OZARK OPPORTUNITIES, INC.

701 E. PROSPECT P.O. BOX 1400 HARRISON, ARKANSAS 72602 (870) 741-9406 FAX: (870) 741-0924

This agency is in compliance with Titles VI and VII Civil Rights Act “Equal Opportunity Employer”

www.ozarkopp.org

Agency Progress Report Report for September 2018 Board of Directors and Stakeholders

I. Chief Executive Officer Update:

Agency Finances are (still) going well. We have no issues with making payments to

vendors on time, and cash flow is not limited due to access to funds.

We have received all regular funding from all sources.

II. Child Development (ABC Pre-K, Head Start, & Early Head Start):

A. Arkansas Better Chance Pre-K Program:

Attendance: The ABC Program requires 80% Average Daily Attendance (see

print screens of ADA Reports; below…); therefore, we are meeting the

requirement, as in August 2018, our ABC Class Attendance Monthly Avg. was

84.91% We are fully enrolled with 50 students.

OOI Finance Stoplight; Green= ALL GOOD!

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B. Head Start & Early Head Start:

a. Director’s Report: All Programs are underway, with a successful Pre-Service

under our belt and our classrooms full. We have accomplished a significant amount

of playground and facilities upgrades over the summer, and are hoping to finish up

all enhancements by the new year.

b. Sharon Burnett- Health and Nutrition:

i. Nutrition:

Numbers for August 2018 Nutrition Claims will be reported in

September 2018 report.

ii. HEALTH OUTCOMES:

Head Start Early Head Start: Status 70.6% 52% Completed Dental Exams

47% 54% Completed Lead Testing

64.8% 50% Completed Physical Exams (Well

Child for EHS)

93% 96% Completed Immunizations

3 2 Parents have signed an immunization

waiver

iii. Other Activities:

Pre-Service Training

Menu Revisions

Began scheduled CACFP Food Reviews

Medicaid Training

Visited all OOI Centers with a kitchen

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c. Harley Thompson: Licensing/Safety/Facilities:

Below are a few of the updates we have made to our facilities & playgrounds!

Harrison Modular Center- new flooring (both rooms)

Bruno-Pyatt Playground- bike path, fall zone and new barriers

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Harrison Central Building- refreshed downstairs restrooms

St. Joe Playground- removed timbers and replaced gravel with rubber mulch and new barriers

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St. Joe- another view:

Shirley- expanded shade structure.

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Shirley - added bike path, replaced fall zone with rubber mulch and new barriers

Western Grove- removed timbers, replaced gravel with rubber mulch, added new bike path,

expanded square footage of playground.

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Yellville-Summitt- new mulch and barriers and expanded fence

Harrison HS- new fence, mulch & painting

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Harrison HS- another shot of new mulch

d. Tawnya Akins- Mental Health:

Mental Health observations have officially begun!

I have been working with teachers, children and parents this year in an effort to

strengthen our new Behavior Guidance Plan.

I attended a round table with other Mental Health professionals during our

“Coordinator Retreat”. It was very beneficial as I was able to see how other Head

Start programs in the state were handling their behavior issues and Mental Health

policies.

I put together a Conscious Discipline™ packet for each classroom. This included

helpful information and materials to be hung in the classroom.

CHECK THIS OUT (below)! Our Early Head Start locations have started having

“Baby Doll Circle Time”. The teachers provide a Social/Emotional Lesson on

things like “safe hands”, “gentle touch”, and “calming down” by demonstrating on

a baby. The children are loving it!

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e. Terri Beard- ERSEA & Family and Community Partnerships:

ENROLLMENT UPDATE: At the end of August we had 261 Head Start

children enrolled and 48 Early Head Start Children for a total of 309. We are

fully enrolled.

HS/EHS ATTENDANCE UPDATE: We are at 91.51% Average Daily

Attendance (“ADA”) in Head Start Pre-K & 85.71% ADA in Early Head

Start, so we are within the regulations (85% minimum.)

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f. Ryan Clayborn- Program Manager/ Education Coordinator:

I have been working closely with the Licensing and Facilities Coordinator on

getting playgrounds completed for Head Start. We are installing some equipment

ourselves to save money.

I created a program-wide calendar for staff to use throughout the school year.

I created the student AMI Packets for Head Start and ABC in the event of

inclement weather. I have also created a new packet this year for staff focusing on

Mental Health. Each staff member will create a Mental Health Wellness Plan.

Teaching Strategies Gold™- I have archived children who have moved out of the

program.

I updated the Education Home Visit Form to include goal setting for our students.

Each visit will now have three specific goals that the teacher will focus on in the

classroom.

I have spent a considerable amount of time working with new staff and modeling

in several classrooms.

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Ryan Clayborn; continued:

The Boone County Imagination Library met on August 14th and are currently

providing books to 1,134 children in Boone County(!)

