After going through the summer getting crossed signals, parents of children attending the county's 57 head start centers now know that –unlike the public schools – they will be given an option of face-to-face and distance learning instruction starting Monday.
That decision by Neighborhoods In Need Of Services (NINOS) Executive/Head Start Director Manuela Rendon has Cameron County Commissioners Court and County Judge Eddie Treviño debating whether – as Rendon claims – Head Start is nothing more than a day care or whether it is a federal educational and child developmental program.
Pct. 2 Commissioner Joey Lopez said that he made information provided by the federal government on Head Start to Treviño so he can determine whether his and school districts' medical authorities' order on the delayed face-to-face instruction are being violated by Rendon's decision.
"We'll see what happens," Lopez said late Friday. "The judge is looking into it now."
Later, it was learned that the NINOS administration assured Treviño that they had taken all the safety precautions necessary, an assertion that drew some skepticism from Lopez.
"These are infants and children," he said. "We haven't started the regular schools with big kids. How can they assure that they will follow directions? The judge told them that if there is one case of covid infection he'll shut them all down."
The Brownsville Independent School District, in contrast, will begin the 2020-2021 school with virtual learning beginning August Tuesday 25 – based on the Cameron County Judge Eddie Trevino, Commissioners Court, and Brownsville Mayor Trey Mendez mandate – and school buildings remain closed to students until September 8, 2020.That schedule may change depending on the levels of COVID-19 infection in the community.
The BISD model allowed parents to commit to distance learning two weeks before the start of the school year. Parents who chose distance learning and want for their child to switch to face to face learning need to wait until the end of the marking period to change to face-to-face learning. Or, if they want, they can do face-to-face half a day and distance learning the other the other half.
Teachers and staff were instructed to wear long-sleeved scrubs as a part of the Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).
Parents of the county's 57 HS centers will have those option starting August 25, according to the Family Services department of (NINOS), which runs the Head Start centers across the county.
The parents who choose face-to-face instruction will be provided a packet of instructions to prepare their child to an environment where their temperature will be taken, they will be required to wear a mask, wash their hands with soap frequently, and use a hula hoop to teach them to maintain a social distance.
"We are also going to instruct the parent to teach their kids not to be afraid of teachers wearing face masks and we'll try to teach them to keep a social distance with hula hoops," a NINOS administrator said.
Those who choose for their children to stay at home will do so through their personal computers if they have one or can wait until the face-to-face instruction is implemented at all centers.
Head Start centers across Cameron County – and across the country – take children 0-4 who are taught learning through play, creative expression and guided activity.
Staff and paraprofessionals got the news of the face-to-face, virtual learning options Thursday during a 1 p.m. meeting. Unlike students, most Head Start centers have required the teachers and supportive staff to attend to the work site in person. A spokesperson said that the centers would follow the CDC guidelines and state orders on social distancing and the opening of schools.
Some staff members and educators have have expressed fear that they might be exposed to COVID-19 because of previously reported positive cases there.
"Do they think that kids under four years of age are going to sit still for social distance and not playing with other kids?," one commenter asked. "The staff has to change diapers on some of them. How are they going to do that without going near them and touch them? How about feeding them their bottles? Manuela (Rendon) is using little kids like guinea pigs. I think that they are so anxious to protect their federal funding they are rushing into this before the public schools."
Meanwhile, when asked about the apparent disconnect between the local school district and the Head Start centers, NINOS Executive Director Rendon is said to have explained that the Head Starts were day care centers and not educational facilities. That seems to go against the arrangement she made with the BISD Superintendent Carl Montoya to have the district co-teach with Head Starts.
The national office of Head Start and Early Head Start recommends that the centers stay in continuous communications with the parents to encourage their participation in their cognitive and social development. Distancing, they advise, should not mean isolation.
The program is funded by the US Department of Health & Human Services local regional office in Dallas, and it operates four grants: Head Start, Early Head Start, TDA, and T/TA. The service area covers born through four (4) years of age.
Head Start children receive services that include educational, nutritional, dental health, transitional, and special services. Some of those services have been stopped in Cameron County due to the viral crisis. One of the criteria for receiving Head Start services is that the families must meet federal income poverty guidelines.
