Head Start Projects

Various Sites, Oregon

Rowell Brokaw has worked with Head Start for almost 20 years on projects ranging from surgical facility upgrades to phased expansions and major renovations. Our partnership extends to shared research and a commitment to the importance of early childhood education. Below we have highlighted three projects that show the range of work we have completed with Head Start.

The Head Start of Lane County received a Community Development Block Grant (CBGC) to make several improvements on their facility within the aging Whiteaker School in Eugene. These included a master plan to guide the immediate and future needs of the facility, as well as an addition, mechanical upgrades, an ADA survey, a new outdoor play area, and low-maintenance landscape improvements.

The Head Start of Harney County Early Childhood Center in Burns serves families throughout the largest county in the State of Oregon. This project replaces an inadequate facility with a new building supporting updated Head Start programs. The building includes five classrooms, meeting facilities, staff support, and a playground landscape. The classrooms are open and simple with small subspaces along the edges that allow good visibility for teachers while creating flexible settings for activities. For optimal daylighting and passive heating and cooling, all the classrooms face south with secondary windows high on the north side. Each classroom also opens directly to the south-side playground.

The Southern Oregon Head Start Progress Early Learning Center provides full-day Head Start and Early Head Start services for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers in Medford. Positioned between commercial and residential developments, the center accommodates families within both walking and driving distance. Formerly a movie theater converted into an office space, the building was further renovated for Head Start to include four classrooms, staff offices, meeting rooms, a parent room, a laundry room, bathrooms, kitchen space, and a playground. The renovation efficiently located classrooms with support spaces and outdoor play within a tight budget. Natural light and views are toward the outdoor play area, screening parking from the adjacent shopping area.