KAYSVILLE—The Davis School District’s free Head Start and Early Head Start programs provide social, emotional, and academic foundations for children aged 0-5 while significantly involving and supporting low-income families through resources, home visits, and skill-building opportunities.

The free program benefits children at an age when they are constantly learning new things and gives them the tools they will need to be ready for kindergarten.

 “We also do a lot of parent engagement within our classroom. We try to get parents involved,” said Marianne Henderson, director of Head Start. “We do activities in the classroom once a month and invite parents to come in. If the family is in crisis, it’s hard for kids to learn.” 

The staff work together with the parents for some parent-child learning. There are in-home visits with the staff and parents to educate not only the kids, but the parents too.

“We work with the kids in the classroom, and help provide resources for the whole family,” including health and dental services, said Heather Linehan, family partnership manager for Head Start. Teachers work with parents to plan activities. The teachers also visit families weekly to meet with the parents and children. 

The Davis Early Head Start program is for toddlers aged 0-3, but it is specifically geared toward low-income families. “Head Start has a huge economic impact on communities by preparing children for school, connecting families to resources and strengthening local economies,” said Henderson. “In our community, Head Start not only supports children but helps build a stronger, more resilient workforce for generations to come.”

The Head Start program helps kids ages 3-5. The program teaches kids letters, numbers, and shapes. Fabiola Carrasco’s daughter was in the program. “A skill she learned was recognizing all the letters of the alphabet,” she said. “The amazing way her teachers introduced a new letter each week – by asking students to bring an item from home that started with that letter – helped her understand the sounds of the alphabet.”

The program not only benefits the child. “Research shows that every dollar spent on high-quality early childhood programs like Head Start yields up to $7 in long-term savings through improved education outcomes, reduced crime and increased earnings,” said Henderson.

“Every step of our Head Start journey has filled me with the confidence that our goals for our family and hopes for our daughter will be realized,” said Miranda Curtis, a parent in the Head Start program. “My husband and I have been able to take advantage of new job offers, courses on budgeting and parenting, and are confident in the progress our daughter is making. I can honestly say we would not be where we are today without our Head Start family.” 

To register, use this link https://www.davis.k12.ut.us/page/early-childhood-programs - head.