BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN

INEZ — Martin County Head Start is seeking eligible students to fill available classroom spots.

Dr. Patricia McCoy, the program’s director, encouraged families to apply during a recent presentation to the Kiwanis Club in Inez.

“We try to get as many kids as we can get in our program,” she said. “They and their families can benefit.”

McCoy has taught kindergarten, preschool and Head Start during her 20 years in the Martin County School District.

“Early childhood is my passion,” she said. “I’m a firm believer that it all begins with the little ones. In education, everything starts with the little ones. Research proves that.”

While the Martin County Head Start program can serve 104 students, enrollment stood at 71 on July 9.

The Big Sandy Community Action Program operates Martin County Head Start with two classrooms at each Martin County elementary school.

“We are blessed by the district to be able to use their buildings, school buses and meals,” McCoy said.

“We have our teaching staff, and we’ve been very blessed the last couple of years to have a floating assistant with our budget. That really helps classrooms too.”

Head Start primarily serves children based on household income and other family circumstances. The program uses a point system to rank applicants.

Children from households at or below the poverty level receive the highest income scores. Additional points may be awarded based on family circumstances, including a single, disabled or teenage parent; placement with a guardian or grandparent; an Individualized Education Program (IEP); involvement with Child Protective Services; or the death of an immediate family member.

Children who are homeless, in foster care, receiving SNAP benefits or living in a household receiving Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) automatically qualify.

“Homeless can even mean they’re living with family,” McCoy said.

Four-year-olds receive 40 age points, while 3-year-olds receive 25.

“After we get as many students as we can that are eligible, we are allowed to take students who may be 10% over the poverty level,” McCoy said. “That helps those students too.”

Head Start supports the entire family, she said, not only the student. The program employs three family advocates who, along with teachers, conduct home visits, complete family needs assessments and connect families with services.

“They work very hard with our families to help meet their needs,” McCoy said. “It’s not just school.”

Parents pursuing additional education or job training may receive assistance. The program may pay for up to three college credit hours per semester or provide up to $750 per semester for vocational or technical training.

Assistance may also be available for mileage, child care, eye exams and glasses while a parent continues an education.

One parent earned a GED, is continuing her education and recently secured a position as a Head Start assistant.

“We watch things like that happen for our families too,” she said. “That’s really nice.”

Family advocates also hold monthly meetings to cover resources, nutrition, health and disability services, and other topics with parents.

When it comes to student health care, the program has specific requirements. Students must complete hearing, vision and developmental screenings within 45 days of enrollment. A physical exam, blood work, lead screening, blood pressure check, comprehensive vision exam and dental exam must be completed within 90 days.

Immunizations must remain current unless a medical or religious exemption certificate is on file.

“As you see, our family advocates stay very busy,” McCoy said. “They stay right on top of our families to try to get these done for our students.”

Head Start partners with the Martin County School District to provide speech, occupational or physical therapy to special education students with IEPs.

“They receive that through the district,” said McCoy.

She noted that the school district was seeking a Learning and Behavior Disorders (LBD) teacher to support Head Start students with IEPs.

“Our teachers were seeing more disabilities,” McCoy explained. “They really do need the support.”

The Head Start program’s academic results demonstrate the value of early childhood education.

Martin County kindergarten students who attended Head Start posted a 54% readiness rate on the Brigance screen. That was 8 percentage points higher than Kentucky’s most recently published statewide rate of 46% for 2024-25.

The figures cover different school years, but the comparison shows former Martin County Head Start students exceeded the latest available statewide benchmark.

McCoy has added curricula to the Big Sandy Head Start program: Key Foundations, a literacy program, and Hatch, an online learning program.

“We’re really excited to see what our kindergarten scores will be this year,” she said.

Enroll your child

To enroll your child, contact Martin County Head Start. The local staff will provide the exact application forms you need and tell you what specific documents to bring.

When you submit your application, you will typically need to provide:

• Proof of income (recent pay stubs, tax returns, W-2s, or proof of public assistance);
• Child’s identity (an official birth certificate);
• Proof of residency (current lease, deed or utility bill in your name);
• Health records (your child’s immunization and medical history).

Contact Dr. Patricia McCoy at 606-298-3428 or family advocates Stacy Martin at Eden Elementary at 606-393-6170; Delsie Fletcher at Inez at 606-393-4881; or Michelle Cook at Warfield at 502-861-5703.