I passed the Classroom Assessment Scoring System (CLASS) recertification test

along with the Disabilities Coordinator. We are now certified for another year.

I attended the Arkansas Early Childhood Commission meeting in Little Rock and

completed the required ABC Director training in Little Rock in August.

I have visited every center since school started and insured all MOU’s were signed

by every Superintendent or Principal in the school districts we serve.

g. Patricia Murray- Disabilities & Center Supervisor:

The school year is well on its way and screenings have officially begun for speech,

vision, hearing, and developmental.

At our Early Head Start centers staff and parents have completed the ASQ3

screenings on all the children and referrals have been made. The Screening Advice

Form will be given to parents and the teachers will go over results with parents and a

copy of the form will be put in each child’s folder.

At this time, we have 13 children that have returned this year with an IEP that will be

receiving services.

h. Krystal Mayes: Parent Engagement

We started this year with Parent Orientations, Open Houses and VOLUNTEERS! We

already have more than 200 Volunteer applicants!

Completed Child Maltreatment forms have been submitted and are pending approval.

Several locations have had their first Parent Meeting. At this meeting the importance

of In-Kind is discussed and a Policy Council Rep. and Alternate are elected.

A new Parent Meeting/Parent Curriculum module for each month has been created for

the current school year. We will be implementing a parent curriculum by Conscious

Discipline™.

August In-Kind has been submitted to the Coordinator and will be submitted to

Finance for final approval this week.

We are trying something new this year with Policy Council, the PC will meet every-

other-month and the council Officers (Exec. Committee) will meet monthly.

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III. Community Services Rebecca Hanlin; Community Services Manager

1. Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program: The Summer Non-Emergency Program and

Crisis (Emergency) Program continues through Sunday, September 30, 2018, or until funds are

depleted.

The following charts express Non-Emergency and Emergency Assistance disbursed through

Friday, August 31, 2018.

2. Community Services Block Grant (CSBG):

Monitors from Little Rock will be here September 25-28, 2018. They will be conducting an

agency-wide review. This will encompass performance standards, financial statements,

program specific audits, etc.

September 30, 2018 is the end of the fourth quarter, and program year end date.

Fourth quarter report will be due to the State October 31, 2018.

3. Vehicle Repair Loan Program:

Current balance is now $5,109.59. Current outstanding funds are $1,238.99.

$500 maximum loan amount. Loan must be repaid within one year. Income eligibility is

200% federal poverty level.

From start of program we’ve had 10 individuals receive a loan, three are paid in full; four are

in the repayment process; three are delinquent.

Non-Emergency Assistance

Counties Received Approved $ Pending Denied

Baxter 631 574 $ 67,494.00 2 55

Boone 659 612 $ 72,448.00 8 39

Marion 302 275 $ 32,737.00 2 25

Newton 211 178 $ 20,564.00 4 29

Searcy 215 210 $ 24,491.00 0 5

Van Buren 288 280 $ 32,293.00 3 5

Total 2,306 2,129 $250,027.00 19 158

Emergency Assistance

Counties Received Approved $ Pending Denied

Baxter 73 64 $ 10,004.34 0 9

Boone 113 87 $ 13,463.13 0 26

Marion 38 36 $ 6,799.38 1 1

Newton 25 14 $ 2,360.34 4 7

Searcy 22 18 $ 1,860.00 0 4

Van Buren 27 19 $ 2,775.40 3 5

Total 298 238 $37,262.59 8 52

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4. HOPE Revolving Loan Fund:

OOI administers an interest-free micro loan program through the Housing Opportunities

Partnership Exchange (HOPE 501(c)3) that is intended to assist homeless individuals/families

with the upfront costs such as rent deposits, rent payments and/or utility deposits when

establishing a home.

Activity from August 12 through September 12th includes:

No client repayment installments were processed.

Revolving loan account current balance is $515.61.

Until more repayments are received, funds are not available to assist additional clients.

To date, during Calendar Year 2018, fifteen (15) households comprised of 43 total

individuals have been assisted with establishing a home through this micro-loan program.

5. Family Development & Empowerment:

As of August 30, 2018 we have 79 families enrolled in SUCCESS. (Baxter: 9; Boone: 48;

Marion: 7; Newton: 5; Searcy: 8; Van Buren: 2). To date, of the 79, 4 have been exited.

The September Seminar will be over Energy Conservation for Winter. All seminars are free and

open to the public and advertised on Facebook and website. This month we had 39 families attend

the 3 days of seminars where we were able to supply items such as: CO2/Smoke detectors,

Energy Saving light bulbs, weather stripping and window sealers for the upcoming winter season.

The SUCCESS Annual Banquet is scheduled for Friday, September

21, 2018, 5:30 p.m. at 1614 Maplewood Road in Harrison (Mary

Mother of God Catholic Church). We would LOVE to see our Board

Members there! We have been working with some of our community

partners to secure items for the banquet that benefit our families.

