Serving San Benito County since 1984, Head Start of Santa Clara and San Benito counties provides comprehensive early childcare and education programs that promote school success and family involvement for children birth to age 5.
Funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, the preschool program focuses on teaching children and parents early childhood education, health, and nutrition.
While the preschool program typically serves families of a low-income background, children in foster care, families receiving cash benefits services through CalWORKs, and children with disabilities are encouraged to take part.
“They are all to benefit from Head Start,” said Reyna Dominguez, supervisor of the Early Head Start Home Based Program, which is now accepting applications.
The program is designed for children ages birth to age 3. Once a week, for an hour and a half, a home specialist will work with the parents and child to provide early learning experiences in language, literacy, mathematics, social and emotional functioning, approaches to learning, science, physical skills, and creative arts. They also provide group socials for those participating in the program.
“We have two group socials a month where parents come together to continue doing activities with their children and learn about child development and also learn from each others parenting,” said Dominguez.
For children ages 3 to 5, Head Start provides a center-based program.
“With centerbased, you get a whole array of services from not only education but you have nutritional services, health services, disability mental health everything that a child would need to have an awesome start,” said Dominguez.
Located on 1011 Line St. in Hollister, the program offers part-time or full-day options. School is set to start on Aug. 21.