Oliver Head Start Child Care
Full Day Program Highlights

This program has been accredited since July 2005 by the Alberta Children's Services. The full day Head Start offers a Head Start learning program to children of working or student families. To support these families with longer hours the Centre provides wrap-around childcare. This program is designed to strengthen the child’s self concept and encourage growth in all areas of development.

This program reflects the developmental needs of children and is concerned with all aspects of the child’s life, including their family and community relationships. While the centre provides group care for the children, each child right to privacy, individualized attention, and specialized activities are respected. The staff at Oliver Centre strive to develop social, emotional, physical, and intellectual growth of the child in a positive and sensitive learning environment.

Oliver’s full day Head Start program provides our pre-kindergarten rooms with a Teacher who holds a Bachelor’s of Education degree to enhance learning times throughout the day. The teacher focuses on components from the kindergarten curriculum and learning through play. Learner expectations from the program of studies include: Early literacy which focus’ on the children being actively engaged in acquiring language works.

Early numeracy focuses on the connection b/w natural learning with the conventional language and process of mathematics. Environment and community awareness the children use their five senses to explore, investigate, and describe their environment and community.

Citizenship and identity focuses on the development of a strong sense of identity, self-esteem, and belonging. Creative expression encourages the children to explore and express their thoughts and feelings through visual arts, drama, music, and movement.

Learning through play involves activities such as sand, water, art, blocks, cooking, and dramatic play. Many skills that the children develop are social skills, ability to express ideas and feelings, math and science concepts, physical dexterity, decision making, problem solving skills, and also recalling and recreating those experiences.

The infant and toddler rooms focus on developing social and life skills that the children need while growing as independent individuals. Along with teaching the children how to participate in group activities and play experiences to further their social skills.

Room staff are qualified professionals with Early Childhood Education Diplomas or Bachelor’s of Education Degrees. The centre also has two Outreach Workers on staff to support the families. The Outreach Workers provide the families with many resources that may be needed to benefit the children and what might be happening in their lives. The Outreach workers will also supply the families with any referrals that they may need for subsidy, nutrition, financial, or health related issues. The Centre along with the Outreach Workers holds monthly parent groups to provide the parent with support in raising a family.

A Red-Seal chef is on staff to provide the children with 2/3 of their daily nutritional requirements. Parents of the centre can always look at the menu board located outside the kitchen to see what the children will be having for their daily snacks and meal that day.