SEEKERS stands for “Specialized Employment Efforts Keeps Education Running Smoothly”. It was born out of the need to find staff. We knew prime candidates were already in the program as HS/EHS parents. All they needed was formal training in early childhood education. The prerequisite was to have a child attending HSOLC. The rest was free college-level training every Wednesday with a commitment to volunteer 100+ hours in classrooms.
This also created professional development opportunities for staff to become mentor teachers for those SEEKERS placed in their classes. What a career match that was! Staff were enhancing their skills while supporting a possible future co-worker. Many mentor teachers eagerly accept a SEEKER volunteer, knowing they are helping a fellow teacher be the best HS/EHS Teacher possible.
None of this is possible without the staff who promote SEEKERS, the parents who said yes to being a SEEKER and the staff that trained and mentored. SEEKERS is now a national name with other HS programs wanting to start their career training program.
Nine years later we congratulate these SEEKERS for their completion or participation in the 2023-2024 program. They learned more about the Head Start organization, and the many layers that make Head Start a system of care, not just a preschool or childcare.
Give a round of applause to these dedicated parents who now have a career they didn’t know was possible until they enrolled in Head Start of Lane County.
