Skip to main content

Keep up to date !!  Annoucements are posted on Class Dojo and Social Media
 

You are here

Enrollment

Head Start of Washington County is committed to providing quality services for your child and his/her total family. Early Head Start programs serve pregnant women and children from birth to age three. Head Start Programs serves children ages three to five years. Early Head Start children may qualify to transition into the Head Start Program or another Pre-K Program. Head Start of Washington County is MSDE Certified and OCC Licensed Program.

Families must reside in Washington County, Maryland and meet Head Start Income Guidelines for eligibility into the program. Those receiving public financial assistance, SNAP, TCA or SSI  are automatically eligible for our program.  Children are not required to be potty trained in our program.  

Head Start of Washington County will continue to fulfill our mission of providing children with nurturing experiences, and a strong foundation for developmental growth and opportunities to achieve school readiness.


WHAT CLASSES ARE OFFERED IN OUR PROGRAM?
 

Head Start Classes (Children age 3 to 5 years)

  1. Extended Day | Part-Year (September-June) Four Head Start Classrooms Available;
    Classes operate from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm;  Monday through Friday;
    at our MLK Center (131 W. North Avenue, Hagerstown, MD)
     
  2. Extended Day | Part-Year  (September-June) Five Head Start Classrooms Available;
    Classes operate from  9:00 am to 3:00 pm;  Monday through Friday;
    at Sargent Shriver HS Center (837 Spruce Street, Hagerstown, MD)
     
  3. Full-Day | Part-Year  (September-June) One Pre-K Classroom Available;
    This Class operates from  9:00 am to 3:30 pm;  Monday through Friday;
    at Sargent Shriver HS Center (837 Spruce Street, Hagerstown, MD)
     
  4. Full-Day | Full-Year (September-August) Two Head Start Classrooms Available;
    Classes operate from 7:00 am to 5:00 pm; Monday through Friday;
    This center requires parents to transport to and from the center; Bus transportation is not available;
    Child Care Scholarship is required for children to attend this center;
     at Elgin Station Center (40 Elgin Blvd., Hagerstown, MD)
     
  5. Extended Day | Part-Year (September-June) One Head Start Classroom Available;
    This Class operates from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm; Monday through Friday;
     at Noland Community Center (1048 Noland Drive, Hagerstown, MD)*
    * Note: Children in McCleary Hill can also be transported to this center. Children living in 
    Noland/McCleary Hill, age birth to age 3, may also attend our Shriver Center.

Early Head Start Classes (Children birth to 2 years)

  1. Full-Day | Full-Year (September-August) Two Infant Classrooms & Four Two's Classrooms Available;
    Classes operate from 8:00 am to 2:00 pm; Monday through Friday;
    Transportation of Infants is by parent;  Bus Transportation may be provided for Two & Three Year Olds;
    at MLK Center (131 W. North Avenue)
     
  2. Full-Day | Full-Year (September-August) One Infant Classroom & Two Two's Classrooms Available;
    Classes operate from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm; Monday through Friday;
    Transportation of Infants is by parent;  Bus Transportation may be provided for Two & Three Year Olds;
     at Sargent Shriver Center (837 Spruce Street)
     
  3. Full-Day | Full-Year (September-August) One Infant Classroom & One Two's Classroom Available;
    This center requires parents to transport to and from the center; Bus transportation is not available;
    Child Care Scholarship is required for children to attend this center;
    at Elgin Station Center (40 Elgin Blvd., Hagerstown, MD)

Early Head Start Home Based Option (Prenatal to age three years) 

Homebased option offers educational and family enrichment opportunities in the comfort of the family's home.  An  Advocate/Teacher will make weekly educational visits to your home and provide bi-weekly socializations in one of our centers.  Socializations allow children and parents to engage with other families. 
 


HOW TO ENROLL A CHILD IN OUR PROGRAM?                                                         

To  enroll a child in our program a Child Enrollment Application which is entitled Eligibility and Selection Form  must be completed by a parent or guardian. (one per child).  There are several ways you may submit your Childs Enrollment Application (Eligibility and Selection Form) .

