Acelero Learning Selected as One of the New Head Start Replacement Grantees for Camden County, New Jersey

CAMDEN, N.J., Sept. 13, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Acelero Learning was selected as the new Head Start grantee for the East Camden and Pennsauken portion of Camden County, New Jersey by the US Department of Health and Human Services.  Acelero Learning Camden/Philadelphia is a delegate of Acelero Learning that serves infants and toddlers in Early Head Start in Camden and preschoolers in Head Start in Lower North Philadelphia, and will provide comprehensive services to 318 families in Camden County.  As a company,  Acelero Learning partners with local community leaders and organizations to pursue its mission of bringing a relentless focus on child and family outcomes to close the achievement gap for the children, families, and communities served by the Head Start program.  

In 2005, Acelero Learning Camden/Philadelphia received funding to provide Early Head Start services in Camden, and in 2010 Acelero Learning received funds to expand services to neighboring Philadelphia.  Acelero Learning has made significant improvements in both programs, dramatically increasing enrollment and teacher salaries, providing expanded hours of services to children and families, and developing state of the art facilities.

"I believe the work of the last six years has been to prepare us for this moment," said Reverend Mark Merrill, Board Chair of the Acelero Camden/Philadelphia Board.  "Together, I'm excited about all the amazing things we can make happen for each and every one of the children we will serve in Camden in Head Start."

"Our top priority is providing quality services to children and families with a seamless transition for families and staff," said Aaron Lieberman, a former Head Start teacher and Acelero Learning's founder and CEO. "By next fall, we will open our first zero to five learning center on Grand Avenue in East Camden, allowing us to enroll expecting mothers and provide services in the same facility until the moment that child goes to kindergarten.  This approach will help us achieve our mission of truly closing the achievement gap. "

"I understand the life-changing effects that Head Start has on the families we serve," commented Victoria Ankrah, the Executive Director of Acelero Learning Camden/Philadelphia.  "I was a Head Start child, and when I think about these transitions, I think about how my mother would have experienced it from a parent's eyes.  I pledge to our new staff and to our new families to do everything we can to be open, transparent, and collaborative throughout this transition process."

"Acelero Learning runs a phenomenal program.  I am a parent of an Acelero child, and I see the results of their teaching each day," said Laura West, an Early Head Start parent and Policy Council member from Camden.    "I am thrilled to see more children benefit from Acelero's programs, and our Policy Council was united in our support for this application."

Acelero Learning Camden/Philadelphia's application included letters of support from state and local leaders such as: Senator Frank Lautenberg, D – New Jersey; Senator Donald Norcross, D – New Jersey Senate; Hon. Angel Fuentes and Hon. Gilbert L. "Whip" Wilson, New Jersey General Assemblymen;  as well as dozens of other community organizations in Camden County.  

Acelero Learning has developed a reputation for helping local communities improve the quality of their Head Start programs.   "Each of our local partnerships have resulted in improved and expanded services, higher teacher salaries, and a clear focus on making real differences in the lives of children and families," said Aaron Lieberman. "We are excited to add Head Start services in Camden County where we first began serving children in Early Head Start."

Today, Acelero Learning serves over 4,000 families in Head Start programs across the country.  "I am sure our local affiliate in Camden County will have similar positive results," said Lieberman.   Acelero Learning is committed to providing the highest quality programs that support the cognitive, physical, social and emotional growth of all children.  Acelero Learning strives to meet the needs of a diverse population and foster successful home, school and community partnership.  

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