It’s often said that it takes a village to raise a child, and Agnes Hearon is a vital piece of the puzzle for those in the Barrett Station community. The site director at John G. Jones Learning Center is situated within such a tight-knit and supportive community that she doesn’t have to recruit families. Instead, they come by word of mouth.  

Housed in a Masonic Lodge, the campus has been instrumental in providing childcare services for students from six weeks to five years old during the day and out-of-school-time programs for students up to 12 years old since the 1980’s.  

“I would say we offer positive role models within a strong-knit community ‒ it’s like a home away from home,” Hearon said.  

When Hearon became a member of the Harris County Department of Education’s Head Start Policy Council, she quickly began networking with division leaders about ideas to advance the Learning Center’s program.  

“They offered our center a chance to become the pilot center for their Child Care Partnership Program,” Hearon said. “It enhanced our students’ curriculum, and overall, HCDE is helping us meet the needs of the parents in our community as well.”  

As the first campus to partner with Head Start more than five years ago, the division sponsors 11 Early Head Start slots for infants and toddlers. Educators follow the Frog Street Press curriculum, a program approved by the Texas Education Agency, which supports students’ transition from the John G. Jones Learning Center to HCDE Head Start locations across east Houston. Students can also explore outdoor learning on the campus’ playground and portable garden.  

Hearon describes feeling blessed to help provide a safe space for students to learn as their parents and guardians pursue higher education or work full-time jobs.  

“It’s gratifying to watch not only our students grow but their families as well because we are taking something off their plate,” Hearon said. “I love it because it’s like watching my family and grandkids succeed.”  

Due to the success of the pilot center, Head Start has grown the Child Care Partnership Program to include three across north and east Houston.  

To learn more about HCDE Head Start, visit hcde-texas.org/head-start.