News / Blog

By Georgia Ullmann; ClackCoKids Health Services Specialist | Since the beginning of the pandemic we have all had to deal with a lot of change. Now that some time has passed and more research has been completed, we know better than ever about precautions that can stop the spread of COVID-19, and how to prevent…

By Darcee Kilsdonk; ClackCoKids Executive Director | During the week of April 18th, ClackCoKids participated in a federal review for our Head Start and Early Head Start programs. As part of this process, a federal reviewer visited 15 of our classrooms, both observing the classroom and interviewing teachers. Additionally, our agency engaged in about 20…

In celebration of Head Start’s 57th birthday, ClackCoKids Education Coach Laura Linda Negri-Pool shared a personal story with our Executive Director, Darcee Kilsdonk, about her professional journey with Head Start. Laura Linda’s story – like many others at ClackCoKids – is a reminder that our work impacts not just children and families, but the also…

By Raylene Donaldson; ClackCoKids Education Manager | Last week I had the opportunity to travel to Baltimore with a group of ClackCoKids staff and parents for the National Head Start Association conference. The event was held in-person for the first time since 2019, and the energy and joy at being able to gather with others…

By Natalie Hornstein; ClackCoKids Community Connections Specialist | Long time Estacada community member Sandy Walker has joined the ClackCoKids team as a cook in our Estacada Center! Sandy was an owner/operator at the Harmony Baking Company with her partner for almost 30 years before selling the business to her niece, keeping it in the family.…

By Luna Bruno; Nutrition and Sustainability Specialist | Thanks to generous funding from our partners at PNC Bank, ClackCoKids has been able to continue to offer Cooking Matters classes to families in our programs. The Cooking Matters curriculum teaches families about nutritional health, the importance of a balanced diet, and how to prepare healthy, home-cooked…

By Natalie Hornstein; Community Connections Specialist | A huge thank you to the Children’s Center of Clackamas County for hosting an awareness event to honor Child Abuse Prevention Awareness Month, and to Clackamas Women’s Services, who brought out two puppets from their program “Communities for Safe Kids” to emcee the event. This event also celebrated…

By Devinnie Castañeda; Assistant Teacher | As an Assistant Preschool Teacher and former Head Start parent, I can confidently say Clackamas County Children’s Commission has lived up to their promise to be an advocate for the families they serve.  I started with ClackCoKids as a volunteer and a Head Start parent. I soon found myself…

By Natalie Hornstein; CCCC Community Connections Specialist | Being a good parent is hard even in the best circumstances. In times of family, community, or global crisis, many parents worry about meeting their child’s needs. This is why our parenting curriculum – Circle of Security – teaches parents about “Good Enough Parenting”. When a parent…

By Darcee Kilsdonk; CCCC Executive Director | After reviewing the latest data on the Omicron Variant and COVID cases in Clackamas County and the state of Oregon, we have decided to extend virtual services through the 4th of February, with a new re-open date of February 7th.  There were several factors that went into this…