The COVID-19 crisis has forced some of the centers to stop distributing meals, diapers and formula while observing social distancing guidelines against the virus. Parents are encouraged to contact the workers at their center to see what support and other activities they will provide for young children and their parents.
46 comments:
Guinea Pig experiment or a way to prove Headstart used the millions in funds they recieved for Covid 19. The funds were not spent as they should have ( providing formula, diapers , food , counseling) to families most in need. Now she's concerned about the children. Infants and children infected with SARS COV-2 and Pediatric Inflammatory Multisystem Syndrome is on the rise. The adults will become infected and could have permanent multi organ damage. Is Cameron County Headstart going to pay for the longterm treatment of the employees who become infected? Shame on them for using the poorest children and families for personal gain.
Manuela and Lucy , go out to the centers!!! Why does the infamous Lucy(who no one sees) continue to get a paycheck when all she does is sit her fat ass at home or stuffing her face at the restaurants the HEADSTART elite meet at three times a day
All children's Head Start ..
Begin with an eye in their safety
Which includes their HEALTH.
MAS VALE UN PAJARO EN MANO(Casa)
K DOS en arbol(riesgo)
Keep them Home if their Healthy as we speak.
Manuela and Lucy , go out to the centers!!! Why does the infamous Lucy(who no one sees) continue to get a paycheck when all she does is sit her fat ass at home or stuffing her face at the restaurants the HEADSTART elite meet at three times a day.
How many employees are quarantined?????????
There's growing evidence that children and young adults may be contributing to the spread of the coronavirus more than previously thought — even if they show mild symptoms or no symptoms at all. Researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital found that children in the asymptomatic and early infection phase had higher levels of the virus than hospitalized adults with over seven days of symptoms.
The study, published in the Journal of Pediatrics, looked at 192 children and young adults up to age 22 with suspected or confirmed coronavirus infections. Of the 49 who tested positive for the virus, only 25 had a fever.
However, viral load in the infected kids was "significantly higher" than adults with severe COVID-19 cases, the researchers said. Higher viral loads increase the risk of contagion, which raises more concerns as many students across the country return to school.
"The big concern here is that children and young adults are going to be one of the major drivers of ongoing COVID-19 spread, carry the virus into their homes, exposing their parents or maybe their grandparents who are at higher risk of developing severe disease," Dr. Shoshana Ungerleider, a internal medicine physician in California, said on CBSN.
And since kids can transmit the virus without showing any symptoms themselves, schools cannot just rely on temperature checks or symptom questionnaires to stop the spread, Ungerleider said.
"We need schools to really prioritize efforts to stop the spread by enforcing things like social distancing, wearing masks, creating more remote learning options if that makes sense in a community," she said.
Parents have to have a plan. Who is going to take care of the child if they get the virus? Who is going to be strong when they see their child suffering? (sometimes relatives can not take care of a sick child....too emotional). Who is going to enter the room to feed the sick child and thus not infect the other family members?
Who is going to take care of the parents when their child dies? This can haunt them the rest of their lives.
Hopefully, the kids, will not get the virus....
PS Every day on the radio in the afternoon, a funeral service guy promotes his wares: coffins,
flowers, prayers, funeral home etc
He gives his phone number.... Very charming seller...call me...he says...
Those are the ones getting rich coffin builders, cemeteries, funeral homes, headstone makets and you guessed it elected officials.
I can't believe how parents are even thinking of sending their own children to the Headstart,is it because they dont want to deal with their kids at home? , even risking them to get infected. Right now is about stopping the spread of Covid-19 and its true how are they going to prevent the kids at that age self distance. No matter what the staff will not be social distancing when attending to their needs. Parents and Adminstrstors open your eyes and think about everyone health. Why is it that the Headstart Administration doesn't provide parents with the school supplies and have the parents teach their children at home. No matter what the Headstart stands for, they need to do the samething as the School Districts are doing. Who is that Rendon, does she even think about the safety of the staff and children apparently not. Time for a change and have someone else run the Headstart. It looks like Rendon doesn't care about the safety of her staff and students. ��������
I want to know who is looking out for the head start workers.i am sure they all have families to .if head start is so big on la familia then keep everyone children an workers home with the family until it is atleast close to being safe to open up. I thought I would never see the day when I would be ashamed of supporting ninos and head start
Working at 100% this passed week with no children already has center quarantined and empoloyees testing positive!!!!!Putting employees and their families at risk!!!
