St. Landry Parish School Board to operate Head Start in parish

The Head Start center in Eunice is located next to the Southeast Community Center. The St. Landry Parish School Board is to become the governing authority over Head Start on Sept. 1. (Photos by Harlan Kirgan)
St. Landry Parish School Board to operate Head Start in parish
The St. Landry Parish School Board will assume control of the Head Start programs in the parish on Sept. 1.
And on Thursday School Board members started learning the nuts and bolts of how they are to govern the Head Start and Early Head Start programs operated at 10 centers in the parish.
The Head Start program is to receive $5,207,170 in federal funding for 748 eligible 3- to 5-year-olds, Judy Lloyde, a consultant, said.
Another $1,223,548 is to be received for 104 eligible 1- to 2-year-old children and pregnant women in the Early Head Start program.
“Sounds like a lot of money, but wait,” Lloyde said.
The caveat is the school district must provide a match of $1,607,680, but can be from in-kind services, she said.
“The way you will generate it will be relatively simple. It will be support services that your school district is going to provide,” she said.
June Inhern, acting Head Start director, said the plan is to make a seamless change in providers. The planned Aug. 13 start of the Head Start program in the parish is still on the calendar, she said.
There are more than 200 employees in the current program, she said.
The will be asked to reapply and if rehired become School Board employees.
A job fair is planned Aug. 18 at Opelousas High School for the Head Start jobs.
Head Start centers are located at Eunice, Melville, LeBeau, Lawtell, Leonville, Opelousas, Port Barre, Krotz Springs, Washington and Grand Coteau/Sunset.
Besides age requirements, Head Start enrollment is income based.
The basic income is to be at or below the poverty line, which includes: family of two, $16,460; family of three, $20,780; family of four, $25,100; family of five, $29,420; family of six, $33,740; and family of seven, $38,060. For families with more than seven person, add $4,180 for each additional person.
The Head Start programs and its federal funding are to be separate from the school system’s other programs.