Head Start showcases renovated buildings

By Karen Brainard

Ramona Head Start staff, parents, and children celebrated the completed renovation of the child development program’s buildings on April 17.

The buildings that Head Start uses at 415 Eighth Street served as junior high classrooms 50 years ago, said Yrene Jauregui, supervisor of the Ramona Head Start program.

Jauregui said the renovations included new exterior siding, flooring and fixtures in bathrooms, trailers for staff offices and lounge, asphalt resurfacing, and indoor and outdoor play equipment for children.

Recognizing the Head Start staff’s efforts were representatives from the Community Action Partnership of San Luis Obispo County (CAPSLO) which began operating the Head Start programs in Ramona, Poway, and Borrego Springs in September 2012.

Head Start is a federally funded child development program designed to meet emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs of children of low-income families. CAPSLO was designated by the federal program to oversee some of the Head Start programs in California.

According to Debi Welch, CAPSLO’s director of Head Start, the renovations were accomplished with about $80,000 of federal funds, a 25 percent discount by vendors and contractors, and lots of volunteer hours.

“It was an amazing group effort,” Welch said.

Praising Jauregui for her “tireless work” and presenting her with a plaque, Jamie Eyre, education supervisor for CAPSLO, said, “She’s dedicated. She has so much respect for this community and this program.”

Jauregui, in turn, thanked all the parents. “We couldn’t have done it without your help,” she said.