New facility is equipped with the latest technology, four traditional classrooms, an outdoor classroom, and playground
Hillsborough County, Fla. (March 19, 2024) - Hillsborough County Head Start and Early Head Start will hold a ribbon cutting for the new state-of-the-art early childhood education center at Church Park Head Start and Early Head Start Center, 5657 Webb Rd., Tampa, FL 33615, at 10 a.m. on March 25.
The new center is equipped with the latest technology, including computers and smart boards. It has two Head Start classrooms, two Early Head Start classrooms, and an outdoor classroom where children will be able to explore math, science, and reading with beautiful views and the serene sounds of nature as their backdrop, helping to stimulate brain development and build motor skills. The center also features a playground with fun and educational activities that will be used for exercise and learning.
The new center has capacity for 40 preschoolers and 16 infants and toddlers who will be able to participate in structured and quality education that prepares them for kindergarten and beyond.
This is the first Head Start and Early Head Start center that Hillsborough County has opened in nearly 10 years. Hillsborough County Head Start and Early Head Start operates 21 centers. All the centers are accredited with the National Association for the Education of Young Children, and received the State of Florida Gold Seal of Quality Learning.
The ribbon cutting is an opportunity to showcase the new facility and celebrate the history of the Head Start program, which was launched nationally in 1965 and continues to offer high-quality learning for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers throughout the nation. It will also be an opportunity for guests to meet with local partners of Hillsborough County Head Start and Early Head Start, including WEDU PBS, The Florida Aquarium, Glazer Children's Museum, Lutheran Services Florida, YMCA, and Hillsborough County Parks & Recreation.
Early Head Start is for children 6 weeks to 3 years old; Head Start is for children 3-5 years old. Classrooms have a teacher-to-child ratio of one teacher to 10 children in Head Start, and one caregiver to four infants or toddlers in Early Head Start. Staff members screen children to determine their overall level of development, and make ongoing assessments to monitor each child's progress. Each child is provided with experiences that maximize his or her total development, and Head Start and Early Head Start are available to children with special needs.
Along with providing early childhood development and education, Hillsborough County Head Start and Early Head Start programs also provide medical, dental, and mental health services; nutrition; parental involvement opportunities; and family support services specific to men, women, relationships, and expectant mothers.
To learn more, visit HCFL.gov/HeadStart or call (813) 272-5140.
Who: Hillsborough County Head Start and Early Head Start
What: Ribbon Cutting for the Church Park Head Start and Early Head Start Center
When: 10 a.m. on Monday, March 25
Where: 5657 Webb Rd., Tampa, FL 33615