Welcome Parents!

We're excited to offer an exceptional free pre-school for young children that can help set them up for success. At Indiana County Head Start, we understand the early years of a child's life are critical for their development and growth. That's why we're committed to providing high-quality early childhood education and comprehensive services to families in our community.

Our program is designed to help children between the ages of prenatal and five years old develop the skills needed to succeed in school and in life. We provide a safe and nurturing environment where children can learn, play, and grow. Our experienced and compassionate staff are dedicated to helping each child reach their full potential.

We understand choosing a program for your child is a big decision. We encourage you to complete our registration form located on the registration page or give us a call at 724-349-6200 (choose registration). We'll answer any questions you may have and provide you with all the information you need to make an informed decision.

We believe that every child deserves a great start in life, and we're committed to helping families in our community achieve that goal. So don't wait - contact us today and let us help your child reach their full potential.

Program Benefits

  1. Research-based curriculum designed to meet the needs of young children.

  2. Individualized attention and support to help each child succeed.

  3. Safe and welcoming environment that fosters social and emotional development.

  4. Nutritious meals and snacks that meet the needs of growing children.

  5. Comprehensive health services, including screenings, checkups, and healthcare providers referrals.

  6. Family support services to help parents and caregivers support their child's development and education.

Centers

Our Head Start classrooms are divided into various centers. Each center provides many learning opportunities. Look for these center signs when visiting your child’s classroom.

  • Children Are Learning: Shapes and size, counting, how to create and build, problem solving, strengthen and control.

  • Children Are Learning: Hand-eye coordination, how to strengthen and control small muscles, and school readiness skills.

  • Children are Learning: to control their emotions, patience, and how to calm themselves.

  • Children are Learning: to explore and experiment, cooperate and share, predict and observe, hand-eye coordination, and cause and effect.

  • Children are Learning: to strengthen and control small muscles, how to create, express themselves, and sharing and taking turns.

  • Children Are Learning: to pretend, communication, cooperation sharing, role-playing life experiences, and how to use their imagination.

  • Children are Learning: to explore and experiment, how to ask questions, making connections to the real world, problem solving, and science and math concepts.

  • Children are Learning: how to express themselves , cooperation, how to work together, and how to strengthen and control muscles.

  • Children Are Learning:, muscle skills, balance and coordination, sharing and taking turns, exploring nature and surroundings, taking risks and trying new things, and the importance of fresh air and exercise.

  • Children are Learning:, book handling skills, print awareness, how to enjoy books and reading, how to retell stories, and making connections to the real world.

  • Children are Learning: exploration and experimentation, coordination, sharing, predicting and observation, eye-hand coordination, and cause and effect.

  • Children Are Learning: listening skills, print awareness, how to enjoy music and books, book handling skills, and sharing and cooperating.

  • Children are Learning: print awareness, how to strengthen and control small muscles, expressing their ideas and thoughts, and how to use writing materials.

  • Children are Learning: how to follow directions, participating in large group settings, paying attention in group settings, and boundaries or personal space.

Make a Difference

Policy Council

Policy Council is a group of Head Start and Early Head Start parents as well as community members who help lead and make decisions about their program. This group takes part in the decision and policy making of Indiana County Head Start. It is an essential part of the Governance structure that helps guide the program. Your role as an elected member means that you will represent the parents' voice in the program that affect policies and program operations. The Policy Council meets monthly as a group. Members can serve for one year at a time, and for up to five years. They work closely with the program's management team and governing body to provide overall direction for the program.

The Policy Council is composed of one representative and one alternate from each parent committee, as well as community representatives from community fields such as: social services, health, education, and past parents. Head Start believes that participation in the Policy Council is a perfect opportunity for parents to become deeply involved in program decision-making and in developing activities that benefit families and children.

Some of the important duties of Policy Council include initiating ideas for program improvement. approving and carrying out the Personnel Policies and Procedures, assisting in preparation of grant applications, assisting in coordinating and utilizing community resources, and participating in program planning and evaluation.

Parents from all Head Start centers and Early Head Start are elected by their parent group each year to be a part of the Policy Council, which is an important decision making body in the agency. Policy Council members are trained in leadership, information gathering and analyzing, and decision making and communication skills. The council meets monthly to vote on major program issues and set direction for our program. Representatives from the Policy Council also attend Executive Board meetings. The Executive Board has legal and fiscal responsibility for the Head Start program. 

An orientation and ongoing trainings are provided for parents elected to Policy Council to help them prepare for these duties and responsibilities.

Participation in Policy Council provides for parent involvement into every part of Head Start. Sharing in the decision-making process allows parents to really feel they have a significant influence in our program and helps parents experience and or learn the following benefits: leadership skills, advocacy skills, networking with other parents and staff, representing the voice of the(ir) children and parents at your site.

Volunteer

Volunteers are important in helping Head Start meet the needs of children. Parents may volunteer to read stories, sing songs, wipe noses and tears, play house, build with blocks, serve food, and supervise outdoor play.

Indiana County Head Start, Inc., in compliance with the PA Child Protective Services Law, now requires volunteers over the age of 18 to obtain clearances prior to volunteering. There is no cost for these clearances and our staff will help you apply for them. Please know that we value your input and could not do without your support. Your child(ren) would love to have you visit and/or volunteer in their classroom!

If a volunteer has been a resident of PA continuously for the past 10 years he/she must obtain every five years at no cost to the volunteer:

If the volunteer has NOT been a resident of PA continuously for the past 10 years, s/he must also obtain a FBI Criminal Background Check (fingerprint check) in addition to above mentioned clearances. There is a cost for the fingerprint clearance.

Copies of all volunteer clearances and signed disclaimer must be maintained by Indiana County Head Start in a central file.

All volunteers must have the approval of a manager and must be supervised by Head Start staff at all times. Volunteers will not be left alone with any child unless they are the biological parent or legal guardian of the child.

If you are interested in volunteering, please contact the administrative office at 724-349-6200.

Parent Resources