That Rendon lady has been there too long i remember when she was so loving and caring about building a brighter future for children and families. I think after all these years Head Start is a business to her now. I heard she doesn't take advice from anyone because she is the boss. That lady doesn't realize everyone gets older we have to let the younger new ideas take over because if she thinks its a good idea to open head start when all the other schools are closer that lady has already lost it
I would like to see Rendon go visit all the head starts centers and go face to face when those poor teachers have all the kids present. Shit, i bet she’s isolated in her big office all safe and sound.
So Headstart is not educational? It's original purpose was to start these children in an environment that was educational in nature so when they start school they don't have to be so far behind. I guess the Chiefs have the option to call it whatever they want to when it is convenient to them. Bottom line is...just because the Chiefs say it is not like a school the virus will not affect the children and adults that will be in that non-educational setting. Where do they hire these BOLA DE BRUTOS. My bad..they don't get hired..they just get ANNOINTED by their COMPADRES..CRONIES OR FAMILIARES..because if they are using their "professional skills"...chingado they need to get their money back from the university they attended...That is if they even attended one.
Please stop bashing manuela and Lucy..their staff is very well trained. If daycares are running......than why are people not opposing it...oh! I know why..because its HeadStart. Instead of the negativity pray for all emoyees,children and families. God bless you Manuel and Lucy. Headstart employees and famlies may our Lord Jesus Christ bless you and keep you safe of this terrible enemy COVID19
Its never been about the families or employees. They are the mules who raise the funds to keep up Rendon’s family’s lifestyle. Sell so many tickets or you pay for them . Donate this, donate that . Feed the piggies.
Clearly the well-being of the children and staff aren't being taken into too much consideration. This virus is 2 things, unpredictable and very contagious. It should not be taken likely. We don't know very much about this virus which means we need to seek advice of people who specialize in this area. Armchair epidemiologist shouldn't be the voice of logic in this experiment of opening up 100%.
All day cares are opened all nurseries are opened. What can't schools?
Headstart is a great program, but it needs a change.Manuela and Lucy need to let go and let Kowalski and Mr. Herrera run this program they will make this the best program. They are educated people and very professional.OH and don’t blame Manuela and Lucy only, the area managers need to do their job also, some get paid and never at their center.They just sit their ass in the office and don’t even know how to use a computer.They expect for Teachers to teach, be custodians, family service workers,and do maintenance around the center. Family service workers sit browsing internet while teachers have to do folders from putting in forms, filling out every single form and getting signatures. Why have family service workers, if teachers are doing their job? Manuela and Lucy give the opportunity someone else, it’s time to walk out the door.... It’S probably hard to let go of the thousands u get...after getting your check,but at sometime you need to let go of the program. People are fed up already.
She needs to be replaced NOW before its too late.
She should have kept quiet now we know how incompetent she really is FIRE HER ASSSSSS NOW...
I worked in the main office during an election year. Rendon got on the intercom and asked everyone to meet in the conference room. They then stood there and told us who we should be voting for. (These candidates are the ones who conveniently didn’t notice all of the shady stuff going on in the organization.) They then let us all leave the office to go attend early voting nearby. Of course they had no way of knowing if we followed their recommendations for candidates but it was implied that we should.
We were also made to sell raffle tickets regularly. If we were unable to sell them we were told we had to pay for them. I’m sure that most or some of the Proceeds from these paper raffle tickets was pocketed by the directors and all of the prizes, including cars, were donated.
Ortega and Rendon are shady criminals and everyone knows it. I have no idea why no one has ever stepped up and said something. I guess as long as they are still providing services to children it is allowed.
Wow..you just noticed there are supervisors that don't supervise and directors who don't lead. In Brownsville the culture of "The Patron" still is on-going. And these "patrones" still expect to treated as such because they feel entitled. Whether they perform or not, which most of the time they don't, they keep their jobs by kissing the behinds of those politicrooks that don't have any "common sense" financial or managerial which is needed to run a governmental entity.
