Head Start Program officially begins on MAFB Published Aug. 18, 2016 By Senior Airman Apryl Hall Minot Air Force Base Public Affairs MINOT AIR FORCE BASE, N.D. -- The funding, personnel and equipment requirements were recently met in order for Minot Air Force Base to have a pre-kindergarten Head Start program on base.While in past years, parents who wanted their children to attend Head Start had to take them downtown, the program will now be available at Dakota Elementary on base this school year.“It’s just another aspect of Dakota Elementary,” said Karen Knowles, Minot Head Start program director. “Now they’ll actually have a preschool classroom and the proper equipment.”In order to get the funding, Knowles wrote a grant with a downtown bank which they accepted and funded the equipment purchases. Knowles and her small team headed a similar project with a downtown preschool last year and despite strict rules and regulations, were able to build a successful program.“Our regs are a little different,” Knowles said. “We have to have age-appropriate equipment and at least 6 inches of peat gravel spread, and our playground has to be fenced in.”With help from her staff, a few base volunteers and Airmen from the Civil Engineer Squadron, Knowles was able to install all the new equipment in just a day, to include musical and art gear, a sand and water table and all the playground equipment. As part of Knowles’ interactive initiative, a new outdoor interactive classroom helps with getting kids out and moving.“There’s a lot of research about sensory and self-regulation and not being outside enough, and the outside classroom will help with that,” Knowles said. “It will help with sensory issues. It’s my initiative.”The outdoor equipment allows the children to learn in an integrated way, stimulating senses and exercising all at the same time.“They’ll be able to take some of the things they’ve learned inside and bring it outside,” Knowles said. “They’ll be able to do science experiments with the tables and music and art. They’ll have an outdoor block area. It just brings things from inside outside and allows them to get interactive and out more.”In addition to all the great things the interactive classroom will bring, simply having a Head Start program available at Dakota Elementary will be convenient for students, teachers and parents. Never mind the shorter commute, the added benefits of establishing a comfortable environment for the pre-kindergarten kids is enough to be excited about, Knowles said.“That relationship between Head Start and kindergarten will be built right away with this school,” Knowles said. “The kids who attend Dakota for kindergarten will be familiar with the school and the teachers will be familiar with the kids, so it’s just a nice working relationship.”