Molly Stark Family Center

Molly Stark wants parents and babies to be a part of the school from their very first learning moments. At our on-site Family Center, an array of services are provided to support and strengthen families. These include:

• Before and after school school-age care beginning at 7:00 AM and ending at 5:30 PM ~ This includes breakfast, afternoon snacks, access to after-school enrichment programs, homework help, play, reading and ongoing projects.
• Kindergarten care offered to both morning and afternoon students to add to and enrich the kindergarten experience in a secure and nurturing environment.
• Integrated preschool provided 4 days per week to three and four year olds, with the fifth day left for home visits by staff.
• Summer child care programs
• School vacation care
• Playgroups for parents with infants and toddlers.
• After School Enrichment Programs for children enrolled at Molly Stark from 3:00 - 4:15.
• Dental Care for Medicaid eligible children without a primary care dentist.
• G.E.D. courses offered on site by Tutorial Center teachers.
• The Family Center will provide scholarship funds and transportation on test-taking days as needed.

Community Leadership Training offered in conjunction with Sunrise Family Resource Center and the Bennington County Child Care Association. This program provides community members education and experience in becoming better citizens and advocates for themselves, their children and their community.

U.F.O.'s : Unlimited Fathering Opportunities - a special program for dads and their children, age 3 - 6. Developed and sponsored by Bennington Head Start P.L.U.S. this program provides dinner and recreation for dads and their young children.

Community College of Vermont classes - the Community College of Vermont offers two courses on site at Molly Stark taught by Molly Stark staff.

Literacy programs sponsored by the Vermont Council on the Humanities, including literacy breakfasts for parents interested in knowing more about sharing books with their children, Connections programs taught by a Molly Stark Reading Teacher/Vermont Council scholar, Family Make-It and Take-It nights.

Family Lending Library providing children's books, parent resources, games and videos for Molly Stark families to borrow.

Cooking for Life - a new 6-week program developed by the Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger and the University of Vermont Extension's Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program and administered by BROC to empower parents to cook healthy, affordable meals for their families.

A variety of Home/School connections to help and support parents in areas such as parenting, mental-health, and knowledge of community resources.

A local community agency, Sunrise Family Resource Center, has joined Molly Stark in this endeavor. A family advocate from Sunrise works with families and collaborates with our Family Center Staff.

The Molly Stark Family Outreach Program believes that:

• Parents are their children's first, most important, and most influential teachers.
• Children are most successful when schools and families work together.
• The earlier that schools and families begin to work together, the better for children.
• The sooner that children are involved in schools, the more comfortable and successful they can feel with school expectations.
• The more information parents have about both child development and school expectations, the better they can feel about their parenting.