Three New Head Start Sites to Open

Orange County, Fla. – Orange County Head Start will open three new centers around Central Florida to provide underserved preschool children and their families with comprehensive services to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional and mental health needs.

The Head Start centers will be open on August 14, 2017, at the following locations:

McCoy Elementary School
5225 Semoran Blvd.
Orlando, Florida 32822 

Three Points Elementary School
4001 S. Goldenrod Road
Orlando, Florida 32822

Washington Shores Elementary School
944 W. Lake Mann Drive
Orlando, Florida 32805

The Head Start program is entering its 52nd year in Orange County and currently operates 22 centers in Orange County, with 10 leased sites from Orange County Public Schools. The program serves 1,536 children yearly.

“Head Start firmly believes that the home is the first school and parents are children’s first teacher,” said Head Start Director Sonya Hill, who is also a past Head Start student of Orange County Head Start in 1976. “From the first meeting with Head Start parents, staff encourages families to participate in all aspects of the Head Start program. Children of involved parents are more likely to succeed academically. Parent involvement also promotes life-long learning.”

Head Start has been a sponsor with the Child Care Food Program for more than 30 years. The Child Care Food Program is a federally funded program that reimburses child care providers for serving meals to eligible children. Children enrolled in Head Start are automatically eligibile to receve free meal benefits.

For more information about Orange County Head Start or the opening of the new centers, please contact Sonya Hill at 407-836-6590 or at sonya.hill@ocfl.net.