Infant/Toddler Curriculum
For our infant, toddler and preschool programs, we utilize the leading research-based Creative Curriculum from Teaching Strategies, which has been nationally trusted for decades to set children up for lifelong success. Designed to empower teachers to individualize learning at every level of development, this curriculum builds powerful family partnerships and creates joyful learning experiences for every child. Our teachers use this curriculum to incorporate meaningful learning activities into daily routines, keeping families informed and involved in every step of growth and development.
Preschool Curriculum and Results
At age three, children transition to one of our three preschool programs, which are designed to promote school readiness as we provide an early educational boost that will help them make a successful transition to kindergarten.
Our nurturing teachers paired with our research-based Creative Curriculum fosters confidence in the classroom, appreciation of diverse perspectives and a lifelong love for learning. With child-led investigations, children enjoy hands-on learning in environments that are designed to spark and encourage their curiosity.
The Creative Curriculum specifically focuses on reading, math, social and school readiness skills, following directions and getting along with fellow students and teachers. Our whole-child approach tailors learning activities to each child’s unique strengths, interests and specific needs, ensuring that each young learner receives the support they need to thrive and flourish!
Several of our Venango and Crawford County Head Start classrooms participated in 2025 CLASS observations, which are conducted by the federal government to rate the quality of teacher-child interactions and the overall learning experience. Each dimension is scored on a seven-point scale. We are thrilled to share our impressive scores, which exceeded those of our competitors and are the highest ratings we have ever received as an organization!
The Head Start Program Performance Standards include thresholds for each CLASS domain. These quality thresholds represent the expectations of the Office of Head Start for the quality of the learning environment. Our Venango and Crawford County classrooms scored above the quality threshold, and well above the competitive threshold in several areas, resulting in our impressive overall domain scores. Please click here to view these results.
Elementary School-Age Curriculum
In our elementary school-age programs, we purchase and utilize Second Step curriculum to ensure children are safe, supported and eager to learn both before and after school in our extended care and summer programs. Specifically designed to foster strong social-emotional skills, this curriculum equips our educators with the knowledge and necessary resources to help children gain confidence, set goals, make good decisions and collaborate with others in work and play. This curriculum not only makes learning fun for children in grades K-6, but encourages ongoing curiosity and interest in school, ultimately setting them up to be thoughtful and productive adults later in life.
