TRI-COUNTY HEAD START
Our Services
When we welcome your child into our program, there are many benefits and resources.
Education
We make learning exciting for every child
Benefits of education with Tri-County Head Start:
- Creates safe, welcoming, and sensory-rich classroom environments filled with age-appropriate materials, designed to foster hands-on exploration, social-emotional learning, and a strong foundation in curiosity and problem-solving through structured discovery.
- Smaller class sizes led by qualified, trained, and professional teachers who create meaningful, responsive lessons tailored to each child’s strengths, interests, and developmental needs
- Research-based Creative Curriculum
- Home Visits and Parent-Teacher Conferences to share your goals with our Teachers
- Screenings and observations to see your child’s progress and development
- Collaborations with local community organizations to enrich learning and provide family support services
- Technology used intentionally to enhance interactive learning experiences
- Engaging take-home activities provided to families to extend learning beyond the classroom and support continued development at home
Family Engagement
We know you are your child’s first and best teacher
Head Start supports you so you can be there for your child:
- Provide resources and referrals to local organizations that can help meet your needs
- Work with you to set goals and help reach them
- Connect you to local parenting classes, financial assistance, health and mental health services and much more
- Kindergarten Transition Program
- Get involved with your child’s education by volunteering
- Offers you leadership opportunities with our Policy Council and Parent Committees
- Our friendly staff are here to help and want to see you succeed
LINKS TO HEALTH CARE RESOURCES
- La Plata Family Centers Coalition (Serving La Plata and Archuleta counties)
- The Pinon Project Family Resource Center (Serving Montezuma County)
Disabilities
We believe every child should be included
How we welcome children of all abilities:
- Create positive environments to nurture and encourage exploring
- Employ inclusive classrooms to allow every child to participate and feel comfortable
- Build individualized lessons that respond to your child’s needs
- Complete screenings to answer questions about your child’s development and coordinate referrals if needed
- Connect you to services in your community
- Support you in learning how to advocate for your child
- Provide classroom supplies and equipment to meet the needs of all children
- Support for Individualized Education Program (IEP) goals
- Support for Individualized Family Service Plan (IFSP) goals
LINKS TO DISABILITY RESOURCES
- Community Connections, Inc. (children 0–3 years old)
- San Juan BOCES (children 3–5 years old)
- 9-R Child Find (children 3–5 years old in the 9-R school district)
Health Care
We support the health, safety, and well-being of your child
How we help your child feel well so they can do their best in school:
- Free vision and hearing screenings
- The support of a Child Care Health Consultant, who is a registered nurse
- Trained staff in CPR/First Aid and AED
- Support to keep your child’s exams and immunizations up-to-date
- Specialized care if your child has medications or conditions that need specific attention
- A focus on mental well-being to help your child learn how to think, feel, and act
- Rigorous cleaning procedures to help stop illnesses
- A shared illness policy so you know when to keep your child home
- Regular hand washing practice to stop the spread of germs
- Oral health support for healthy smiles
- Safety drills and checklists to make sure your child is safe
LINKS TO HEALTH CARE RESOURCES
Nutrition
We know good nutrition helps each child grow and learn
Head Start provides more than delicious food, your child benefits from:
- Free breakfast, lunch & healthy snacks every day during school hours
- Well-balanced meals that include recipes from different cultures
- Menus created to help your child explore new foods
- Family-Style Dining which promotes self-help skills, sharing, and social interaction
- Learning new skills as we work together to set tables and clean up
LINKS TO NUTRITION RESOURCES
Mental Health
We believe healthy minds are just as important as healthy bodies.
How we support children, families, and staff with mental health:
- Create safe, nurturing environments that promote positive social-emotional development
- Employ classroom strategies that build resilience, problem-solving, and self-regulation skills
- Provide access to on-site Mental Health Specialists for consultation, classroom support, and coaching
- Offer screenings and assessments to identify early mental health needs and coordinate referrals when needed
- Connect families with trusted community mental health services and resources
- Support parents and caregivers in understanding child behavior and strengthening family relationships
- Provide staff with mental health training, consultation, and self-care resources to sustain a healthy workplace
- Promote open conversations to reduce stigma and ensure every child and family feels valued and supported
LINKS TO HEALTH CARE RESOURCES