Partners that have been gracious with their funds and

products include: United Healthcare, Hickory Hills

Insurance, Silver Dollar City, The Baldknobbers, Jessie’s Kitchen, Colten’s

Steakhouse, El Mexico Lindo, Bounce Mania, Lillie Hobbs Mercantile and Brick

Oven Pizza. This is a sampling of the community partners that have donated prizes for the

banquet so far.

We will have 3 guest speakers for our banquet this year that are strong advocates of our program

and all have inspirational stories of how hard work pays off. We hope you will all join us as we

celebrate another year of families reaching milestones that were before not attainable in their

eyes. Look forward to our next Agency Progress Report, which will feature a recap. of the night

and the fantastic speakers and their stories.

October brings us the annual SUCCESS program review where participants are reviewed for

progression in or an exiting from the program. We will then move into the recruitment season for

the upcoming year.

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6. Healthy Families Arkansas:

Families are referred to HFA-Ozark Mountains by community partners. The Program Coordinator

then contacts the referred family for a short screening to ensure that they meet eligibility requirements

for the program (must be pregnant or have a newborn younger than 3 months old, fall below 250% of

the Federal Poverty Level, and meet at least 1 other eligibility criteria). In addition to household

income, eligibility criteria include the following: single, under age 18, no high school diploma/GED,

caregiver disability, chronic illness, substance abuse, child abuse or neglect history, mental health,

child low birth weight, child prematurity, developmental delay, incarcerated parent, homeless.

In addition to the Healthy Families services provided to families, the program provides direct supplies

families need, such as diapers, wipes, toys, books, clothes, blankets, safety kits, etc. These items were

purchased using past funds and/or received through donations. These are used as incentives for

families to enroll and help ease a financial burden on the family. Active families are able to get 1

package of diapers per month, as needed. In addition, developmental toys and books are provided to

families when discussing literacy and child development during home visits.

For the past 2 years, this program has been a UAMS Satellite Site for car seat safety and safe sleep

practices. As a Satellite Site, the program receives safe sleep materials (including Pak-N-Plays) and

car seats to distribute to families who meet the criteria set by UAMS. Brandi Grillot and Melissa

Smyth are certified Child Passenger Safety Technicians (CPST), who can check car seats for proper

use and installation and replace a seat if damaged, expired, or recalled and they have the appropriate

seat available. Brandi, Melissa, and Alexandra Churches are certified in educating families on safe

sleep practices for infants and can distribute the materials and Pak-N-Plays to the families expecting a

child or have a newborn.

August HFA Activity

Total of 22 families – 5 in Searcy County and 17 in Van Buren County.

Received 2 new referrals and actively recruiting 3 families and enrolled 2 new families – 1 in Searcy

County and 1 in Van Buren County.

A Searcy County family graduated from the program after 3 years and 1 month of enrollment. The

child turned 3 and is enrolled in HIPPY and receiving developmental therapy from Friendship.

Had 3 new babies born to moms enrolled prenatally.

Completed 39 home visits.

Did outreach to Southside High School and Clinton High School.

Checked 2 car seats & educated 1 family on safe sleep practices/provided pack-n-play.

7. Community Engagement & Staff Development:

Community Services staff attended the Alpena School Open House on August 9, 2018, to talk

with parents about the LIHEAP Energy Assistance Program.

Community Services leadership attended and represented OOI at the Boone County United Way

Kickoff on August 23, 2018.

Community Services staff attended the SR Networking Meeting in Marion County to promote the

LIHEAP Energy Assistance program.

The new Community Services Supervisor enrolled and started ROMA on-line courses. This is the

first of three phases to certification.

Comprehensive Community Assessment – The Core Group is conducting focus group meetings

this month.

A new Community Services Program Specialist has been hired(!) Start date will be September 13,

2018.

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IV. Corporate Services (& Human Resources) Jane Bueg, Chief Operating Officer

August Hires & Departures= 0.

Other/Training in August:

GoogleApps In-Kind report: $290.00 (Head

Start) $165.00 (Early Head Start) $45.00

(ABC)

Technology: HS & ABC classroom

laptops– on site – EHS Harrison, EHS

MH, Jasper HS

Child Development

Contracts/Compensation Agreements: 53

Income/Employment Verification- 3;

FMLA- 4; Workers Comp- 1

Leave Without Pay– payroll adjustments: 3 Traffic Violation Report & Updated

Driver List

Jury Duty: 2 Tech Talk- attended

Dept. of Labor Survey for August (V.B.

County stats) Training attended: USDA Civil Rights

Unemployment Claims: 2 Commitment to Excellence Event

Contractor List Update OOI Board Meeting

Job Posting, Advertisement & Job

Description: 1