A long-standing program that serves economically disadvantaged children and their families in Unified School District 428 is no more, at least for now, local education officials learned Thursday.

"The district was notified by Head Start staff that Mid-Cap (Mid-Kansas Community Action Program), the group that operates Head Start, has relinquished its grant and Head Start will be closing its doors," said Dan Brungardt, USD 428 business manager. The district provides three classrooms for Head Start at the Washington Early Childhood Center, but is not involved in operating the federally funded program.

"They are going to be shut down and not offer services," Brungardt said. "The employees were told they could no longer be paid."

Thursday afternoon, parents were called to come pick up their children early.

However, said Joyce Stockham, Mid-CAP, Inc.’s executive director, there should only be a minimal interruption. Under new management, the program should be up and running again by the middle of next week.

Stockham said she has been told that all the staff members who lost their jobs Thursday will be brought back. "I feel confident this will be the case."

Mid-Kansas Community Action Program, based in Augusta, operated Head Start programs in six counties and 10 school districts with 70-some employees. It served 328 students scattered throughout that area. Among those, 54 were in Great Bend, and 18 each in Hoisington, Larned and Lyons.

"The leadership team at the Mid-Kansas Community Action Program, including the agency’s Head Start director, has engaged with the Federal Region VII Head Start Office to transition control of the Barton, Butler, Greenwood, Harvey, Pawnee, and Rice County Head Start programs to a contractor for the region’s office. The transition provides stronger financial supports for the program," a statement released by Mid-Kansas late Thursday afternoon read.

That means the program will be covered by the federal Community Development Institute Head Start (CDI). According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, CDI steps in as an interim manager.

"Both the Office of Head Start and the leadership of Mid-Kansas Community Action believe the transition of the program to a new grantee is a positive step," the news release read. "Head Start services to children and families will continue, to our knowledge, as seamless as possible. The new grantee will be set up and be in operation as quickly as possible. The regional office of Head Start has indicated that the new grantee will be reopening all centers within a matter of days and this transition, outside of the temporary suspension of services, will be seamless to the children and families enrolled in the program."

"The staff of Mid-CAP’s Head Start program and the parents and children they serve are an extension of our family," Stockham said. "Sometimes tough decisions must be made to protect the long term, best interests of family. We care about providing our clients a quality program, and believe that we are serving the common good by working for this transition."

Stockham said Mid-Kansas’ contract was not renewed and it was mutually agreed on that it was better to turn over control of the program. "It’s really all about the kids and parents."

In addition to the three classrooms in Great Bend, Head Start maintains an office in the Highland Convention Center.

Established by an act of Congress in 1965 as part of President Lyndon Johnson’s War on Poverty and Great Society, the Head Start program provides grants various agencies to provide comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with a focus on helping preschoolers develop reading and math skills. It falls under the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Administration for Children and Families.

"The goal of the program is to give students a ‘head start,’" Brungardt said. "It gives them a pre-school experience."

However, through a grant process, to local public and private non-profit and for-profit agencies apply for funds to manage the program. There are 28 Head Start programs across Kansas and over 1,600 nationwide.