Have you met Chris Brower, Regional Manager. He oversees the Florence and two Whiteaker classrooms. He is a thoughtful, considerate person who welcomes each family with trust and a belief that their experience in HSOLC will help set the stage for success in future school years.
Are you a Parent? Were you or are you a HS/EHS parent?
I am not a Head Start parent but this last year I became a full time parent. I recently got married in July 2021 and became a step dad to my seven year son. Adjusting to life as a parent has been an awesome adventure and something I am growing into every day.
Are you from Oregon?
I am a native Oregonian born in Springfield, OR and have lived in Oregon my entire life. The farthest away I have lived from Springfield is in Salem, OR and I lived there for less than a year. Almost my entire family lives in Oregon and I couldn’t picture myself living anywhere else, though as I’ve gotten older I have wanted to travel and see the world more.
What surprised you most about HS?
After I started working at Head Start five years ago I was amazed how many different ways we help support children and families. From supporting children in classrooms, to partnering with families to develop goals, to partnering with other agencies in the community, to screening children for any developmental or health concerns. It’s impressive how many ways we support children and families.
What would you tell parents about HS/EHS you think they really need to know?
Head Start isn’t just a preschool classroom but an agency that will work to support not only your child in the classroom but your family as a whole. One of the things I love about Head Start is how much we encourage parent involvement and provide parents with opportunities to become part of our agency. Many parents join our policy council and guide our decision making or join the Seekers program that we end up hiring many of our staff from.
