MOCA Head Start

What is Head Start/Early Head Start?

A federally funded comprehensive child development program that serves children ages 3 to 5 for Head Start and 0-3 for Early Head Start
Committed to recruiting and enrolling children with disabilities
Provides education, health, mental health, disability services, nutrition, parent engagement, and family services
Is a provider of parent education opportunities that help improve the quality of life for the families it serves
Is family-centered and respects the parents as the primary educators and nurturers of their children
Prepares both the child and the families for Kindergarten with school-readiness skills

For Head Start, children must be 3 years old by July 31st to apply for the upcoming school year

Limited transportation assistance is available

Head Start offers full day/full year, extended day/part year, and part day/part year programs

10% of Head Start enrollment is made available to children with disabilities regardless of severity

Education

- Helps children develop socially, physically, emotionally and intellectually

- Age appropriate curriculum and activities

- Children participate in indoor and outdoor play

- Encouraged to express their feelings, develop self-confidence, learn the ability to get along with others

- Help children develop school-readiness skills

- Transition services are offered as a child enters and exits the program and when entering Kindergarten

Health & Nutrition

- Comprehensive health programs to promote preventative health services

- Encourage yearly dental and physical exams

- Help establish medical and dental homes for all the families

- Children served at least one hot meal and nutritious snack each day

- Encourage family style dining

- Children participate in nutrition activities to promote nutritional dietary concepts and healthy eating habits

Mental Health

- Encourage children's social and emotional development

- Provide families with services and resources to help then transition through life's stages

- Help children develop healthy social and emotional skills

- Teach staff, families, and children about Trauma Smart and how to use it

Disability Services

- Head Start is a fully inclusive program

- All enrolled children recieve screening and assessments

- Parents are fully informed about all aspects of their child's progress

- Help families advocate for their children with IEPs/IFSPs

Family Services

- On-going assistance is provided to families based on individual strengths, interests and needs

- Families are assisted through community resources, emergency assistance and crises intervention

- Workshops are provided to help parents/families gain knowledge of child development, foster parental confidence and skills, or enhance other life skills

Parent & Community Engagement

- Parents are their child's first teacher and the most important influence in a child's development

- Head Start is partially funded by the federal government, and supported through volunteer hours of parents and members of the community (In-Kind)

- We establish ongoing community relationships that are responsive to children and family needs

- Ways that parents and communities can be involved and engaged in the program:

Parent Meetings/Committees
Policy Council
Local Community Events
Community Partnerships and Collaborations
Extended Learning Activities with Children

CENTER LOCATIONS

For more information please contact our Central Office at 1-800-879-3264
Or scan this QR code to start an application for the Early Head Start/Head Start program

Annual Program Reports

Self-Assessment 2023-2024

Annual Report 2023-2024

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