Head Start to Continue in Ouachita Parish

Prime Time will transfer operations to INK at the end of the school year

The Office of Head Start, through the Designation Renewal System (DRS), has named Innovative Network of Knowledge to provide Head Start services within Ouachita Parish.

Prime Time Inc., which has operated the program for the past six years, will continue to provide services throughout the rest of the school year. Classes will continue as normal until the scheduled last day on May 25, 2023. As of June 1, 2023, the program will be the responsibility of Innovative Network of Knowledge (INK). “We are proud of the work we have done in service to Ouachita Parish families over the past six years,” said Melinda Mintz, Prime Time board chair. “Working together with our local community partners, our Prime Time families, and our dedicated staff, we have developed four beautifully renovated school buildings, with safe and modern playgrounds; trained a team of highly qualified and effective educators who surpass the national average on CLASS, which measures the effectiveness of teacher-student interactions; and achieved school-readiness scores that show Prime Time students are entering kindergarten prepared to succeed.” “INK has provided high quality Head Start and Early Head Start programs for over a decade,” said Denise Shetter, executive director of INK. “We currently serve in 19 locations both within local school districts and stand-alone centers. INK is a mission driven organization that is passionate about our families, our staff and our communities and we look forward to serving in the Monroe/West Monroe area.” Both Prime Time and INK are committed to a seamless transition and continuity of services. Families and community partners will be notified of next steps as they become available during the transition period. The Louisiana Endowment for the Humanities, the statewide nonprofit that operates Prime Time, will continue serving the citizens of Ouachita Parish through its other programs, including its after-school Prime Time family engagement and literacy programs, and through LEH’s initiatives that support local libraries, museums, and other cultural institutions. It will also continue to operate its other Head Start and Early Head Start centers in Lafayette and Iberia Parishes.