The Fremont Fire Department share their expertise on fire safety

Stricker Family Development Center in Fremont, which provides Early Head Start and Head Start programs for local families, has a long-standing tradition of engaging with the community. Staff at the center regularly host outside guests to help enrich students’ classroom experiences.

Jo Simms, who dedicated more than 40 years to teaching in the Head Start program and now serves as a teacher coach, highlights the importance of these interactions. 

“We’ve always welcomed community members into our classrooms,” Simms said. “It gives students a bigger perspective of the world around them. The teachers can introduce these community jobs through books and media, but how much more compelling when children can interact with real people in that role within their own community.”

The center uses the Creative Curriculum for Preschool, which is used by all the Great Lakes Community Action Partnership (GLCAP) early childhood centers. The Creative Curriculum emphasizes the importance of community involvement in the learning process. By inviting community members to share their experiences and stories, the center enriches students’ educational experiences, providing them with a broader understanding of the world and prompting them to ponder their future roles within it. 

Students engage directly with local professionals, including photographers, firefighters, policemen, and even the Fremont mayor, Danny Sanchez. 

Local photographer, Liza Jacobs, talks about photography to a class at Stricker

Local mailman and children's book author, Sonny Workman, shares his experiences

Staff have even encouraged their own family members to get involved. Teacher Amanda Crispen invited her husband to come and talk with students about his work.

“The kids love it,” she said. “We prepare questions before they come. My husband is a barber, and he came in and gave haircuts to a couple students.”

Local barber, Jacob Crispen from Crispen's Barbershop, gives a student a haircut

The Stricker Family Development Center's commitment to community involvement not only enhances students' education but also strengthens the bonds between the center and the local community. By making these connections, the center instills a sense of appreciation in students for the diverse roles that shape their world.

To learn more about our GLCAP Head Start early childhood programs, go to glcap.org/earlychildhood.