Head Start.
“When I came to Vernonia
eight years ago to develop the
program here, I had to go door-
to-door explaining Head Start
to people. Few knew what it
was," she said.
Now Vernonia’s Head Start
is housed in a bright new build
ing dedicated in March, 1998,
and paid for by a Community
D evelopm ent Block Grant.
Several play areas, a kitchen,
offices, study and instruction
areas cluster around a large
central room filled with light.
One senses industry and pur
pose and lots of positive ener
gy here.
There is tremendous need
in some of the counties in the
C olum bia-P acific Head Start
region, said Donaldson. “We
are not seeing 45 percent of
eligible kids in these counties.
The pre-school waiting lists
can be 30-40 names long. The
situation is better in Columbia
County. But there is never
enough money.”
The Vernonia Head Start
pre-school operates 12 hours a
week, Tuesday, W ednesday,
Thursday, 8:15 a.m. to 12:15
p.m., and serves three- and
four-year old low-income and
Jacob Titus, left, and Christopher Curtis, both 5, engage in a
fierce game of Bingo at Little Loggers Pre-School, held
Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons at the Ver
nonia Head Start Center. This new program is open to the
public and costs $65. per month.
V e ^A /O A /i/1
H6AV
CENTER
Vernonia Head Start Staff pose together with their 1999 Community Partnership Award. Pre
sented by Head Start’s Community Action Team at the annual CAT dinner in November 1999
in St. Helens, the award recognizes outstanding collaboration with the community and oth
er social service agencies. Left to right: cook Wendy West, teacher Karla Long, center man
ager Ruth Donaldson, family advocate Carol Roberts and teachers Kathy Kelly and Charo-
lette Ziegler.
special-needs children. The
school is free to qualifying chil
dren and is federally funded for
18 students. Bus service is pro
vided, as well as USDA
approved breakfast, lunch and
a snack. Lead teacher Kathy
Kelly, assistant teacher Carla
Long and aides Kerry Schaum
burg and Charolette Ziegler
make up the teaching staff of
the program’s pre-school. Vol
unteers are always appreciat
ed and do not need previous
training.
Head Start is a family pro
gram, Donaldson reiterates.
Parenting is a big part of the
Head Start curriculum , she
said. Parents can tap into all
kinds of help, from parenting
classes and talks to becoming
parent volunteers.
Through the Even Start pro
gram, Parents-in-Training can
learn about goal setting and
career training, complete their
Graduate Equivalency Diploma
(GED) and increase know l
edge in math, reading and life
skills.
Many parents find the
skills and confidence to get
jobs or make career changes.
Family Advocate Carol Roberts
is on staff to help parents.
An
upcom ing
parenting
class is free to anyone and will
run four Wednesdays, 10:00
MARCH
Community Calendar
VERNONIA
Al-Anon
Mondays
6:30 p.m., Head Start Bldg.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Mondays
6:30 p.m., Head Start Bldg.
Alcoholics Anonymous
Saturdays
7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg.
Boosters
2nd W ednesday
7:30 p.m., VHS Library
Tuesdays
Boy Scout Troop 201
7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg.
Boy Scout Troop 860
W ednesdays
7:00 p.m., LDS Church
Cemetery Beautification Comm. 2nd Thursday
7:00 p.m., City Library
Cham ber of Commerce
2nd Wed.
Noon, Lew’s Place
Doll Club
4th Tuesday
1:00 p.m., Senior Center
Friends of the Scout Cabin
4th Monday
7:00 p.m., City Library
Girl Scouts
Thursdays
6:30-8 p.m., Christian Church
Izaak Walton League
3rd Thursday
For location call 429-7193
Lions Club
1st & 3rd Tuesdays
6:30 p.m., Lew's Place
Nehalem Valley Car Club
For Info Call 429-4074
Preschool Story Hour
W ednesdays
10:30 a.m., City Library
Senior Center Directors
1st Friday
1:00 p.m., Senior Center
TOPS
Thursdays
6:30 p.m., 1st Baptist Church
Upr Nehalem Watershed Council 4th Thursday
For location call 429-2401
7:00 p.m., City Library
Vernonia Airport Comm ittee 3rd W ednesday
For location call 429-1414
Vernonia Cares Directors
1 st Thursday
6:30 p.m., City Library
Vernonia City Council
1st & 3rd Mondays
Vernonia Comm. Dev. Corp.