Submit Child Enrollment Application Online: 
Enrollment-Child Eligibility and Selection Form (English)

 

Print Child Enrollment Application , complete it by hand and drop-off at one of our centers


 If you are unable to print a Child Enrollment Application , Please feel free stop by any of our five locations and pick up a Child Enrollment Packet, they are available at :

  1. Sgt. Shriver Center - 837 Spruce Street, Hagerstown, Maryland
  2. Elgin Station Center - 40 Elgin Blvd., Hagerstown, Maryland
  3. MLK Center - 131 W. North Ave., Hagerstown, Maryland
  4. Noland Community Center - 1048 Noland Dr., Hagerstown, Maryland
  5. Administration Office - 325 W. Memorial Blvd., Hagersown, Maryland

 4. If you would like a Child Enrollment Packet mailed to you by US mail or  sent to you by email you can do so by contacting  Missi Jones at (301) 733-4640 extention 110.    Missi Jones our Enrollment Specialist email address is: mjones@headstartwashco.org , you may contact her to answer any questions you have regarding filling out the application, providing the household income verifications documents, or waitlist status.

Below are additional documents included in a Child Enrollment Package, Please print these documents and have your childs doctor complete and return to our Sgt. Shriver Center. 

 

HOW TO ENROLL AS A EXPECTANT MOTHER IN OUR PROGRAM?

Expectant Mother Program (Prenatal) 

Head Start of Washington County offers a homebased prenatal options to expectant mothers.  When enrolling in this program the expectant mother is assigned a home based teacher who uses Parents as Teachers Curriculum to educate the mother about her pregnancy and what to expect once the baby is born. 

The needs for appropriate support for emotional well-being, nurturing and responsive caregiving, and father engagement during pregnancy and early childhood.  While enrolled the mother will receive two visits per month from a Homebased  Advocate/Teacher. The visits will consist of  a lesson from the curriculum.  

The Homebase  Advocate/Teacher will discuss with you and provide materials on 

•    Prenatal and Postpartum recovery
•    Education and services that address fetal development
•    The risks of alcohol, drugs, and smoking
•    Nutritional counseling
•    Food assistance
•    Oral health care
•    Labor and delivery
•    Mental Health Services; Parental depression
•    Infant care and breast feeding
•    Safe sleep practices
•    Substance abuse prevention and treatment
•    Emergency shelter or transitional housing in cases of domestic violence

The visits are scheduled with the mother and last about an hour and a half.   The mother is also offered a prenatal and postnatal visit from a registered nurse employed by Meritus Hospital. 
Once the baby is born the baby is then enrolled into the home based program and the family then receives weekly visits from Homebased  Advocate/Teacher using the Parents as Teachers Curriculum. 

 

Enroll Now Online: 
Enrollment-Expectant Mother Application (English)

 

Print Application: 
Expectant Mother Application (English).pdf


Head Start/Early Head Start 2024 Family Gross Income Guidelines 1/11/2024

As of January 11, 2024, the Federal Register the Department of Health and Human Services have released new 2024 poverty guidelines.  The 2024 Poverty Guidelines for the 48 Contiguous States and the District of Columbia are as follows:

------------------------------------------------------------------------

Persons in family/ household              Poverty guideline

------------------------------------------------------------------------

                     1                                              $15,060

                     2                                              $20,440

                     3                                              $25,820

                     4                                              $31,200

                     5                                              $36,580

                     6                                              $41,960

                     7                                              $47,340

                     8                                              $52,720

------------------------------------------------------------------------
For families/households with more than 8 persons, add $5,380 for each additional person. 

For general questions about the poverty guidelines themselves, please refer to the following resource:

https://aspe.hhs.gov/topics/poverty-economic-mobility/poverty-guidelines

 


WANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT RECEIVING MONEY TO PAY FOR QUALITY CHILD CARE?

The Child Care Scholarship (CCS) (formerly known as Child Care Subsidy/Child Care Vouchers) Program provides financial assistance with child care costs to eligible working families in Maryland. The program is managed through a centralized vendor Child Care Subsidy Central (CCS Central). For more information visit Maryland.gov website at https://earlychildhood.marylandpublicschools.org/child-care-providers/child-care-scholarship-program
To attend our Elgin Station Center a Child Care Scholarship is required.