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 hours of intensive, data-centered, virtual staff interviews across multiple teams, that included fiscal, human resources, family connections, education, health, and parent, family and community engagement. Virtual interviews were also conducted with our Policy Council and Board of Directors. 

Going into the review, I emphasized to staff that this is our opportunity to shine and that we should approach it as such. My philosophy is that any area of need identified in a review is an opportunity for improvement. With that said, I also felt confident going into this review as our ClackCoKids teams are mindful of Head Start performance standards, doing their best to meet and/or exceed them, while also staying data-informed and driven toward continuous quality improvement across all programs and services.   

I am so proud to share that ClackCoKids passed our review in every content area, and that reviewers highlighted several program strengths across multiple teams. I attribute this to the diligence and hard work of our staff who have remained committed to serving the children and families of Clackamas County, even in the most difficult of times. Their work has really paid off and indeed, they truly SHINED during this review. I am so proud to serve alongside them!