Students and staff will start occupying the new 20,000-square-foot Baytown Early Head Start/Head Start, located at 323 Massey Tompkins Rd., this summer and fall.

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Harris County Department of Education Superintendent James Colbert, Board of Trustees President Josh Flynn, trustees Richard Cantu and Danny Norris and Head Start Director Venetia Peacock were joined by City of Baytown officials, Head Start staff, community partners and parents Thursday, May 23 for a ribbon-cutting and tours of the new center.

“Today marks a really important day for us as we celebrate not only our Head Start program, but a school that is going to house over 40 little ones in Early Head Start,” Colbert said. “This facility is consistent with the caliber of the staff we have; and more important, it is consistent with the potential of the students inside it.”

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.

“This is the realization of a project that has been over five years long,” Peacock said. “We have a standard and want to provide high-quality facilities, instruction and services to our families to help them move to the goal they desire and meet the goals they have for their lives. Having an awesome facility is a part of that because it can support you in services you are trying to provide.”

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: www.hcde-texas.org/head-start/.