Don't Wait -- Register Your Child for Head Start Now

WAKEFIELD – There’s just one month left until the start of the 2015-16 Head Start school year -- and South County Community Action Agency still has spots available for its classes in Washington County.

“This is the perfect time for parents to register their children for Head Start and avoid the last-minute rush,” said South County Community Action CEO Joseph DeSantis. “By completing the registration process now, local parents can ensure a place for their kids in our high-quality early education program.”

As of Aug.13, eight spaces were available in North Kingstown and 16 in Westerly, according to Social Service Coordinator Missy Menders. The Wakefield classroom is currently full, she added, though Head Start will continue to accept applications to fill its waiting lists.

South County Community Action Agency runs one classroom at its main office at 1935 Kingstown Road in Wakefield; two at 415 Tower Hill Road, North Kingstown; four at 34 Pond St., Westerly; and one at 4350 South County Trail, Charlestown.

Head Start is free to children ages 3 to 5 from families who meet federal income guidelines – a family of three with gross annual income of $20,090 would qualify, for example – or other qualifications.

Eligibility for Head Start is also determined by ZIP code, Menders added, which allows the local program to draw from the host communities as well as nearby towns like Exeter and Narragansett.

To start the application process, contact South County Community Action Head Start at (401) 789-3016 ext. 2307 or Missy Menders at mmenders@sccainc.org. More information, including the Parents Handbook, is available on the South County website,www.sccainc.org