HOULTON, Maine — The Aroostook County Action Program (ACAP) and Region Two School of Applied Technology came together Oct. 15, 2014 to form a unique partnership in Aroostook County.
Connie Sandstrom, ACAP executive director, and Dave Keaton, director of Region Two School of Applied Technology, signed a memorandum of understanding agreement to enhance the early childhood education of local high school students participating in that program.
ACAP Head Start has a mission to prepare 3- and 4-year-old children socially and academically for public school. Region Two School of Applied Technology has a mission to prepare high school students for higher education and future employment. The agreement brings Head Start students and Region Two early childhood education students together in the classroom to build skills and provide experiences that will benefit all.
The Region Two early childhood education program is a Career & Technical Education (CTE) program designed to prepare high school students to enter higher education with a concentration within careers in early childhood development such as elementary teacher, child psychologist, childcare assistant, early childhood educator etc.
Region Two staff and students will work in the classroom alongside ACAP staff with 15 young children daily.
“This is the ideal way to give Region Two students the real-life experience of working with young children,” said Sue Powers, senior manager for ACAP Family Services. “We are challenged in Aroostook County to find enough qualified early childhood educators. This is a wonderful opportunity to train and prepare these students and encourage them to further their educational goals in early childhood education.”
Region Two students will help plan and prepare developmental activities based on goals that have been developed for individual children. Participation in developmental, behavioral and sensory screenings is an experience not usually available to high school students.
“Working together to accomplish goals for children and students is not new to ACAP and Region Two School of Applied Technology,” Powers said. “For several years, Region Two students have traveled to the ACAP North Street center for field experience with young children. With the co-location at Bird Street, Region Two students will spend more time working with children and learning all aspects of operating an early childhood center.”
Keaton added, “With ACAP Head Start children attending their program at the Region Two early childhood program building, Region Two CTE students can rotate in and out of Head Start planned activities, this is a win-win situation.”
Region Two School of Applied Technology is a career and technical center that is oriented toward national standards that prepare students for academic success, qualified career placement and college. Region Two has nine CTE programs that consist of automotive technology, auto body, culinary arts, early childhood education, EMT, forestry, health science, law enforcement and welding. Region Two was established in the early 1970s with hundreds of CTE students gaining strong fundamentals which enabled them to pursue either direct or indirect careers associated with their Region Two training.
Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood education program with a focus on children’s school readiness skills, social and emotional development as well as all aspects of health and nutrition. Family engagement is a key element as is community involvement. Involving early childhood education students in program activities is one way in which ACAP is able to connect children and families with the different services and resources available in their communities.
ACAP operates Head Start programs in two locations in Houlton, a multi-classroom center on North Street and the new single classroom at the Region Two building on Bird Street. All Houlton Head Start programs operate Monday through Thursday on a school year schedule.
For more information on ACAP, or to make a tax-deductible contribution, please contact the agency at 771 Main Street, on the web at www.acap-me.org, or by calling 764-3721.
