Welcome!
Serving 279 local Children and Families!
McDowell County Schools Head Start/Early Head Start
Central Office
2111 Sugar Hill Rd.
Marion, NC 28752
Phone: (828) 652-3229 Fax: (828) 652-5110
Our Mission Statement
To provide high quality, comprehensive preschool services for children zero to five that will serve the needs of family and community and prepare children for entry to public school.
What We Offer...
We offer several different program options at varying locations. Classrooms at Sugar Hill center and Early Head Start are blended with several different program options defined below. Our classrooms in Elementary schools are all Head Start children only.
HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START ONLY: These children are in free slots from 8:30 a.m. until 2:30 p.m. These families qualify based on our guidelines. We have a total of 156 Head Start slots spread out between Sugar Hill, Old Fort, Eastfield, Nebo, and North Cove and 40 Centerbase Early Head Start slots and 12 Early Head Start Homebase slots based in our Early Head Start center in the Sugar Hill area.
HEAD START/EARLY HEAD START WITH WRAP-AROUND: These children are in a free slot from 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m.. These families qualify based on our guidelines, but need extended hours of care. These types of slots are only available at the Sugar Hill center for 3-5 year olds and available for infants/toddlers at Early Head Start.
PAID DAY CARE: This child is in a paying slot. They do not qualify for any of the free programs and are being charged for a full time slot. These types of slots are only available at Sugar Hill for 3-5 year olds (24 slots) and at Early Head Start (32 slots) for infants/toddlers. We do accept Child Care Vouchers from DSS. Follow this link to see our rates and policies: 2009-2010 Rates
MORE AT FOUR: This child is in a free slot from 8:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. These families qualify based on More at Four guidelines. For More at Four guidelines click here: More at Four 2009-2010
McDowell County Head Start/Early Head Start does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, or age in its programs and activities. The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the nondiscrimination policies:
McDowell County Schools' Personnel Director
PO Box 130
Marion, NC 28752
828-652-4535
Who is eligible?
Eligibility is based on the family income and our selection criteria/recruitment points. The income guidelines are based on the Federal Poverty guidelines in the chart below.
Our program accepts applications for children year round so
Apply at the Sugar Hill Center from 8 a.m. until 4:30 p.m.
2009 Poverty Guidlines
# of People in Family100%**130% 1 $10,830 $14,079
$10,830 $14,079 2 14,57018,941 3 18,310 23,8034 22,050 28,6555 25,790 33,5276 29,530 38,3897 33,270 43,2518 37,010 48,113For families with more than 8 persons, add $3,740 for each additional person.
**Families at 130% will only be placed after all income eligibile families have been placed off the wait list.
What is Head Start?
Head Start is a Federally funded, early childhood education program that started in the summer of 1965 as an eight week summer program. Over the years the program has grown and changed into a comprehensive early learning program that addresses education, nutrition, health, and social service needs of low income children ages 3-5 and their families.
What is Early Head Start?
Early Head Start is the infant/toddler program modeled after Head Start to serve low income pregnant mothers, infants, and toddlers the same way that Head Start serves pre-schoolers and their families. Early Head Start was created in 1995.
We have classrooms at:
Eastfield Elementary School (Year-Round Schedule) 2 classrooms
Early Head Start (Infant and Toddler Center) 8 classrooms
HOME BASE PROGRAM: This child is served at home with a 1.5 hour home visit per week. Your child's home visitor brings in developmentally appropriate activites for the child and information and resources for you.
EMAIL US IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PAY YOUR CHILD CARE FEES ONLINE!!
Once you
complete the
JOB APPLICATION please email it to: brenda.mckinney
@mcdowell.k12.nc.us
