S7HD to relocate Cairo Head Start due to safety concerns
CAIRO, Ill. (KBSI) – The Southern 7 Health Department will relocate the Cairo Head Start due to safety concerns for the children and staff.
In June 2023, the Southern 7 Policy Council and the Board of Health made the decision to relocate it due to safety concerns for the children and staff and the inability the impracticability of renovating the current building.
An exhaustive search is being conducted in Cairo to find suitable space for the relocation of the Head Start program.
“Until suitable space is located, plans have been made to temporarily house Cairo Head Start children at the Mounds and Egyptian Head Start sites,” said Rhonda Andrews-Ray, Southern 7 Executive Director. “In the meantime, while the search continues, the Cairo Head Start building will be closed on August 4, 2023 due to safety concerns for the children and staff. It is our sincere hope a new location for the program will be found and Head Start can be reopened in a suitable Cairo location as soon as possible.”
A professional building inspector evaluated the condition of the Cairo building earlier in 2023. The results of this inspection caused “serious concern for the safety of the children and staff.” The Cairo building had a minimum of five, very significant structural defects including the roof, walls, and floor system, according to S7HD.
An architect and engineer estimated the cost of renovations to repair the Cairo building to required standards was more than $1 million.
Southern 7 was advised by the Office of Head Start in Washington, DC that they will not allow expenditure of money to renovate a modular building that has outlived its life expectancy. The Cairo modular building is about 25 years old.
Southern 7 Health Department and Head Start does not have $1 million to fix the building and the Office of Head Start will not permit further expenditure of funds for the building, according to S7HD.