It is time that candidates for office are better vetted instead of allowing puros ca__rones hambrientos to run for whatever office is open.
How come some staff when they are sick are required to get Dr. release with no restrictions to come back to work. But Mrs Lucy does use a walker that is a restriction cuz if she doesn’t have the walker she can’t walk. That is not right we all need to be treated the same. Other staff that used to be working there got sick and they were out for a couple of months and they were still getting a paycheck and their insurance so they could be hospitaliZed with benefits.
This is another scratch my back organization people are put there to get votes for elected officials. THAT NEEDS TO STOP you are only hurting the children by placing incompetent employees there
RESTRUCTURE THIS AGENCY AND HIRE QUALIFIED PERSONNEL DO IT NOW!!!!!
YOU ARE ONLY HURTING THE CHILDREN DO IT NOW!
They will never get rid of Manuela and Lucy. They are too locked in to the democrat party and its officials. Ask hinojosa and trevino.
Wow! Where do I even begin with the stories I have from my years working with NINOS?!
Let's start at the top where both Manuela Rendon and Lusi Ortega are sitting fat on their 6 figure paychecks. All while the people who actually do the work and run this potentially great organization are still stuck at slightly higher than minimum wage salaries. How can 2 people who claim to be advocates for low income families bring in such high salaries and still demand more from the people under them who make far less?! The ENTIRE organization - staff AND children - were often FORCED to sell raffle tickets for these 2 ladies While the proceeds from these raffles were not part of the operating budget. Staff is told that if the tickets aren't sold, the balance will be deducted from their pay. We were once forced to sell raffle tickets so that Mrs. Rendons granddaughter could go on a trip. We were not allowed to decline. This was expected of everyone at the office. They would also sell costume jewelry out of the conference room or Mrs. Rendons office and she would call every office over one-by-one and it was implied that you needed to purchase something. Lusi would make rude comments if you would decline. If you tried to lie and say you didn't have cash, they would offer to let you "pay later". These ladies also have their 2 favorite male Area Managers that they call over to the main office from their centers and have them chauffeur them to restaurants and around town. Everyone knows that these two are. They're the favorites and are constantly doing all they can to stay in those positions. They would also take the main office maintenance man to their homes to do maintenance favors and yard work while one the clock. We were told which candidates to vote for and urged against voting for others because of the impact it would have on our jobs if the wrong person was elected and the company lost funding. Once in a while they would pull every cook from every center to the main office to spend days there making dozens upon dozens of tamales for the ladies personal use. They would hold a carnival annually. The children would perform for the public and their families but the families had to pay to park. So essentially these low income families had to not only travel to San Benito from other cities because the child HAD to be there BUT they also had to pay to watch their child perform. Every Christmas the main office and centers staff would have to put on a Christmas show for Rendon and Ortega. They were basically up there on stage like performing monkeys for the amusement of these 2 women. It was humiliating and degrading and very Mandatory! At the main office we were told when we can take breaks and when we can use our accumulated vacation time. We were only allowed to take vacation time when the company would be shut down for holidays and breaks anyway. The board is full of members who are longtime friends of these 2 "leaders" so they get away with more than they should. This organization has the potential to do wonderful things but it will never happen as long as those 2 are still involved.
57 centers x average of # of employees@ ea. Center x # of tickets x price of raffle tickets....do the math... How long has this been going on? AUDIT THE BOOKS for the last 7 years. This is a case for the FBI.
Investigate the money laundering . Fraud , the raffles of many years , the use of federal funds for political candidates and self serving projects. Where’s the FBI ? Enough of the abuse of power and lining Rendon’s and her political cronies’ pockets . Audit, Audit , now .
I can see how the ability to remain anonymous is giving NINOS employees the courage to speak out. This is like the ELLEN situation and could be a whole other article in itself!
Employees walk around the main office terrified of these 2 women. We walk by and avoid eye contact hoping they don’t call us over to talk to them. We only put up with it because we need our jobs and those 2 are in the office so rarely anyway. You do not want to be on their bad side!
I’m not even sure what Rendon does with the organization. She doesn’t know how to use a computer and requests paper copies of everything. Her assistant it terrified of her and watches the cameras in her office for advanced warning of when Rendon drives up. Then runs to her office to drop her messages on her desk before she can walk in. You’d think she was The Godfather or something.
