Early Childhood Education

Audubon Area Head Start program has a 16-county service delivery area, serving over 2,500 children from low-income families and children with disabilities through five programs administered by this department.

The Head Start program's primary goal is to provide comprehensive early childhood services for eligible children. All children are provided with a safe, nurturing environment in which they are given the opportunity to learn and experience success, with additional services provided to children with special needs. The program ensures that the children are provided with medical and dental examinations and nutritious meals. Head Start offers a variety of programming options from part-day classrooms to full-day, full-year classrooms. Specific programs include Early Head Start, which offers a home-based option for very young children.

The agency's Head Start program is one of only twenty-five programs in the nation to have achieved recognition as a national Program of Excellence by the National Head Start Association, a distinction we have maintained since 2000.

Benefits of our Head Start program

Health: We ensure that every child has access to regular screenings, immunizations, well-child visits, dental and nutrition services, health meals and social service programs like SNAP and WIC

Family Engagement: We believe that parents are their child’s first and most important teachers and we develop programs to engage parents as partners in their child’s learning and development

School Ready: Children who participate in Head Start meet school readiness goals in six areas;

  • Physical Development: Children will use their large and small muscles. They will also use healthy and safe habits

  • Language Development: Children will be able to understand and use expanded language to express their wants and needs, to engage in conversations, and follow directions.

  • Social and Emotional Development: Children will learn how to recognize and regulate their feelings. They will also develop positive relationships with adults and peers.

  • Literacy: Children will have knowledge of print and know that print is meaningful.

  • Approaches to Learning: Children will demonstrate flexibility, inventiveness, curiosity, motivation, persistence, and engagement in learning.

  • Cognition and General Knowledge: Children will use math in everyday routines to count, compare, pattern, and solve problems.

Enroll Your Child

Want to enroll your child in our Head Start program? Reach out to the location nearest you to start the process. View our directory for your local site’s contact information.

Partner with Us

Donating your time, talent, and knowledge is essential to our program’s success! There are many ways parents can help your local Head Start Classroom

  • You can present to a classroom about your job, culture, or areas of expertise.

  • Read to children as a group or individually

  • Work with children on indoor or outdoor projects

  • Donate supplies such as books, paper, other school supplies, etc.

  • Volunteer in a classroom or help with special events

  • Sponsor an event or training for parents and staff

Head Start Policy Council

Do you want to provide leadership and help shape the future of the Head Start program? The Policy council is a group of parents and community members elected to the role and is responsible for the direction and implementation of the Head Start Program. Members receive, revie and approve regular information regarding Program Planning, Policies and Procedures, and Head Start Operations. For more information about to be a part of this group, read our Policy Council Brochure or speak with your site’s Family Advocate.

This website is supported by Grant Numbers #04Ch012398, #04HP000632, and #04CH012904 from the Office of Head Start within the Administration for Children and Families, a division of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Neither the Administration for Children and Families nor any of its components operate, control, are responsible for, or necessarily endorse this website (including, without limitation, its content, technical infrastructure, and policies, and any services or tools provided). The opinions, findings, conclusions, and recommendations expressed are those of Audubon Area Community Services and do not necessarily reflect the views of the Administration for Children and Families and the Office of Head Start.