Programs for Preschool Children (Age 3-5)

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Head Start is a comprehensive preschool program for children from ages three through five.  Preference is given to four and five-year-olds and to children with special needs.  Head Start first launched as an eight-week summer program in 1965 and was designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children from low-income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social health, and psychological needs.  An emphasis is on child-initiated activities by providing materials, equipment, and trained staff to assist in creative growth.  
There are 4 main major components to the Head Start Program

• Education
• Health
• Parent Involvement
• Social Services  

Head Start will assist families in receiving transportation to medical/dental appointments and parent involvement activities.   Head Start is free to all.  Ninety percent of the children who are accepted must qualify under the income guidelines.  Ten percent of the children may be accepted over the income guidelines when all income-eligible children are serviced.

 Families will be considered eligible if they meet the following criteria: 

• Must be 3 or 4 years old by school district cut-off date
• Meet income guidelines or 
• Meet Homeless or Foster criteria or
• Receive Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or 
• Receive Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF)

Armstrong County

• Apollo (Apollo, PA)
• Dayton (Dayton, PA)
• Ford City (Ford City, PA)
• Kittanning (Kittanning, PA)
• Shannock Elementary School (Rural Valley, PA)
• South Buffalo Elementary School (Freeport, PA)

Butler County

• Bon Aire Early Learning Center (Butler, PA)
• Bruin Elementary (Bruin, PA)
• Center Avenue Elementary (Butler, PA)
• Dassa McKinney Elementary (West Sunbury, PA)
• Mt Chestnut Early Learning Center (Butler, PA)
• North Street (Butler, PA)
• Oakland Learning Center (Butler, PA)
• Rowan Elementary (Cranberry Twp, PA)
• South Butler Primary Center (Saxonburg, PA)
• West End (Butler, PA)

Pre-K Counts is a full-day, five days per week high-quality early childhood education program that is regulated by the PA Office of Child Development and Early Learning. Highly qualified teachers with specialized training in Early Childhood Development and Education provide a wide variety of educational experiences that are intentionally designed to foster the attitudes, skills, and concepts young children need to make social and academic progress.

Eligible children live in families earning up to 300% of the poverty level and may be affected by other risk factors such as special needs or learning English as a second language.

Pre-K Counts classrooms are taught by certified teachers who have specialized training in early childhood education.  The research-based curriculum is linked to ongoing child assessment and results in individualized learning plans for each child.  The individual plans are carried out one-on-one, in small groups, and in large groups.   The maximum group size is twenty children.  The Teacher and an Assistant Teacher facilitate growth and development in a classroom setting that is furnished with a wide variety of age-appropriate learning materials. Classrooms operate six hours per day and follow the calendar of their school district.

 Families will be considered eligible if they meet the following criteria:  

• Must be 3 or 4 years old by school district cut-off date
• Meet income guidelines up to 300% of Federal Income Guidelines

Butler County

• Bon Aire Early Learning Center (Butler, PA)
• Connoquenessing Valley (Zelienople, PA)
• Dassa McKinney Elementary (West Sunbury, PA)
• Sugarcreek Elementary (Cowansville, PA)