THIS month the CNMI Head Start Program marks the 38th year of its establishment as provider of comprehensive early childhood education, health, nutrition, parent involvement programs and other services to low-income children and families.
On Tuesday, Oct. 4, Board of Education Chairman Gregory Pat Borja led other education officials and stakeholders in a proclamation signing ceremony on Tinian to designate October as Head Start Awareness Month.
With Chairman Borja were BOE Vice Chairman Antonio L. Borja, Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada, Associate Commissioner for Administrative Services Eric Magofna, Head Start/Early Head Start Program Director Lathania DLG Angui, Head Start Policy Council Chairman Jacob Lizama, and the first Tinian Head Start Center director, Magdalena Manglona Hofschneider.
Also present to witness the proclamation signing were Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan, Rep. Patrick H. San Nicolas and members of the Tinian Municipal Council led by Chairman Joseph E. Santos.
In signing the proclamation, the Public School System and the Board of Education said they are joining the rest of the Commonwealth in celebrating the 58th anniversary of the national Head Start program, which was launched by President Lyndon B. Johnson in 1965.
On Oct. 22, 1982, President Ronald Reagan signed the first Head Start Awareness Month proclamation.
The CNMI-PSS Head Start/Early Head Start Program was established in the fall of 1984 through a grant award to the then-CNMI Department of Education.
Since then, the local program, which is for children 6 weeks to 3 years old, has served more than 17,000 children, Program Director Angui said.
In 2015, the CNMI was awarded the Early Head Start Child Care Partnership Grant. Seven years later, the local program remains the lone grantee in the outer Pacific to receive the multi-year grant award.
From left, Sen. Francisco Q. Cruz, Associate Commissioner for Administrative Services Eric Magofna, Board of Education Chairman Gregory Pat Borja, Board of Education Vice Chairman Antonio L. Borja, Tinian Mayor Edwin P. Aldan, Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada, Tinian Municipal Council Chairman Joseph E. Santos, and Rep. Patrick H. San Nicolas.
PSS Head Start/Early Head Start Family Service Manager Jolene Sablan was the emcee of the proclamation-signing ceremony.
Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada delivers his remarks.
2022 Head Start Teacher of the Year Kathryn Ramos reads the proclamation. Standing behind her is 2022 Head Start Teacher Aide of the Year Kayla Borja.
2022 Head Start Instructor of the Year Elenita Arriola talks about the program.
BOE Chairman Gregory Pat Borja, left, signs the proclamation as Head Start Policy Council Chairman Jacob Lizama, Tinian’s first Head Start Center Director Magdalena Manglona Hofschneider and Commissioner of Education Alfred Ada looks on.
From left , BOE Vice Chairman Antonio L. Borja, Head Start and Early Head Start Program Director Lathania DLG Angui, BOE Chairman Gregory Pat Borja, Head Start Policy Council Chairman Jacob Lizama, Tinian’s first Head Start Center Director Magdalena Manglona Hofschneider, Commissioner of Education Dr. Alfred B. Ada and Associate Commissioner for Administrative Services Eric Magofna.