They’re “favorites”, the ones they give the special treatment to, even talk badly about them but kiss their butts constantly just to stay in their good graces.
NINOS - at least the main office - is a Super Toxic work environment!
Nothing new here, its been going on for a long long LONG TIME. Its time to stop all the corruption at this place. do it now stop the abuse of employees and maybe MAYBE some children we'll never know if there is no investigation.
The (administraiont) still think its 1960.
START AN INVESTIGATION NOW!!!
THIS IS NO LONGER THE 1960'S
@6:09 Pinche idiota thinks he's works for the Washington Post!!! Keep it short pinche mongo!!!
If FBI comes and questions staff that has been their 5 or more years this ladies will spend their last yrs of life in prison.This agency has existed for many yrs, staff have worked their 30 yrs and get paid the same as somebody working their only 1yr, how can that be... !!! Where is all the money!!! south west key pay their employees more, and staff in Head Start have degrees!!! Some staff fight so they can give us raise, but Rendon and Lucy don’t want to lose money.. they prefer to have those dollars for them.Teachers work their ass like crazy, You name it they do it.
Orale FBI do something they're meskins INVESTIGATE another brown feather on your hat...
With this whole Covid going around they require all Teacher Aides to delivering food at the families home. That’s not safe!
OMG I can’t believe that teacher aides are doing that where are the precautions for COVID-19. And they don’t even get paid enough. The
Call the feds this agency need to be investigated ENOUGH IS ENOUGH
FILE A COMPLAIN WITH THE FBI
Call the FBI they're shredding papers they worked all this weekend!!
My C I called and left a message they were burning every thing in a 55 gal drum and they called a gargabe company to pick up moutains of trash... Where's the FBI?
LatinX
Really sickening Latinos destroying Latino families.
It’s not ONLY TEACHER AIDES, but all the other staff as well get the shit end of the stick. Honestly, it comes from the top. They do what they are told. Most ppl that work there need their job. When asked to do something SOME will question it and be retaliated against. Staff that know the rules are then black balled. Leadership needs some training themselves. Even tho they claim they had training in “sensitivity” Lots of managers lack it. They do what they have always done bc it’s allowed. Ppl have been in those positions for YEARS. Only Bc that’s HOW they are trained. It’s a really great program if ran the right away. Ppl with fresh ideas have had their ideas shut dwn Bc Rendon is stuck in her old ways. It’s 2020. Start acting like it.
Most of the staff are good ppl that treated like shit.
I’m a former employee, and I once heard Ms. Lusi tell the staff that made her breakfast that she could tell the difference of when she scrambled the egg in a bowl and if she scrambled it in the pan :0 For the staff next time to scramble her egg in the Bowl. This is what the staff puts up with. Bc who are they going to complain to? Numerous complaints have been sent to the Regional office, and what has been done?
My friend works for ninos and she said her area manager was yelling at her! She's an adult, what gives anyone the right to yell at people. She asked around and people said oh yeah that's just the way she is, she's like that with all her staff. I told her to get out but she really needs the job. I get redirecting people but yelling? You don't do that. I can't judge all the area managers by this one, I'm sure there are good ones but honestly where is the professionalism? I told her if she doesn't report her area manager to the main office I will! This can't keep going on. You have no right to make people feel inferior to you. I guess that comes from the top. To any supervisor who honestly takes care of their staff and treats them with respect i have much respect, for the others ones, whatever you are going through dont take it out on your employees. She won't tell me her name but if she does I will be posting it.
That agency is simply everyone for them self. I know some die hard love head start people who work there and I know the what can you do for me bosses that work there also. Some people got fed up with the kissing as and tried to quit and they wouldn't except my resignation because they liked them kissing there ass.I am sure as a man some guys get tire of having two women with no man in there life treat them like prieces of meat!!
I guess ninos is like any other agency with its ups and downs. No Boss is perfect just like no staff is perfect. The problem is people get disgruntled when they don't get there way. I have been with ninos for years and it may not be pefect but it strives to be...and all lusi and Ms Rendon ever did was look out for children and families. I should know cuz i was once one of the families they helped and i am forever grateful,.
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