Harris County Department of Education Head Start celebrated the opening of its new 20,000-square-foot facility on about 3 acres in Baytown with a ribbon cutting. The facility will house Early Head Start and Head Start under one roof.

HCDE Board of Trustees were joined by Superintendent James Colbert Jr. and other HCDE administrators along with City of Baytown Mayor Brandon Capetillo. Baytown Head Start students performed songs for those in attendance. Parents and community members were also guests.

Special features of the Head Start center include: seven Head Start classrooms, five Early Head Start classroom, a training room, offices and two playgrounds – one for Head Start and another for Early Head Start. The facility has a capacity of 180 students – 140 Head Start students and 40 Early Head Start students. About 45 staff members will be assigned to this location, including Early Head Start Child Care Partnerships staff.

The facility opens this summer to Early Head Start students and welcomes Head Start students this fall.

This build-to-suit lease project was funded by KQC Investors, LLC and took two years to complete.

HCDE Head Start is an educational program providing students and their families with the skills they need to be ready for the demands of school. For more about Head Start, visit: http://www.hcde-texas.org/head-start/.