By H. Nelson Goodson
Hispanic News Network U.S.A.
November 20, 2017
Milwaukee, WI - About 88 employees from the Head Start and Early Start programs at Centro Hispano (The Council for the Spanish Speaking), 614 W. National Ave. In Milwaukee will be permanently layoff by November 30 due to grant funding loss, according to a letter of noticed sent to those affected by Toni Rivera-Joachin, President and CEO of the Centro Hispano. Rivera-Joachin informed the employees affected that the Head Start and Early Start programs will permanently cease to exist due to "unforeseeable termination of our funding available" starting on November 30.
The layoff notices were sent to all non-union employees affected and the Wisconsin Department of Workforce Development on November 13.
According to Centro Hispano in Milwaukee website, the Head Start and Early Start bilingual programs have its administrative offices and a Resource Center at the Dr. Filiberto & Carmen Murguia Campus on S. 36th St. and W. Mitchell Street, and it serves approximately 712 children and their families at six (6) sites in Milwaukee area including the Southside. The federal and state funding including other sources totaled more than $4.6M (2010-2011 funding sources report, no current budget report posted).
Head Start provides child health and nutrition services as well as specialized support to children with special needs. Through the Family Resource Center, family support and training is provided to parents. In collaboration with Parents Plus, Head Start parents may enroll in a program called Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Children (HIPPY) and in the Parents as Teachers program. Both promote school readiness and early literacy through parent education and child development; these services are provided bilingually.
Head Start provides child health and nutrition services as well as specialized support to children with special needs. Through the Family Resource Center, family support and training is provided to parents. In collaboration with Parents Plus, Head Start parents may enroll in a program called Home Instruction for Parents of Preschool Children (HIPPY) and in the Parents as Teachers program. Both promote school readiness and early literacy through parent education and child development; these services are provided bilingually.
Current Board of Directors of the Centro Hispano Milwaukee
• Julio Maldonado, Chairman
• Aurea Ramirez, Secretary
• Eduardo Herrera-Meir. Treasurer
• Attorney Marisabel Cabrera
• Julia Luna
• Attorney Israel Ramon
• Jesús Santos
• Toni Rivera-Joachin, President and Chief Executive Officer
Update: Jennifer Morton from Mueller Communications, LLC released the following statement to Hispanic News Network U.S.A. from the Centro Hispano. The following statement was issued on Wednesday by Toni Rivera-Joachin, President and CEO of Centro Hispano Milwaukee:
Although Centro Hispano’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs are ending as of November 30, 2017, we are pleased to announce that 86% of our Head Start employees have been offered positions under the interim Head Start provider, Community Development Institute Head Start (CDI HS). CDI HS was selected by the Federal Department of Health and Human Services to provide Head Start/Early Head Start services to our families on an interim basis beginning December 1, 2017. The other 14% of Centro Hispano’s Head Start employees have been given the opportunity to apply for the remaining positions under CDI HS.
More importantly, the families that we serve will continue to receive Head Start services from CDI HS. We have been assured that CDI HS will do it’s best to deliver quality Head Start services with a minimal amount of disruption for the families.
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