Pocono News Section

Head Start, Pre-K back in session

Head Start, Pre-K back in session - Thursday, October 29, 2009 at 11:02AM EST

Thursday, Oct 29, 2009 @ 11:02am EDT

Head Start and Pre-Kindergarten programs are back in session thanks the end of the Pennsylvania state budget deadlock.

You can see it in their faces, children at Luzerne County Head Start are happy to be back in class.

A state funding freeze forced them to get a late start on the school year.

Head Start teacher Melissa Ferrari said, "I feel like I'm back at home now and this is my classroom and I'm eager to get them started and learning."

Teachers like Ferrari are thankful her students are back building their early education.

Parents of these students depend on state funding to help pay for Head Start.

Classes were supposed to start in September.

For nearly two months, family worker Oneka Yearwood has told those parents "Just be patient and wait. Eventually the budget will pass and that it did."

Late last week, families went through a quick orientation to prepare for what Head Start has to offer.

"They were very, very excited. When we placed the phone call to let them know their children have been accepted into the program they were saying it's a great relief to know that their kids can get a pre-school education," said Yearwood.

During the state budget deadlock, head start had to lay off and reassign several teachers.

Most of those teachers have been brought back including Ferrari.

Now everyone here is ready to make up for lost time and get back on track.