GULF COAST COMMUNITY SERVICES ASSOCIATION Head Start/Early Head Start Support Services Monthly Narrative October 2025 LEADERSHIP ACTIVITIES: •
•
•
Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) The September 2025 Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) claim was completed and submitted to the Texas Department of Agriculture (TDA) for reimbursement. In August there were 20 food service days for the month. There were 13 eligible sites and 1,192 eligible children. The number of meals provided: 5,731 breakfasts; 5,823 lunches and 18,132 PM snacks served. Expected reimbursement for the month is $63,730.38. Two of our newest Head Start centers will apply for CACFP pending receipt of the Child Care License, DeAnda & Reynolds. Head Start centers Garden Villa, Garden Villas and Reveille were closed in the CACFP TX-UNPS system on the last day of September. The new CACFP year began October 1. Mr. Calvin Denson, Author and Owner of Denson Books, joined the children and staff for GCCSA’s October Story Time. He read his delightful children’s book “Abuela.” The story follows young Emilio as he spends a day with his grandmother, learning to garden, bake cookies, and embrace his Spanish heritage. As they pull weeds and mix cookie dough, Abuela teaches Emilio new Spanish words, sharing lessons about the beauty of family, culture, and connection. The 2024–2025 Self-Assessment has been completed and submitted to the HS/EHS Director for final review. Once her review is complete, the document will be ready to share with the Policy Council and the Board of Directors.
CHILD DEVELOPMENT (CD): •
•
•
Early Head Start- Themes taught for this month were: Infants- In these two classrooms the teachers implement the Activity Tracking Cards to plan for each child according to their individual need. Toddler- Theme2- Family and Homes Week 4- Homes- This week children will explore the concepts of home including homes for people and homes for animals. Theme 3- Friends- Week 1- Everyday friends- This week children will explore friends and friendships with a focus on their caregivers and school friends. Week 2- Friends Who Keep Us Healthy- This week children will learn about people who help take care of them and keep them healthy: doctors, nurses, dentists, and veterinarians. Week 3- Friends Who Keep Us Safe- This week children will learn about who keep them safe: firefighters and police officers. Threes- Theme 3- Colors Shapes and Sizes- Week 1- Colors- This week children will begin using color, not only as a way to describe something, but also as a way to group items into sets. Week 2- ShapesChildren will review shapes this week. They will also begin using shapes, not only to describe something but also as a way to group items into sets. Week 3- Size- Children will review size this week. They will begin using size, not only to describe something, but also as a way to group items into sets. Raul Yzaguirre P-Stem & RYSS Stem Teaching Strategies- Children are still studying Boxes. Themes: Boxes. Subtheme: What can we do with boxes? What do we know about boxes? Early Head Start teachers attend virtual training presented by SHINE partner. What do we want to find out? What are the characteristics of boxes? Which jobs involve boxes? How can we move boxes? Family Partnerships Invite families to bring in boxes with environmental prints in their home languages. WOW! Experiences.
October 2025 Monthly Report
Page 1 of 6