Congressman Steny Hoyer visited the Head Start program at Fort Foote Elementary School on March 22 to tour classrooms, read to students, and hold a brief discussion with staff and parents on how the budget could impact Head Start. He was joined during his visit by Board Member Rosalind A. Johnson, Area 4 Assistant Superintendent Helen Coley, Principal Sonia Beckford, and Prince George’s County Public Schools (PGCPS)Head Start program staff.

The program at Fort Foote currently serves 18 students, and is one of 37 Head Start sites in the county. These centers provide support for 932 children representing 855 families, and are primarily funded through a Head Start Continuation Grant, with additional support for 60 students through an ARRA-funded stimulus grant. Family services include advocacy, physical and mental health, disabilities assessment and therapy, crisis intervention, housing and transportation assistance, English as a Second Language (ESL), GED and adult education, substance abuse prevention, and more.

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