SNHS Head Start

SNHS Head Start offers part day and full day daycare for children up to two years prior to public school age entrance, up to three or four years old. They have centers in Nashua, Manchester, Hudson, Wilton, and Hillsborough. Eligibility criteria for Head Start is based on age, income, and weighted selection criteria. Income guidelines for families are 100% poverty. A family unit of four, for example, makes around $22,050. Part day Head Start is free. There is tuition assistance available for full day Head Start. They are benefited by The Quality Early Learning Initiative, a scholarship program that serves families whose total household income does not qualify them for childcare benefits.

SNHS Head Start offers pre-writing and pre-reading activities, family education, community access and outreach, coordination with educational and therapeutic services, monthly parent meetings, volunteer opportunities, and nutrition services. They offer medical services such as free hearing and vision screenings.

Activities in Head Start promote literacy, math, and social and emotional development. The centers provide the children nutritious meals in compliance with USDA through the Child and Adult Care Food Program. Currently, there is an enrollment of 299 children in both urban and rural sites in Hillsborough County. Each child has an individually designed program. Early Head Start has an enrollment of 64 infants, toddlers, and prenatal clients.

SNHS’s site says: “Southern New Hampshire Services Child Development programs are designed to meet each child's individual needs. Every child receives a variety of learning experiences that encourage social, emotional, physical and intellectual growth."

There are many options for families who want to join Head Start. Early Head Start serves pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and their families in center based and home-based programs. Centers in Hillsborough county offer after school programs for children in elementary school. Centers in this county also offer a full day care for children of age five who are in kindergarten.

For more information, visit their site: http://snhshome.homestead.com/childdev.html