2nd Monday
7:00 p.m., Head Start Bldg.
Vernonia Grange
2nd Friday
7:00 p.m., Grange Hall
Vernonia Health Center
2nd W ednesday
6:00 p.m., 854 Grant Ave.
Vernonia Planning Comm.
7:00 p.m., City Library
1st Thursday
Vernonia Pride
For Info Call, 429-1204
7:00 p.m., VHS, Rm. 6
Vernonia Ridge Riders
Last Thursday
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
Vernonia RFPD Board
2nd Tuesday
8:00 p.m., District Office
2nd Thursday
Vernonia School Board
7:00 p.m., Fire Station
2nd Monday
Vernonia Volunteer Firefighters
7:00 p.m., WOEC
3rd
Tuesday
W OEC Directors
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a.m .-12 noon, beginning March
15. The four classes will cover
“You and Your C hild”, “ Prevent
ing P roblem s”, “ Encouraging
Positive Behavior” and “O ver
view.”
“Tem peram ent Talk” and
"Managing Your Tim e” , part of
an ongoing series of talks, are
unscheduled but will be pre
sented in the near future.
“ Shopping and C ooking on
Low B udgets” is an event
which is practical and lots of
fun. Participants get to have a
feast at the end of class.
Call Head Start at 429-9243
Please see page 10
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MIST-BIRKENFELD
M-BRFPD Board
M-B Ambulance Assoc.
M-B Firefighters Assoc.
M-B Rescue
M-B Helping Circle
Natal Grange
2nd & 4th Tuesday
1st & 2nd Thurs.
1st & 2nd Wed.
3rd W ednesday
2nd W ednesday
2nd W ednesday
7:30
7:00
7:00
7:00
10:00
p.m., Main Fire Station
p.m., Main Fire Station
p.m., Main Fire Station
p.m., Main Fire Station
am, 755-2346 for info.
7:30 p.m., Grange Hall
BANKS
Alcoholics Anonymous
Fridays
8:00 p.m., Methodist Church
Banks City Council
2nd Tuesday
7:30 p.m., City Hall
Banks Planning Commission Last Tuesday
7:00 p.m., City Hall
Banks School Board
2nd Monday
7:30 p.m., Jr. High Library
Banks Youth Group
Sundays, W ednesdays 7:00 p.m., UMC Youth Bldg.
Chamber of Commerce
1st Thursday
12:30 p.m., Brown Derby
Citizen Participation Org
3rd Monday, odd months
7:15 p.m., City Hall
Friends of the Library
1st Saturday
10:00 a.m., City Library
Lions Club
1st & 3rd W ednesdays 7:00 p.m., Methodist Church
Sunset Park Assoc.
3rd W ednesday
8:00 p.m., Gun Club
TOPS
W ednesdays
7:00 p.m., Jr. High Library
Tri-City RFPD Board
2nd W ednesday
7:00 p.m., Station 13
COLUMBIA COUNTY (All meet in St. Helens unless otherwise noted.)
Board of Commissioners
W ednesdays
10 a.m., Courthouse
Citizens for Senior Justice
2nd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Sunset Park Church
COLCO Transportation
2nd Friday
10:30 a.m., Courthouse
2nd Friday
County Council of Seniors
1:00 p.m., Courthouse
2nd & 4th Mondays
County Fair Board
7:00 p.m., Fairgrounds
County Parks Commission
3rd Thursday
6:00 p.m., 1054 Oregon St.
Emergency Comm. Dist. (9-1-1) 3rd Tuesday
7:00 p.m., Courthouse
Historical Society
4th W ednesday
Noon, location call 429-3713
Traffic Safety Commission
1st W ednesday
7:00 a.m., Village Inn
Organizations and meeting dates not listed may be included by calling 429-9410
or by mail to The INDEPENDENT, 725 Bridge Street, Vernonia, OR 97064.