A recent partnership was established between ESC19 Head Start and Anthony ISD in Anthony, TX, to increase access to full-day preschool for more families. The joint effort combines the resources of Anthony Elementary School and Anthony Head Start to enhance the delivery and access to quality early education services for Anthony's PreK children and families.
The collaboration with Anthony ISD expanded the Anthony Head Start space from a single classroom, serving 17 3 and 4-year-old children, to two half-day classrooms, with a maximum capacity of 60 Head Start students. Anthony Head Start students now receive half-day instruction in Head Start, then transition to Anthony Elementary's PreK classrooms for the second half of the day. Head Start and Anthony ISD also share the same academic calendar and schedule, making planning more convenient for families.
To raise awareness about the new full-day PreK program and the benefits of Head Start, Superintendent Oscar Troncoso, Anthony Elementary principal Jorge Reyes, and Special Education Director Sandy Honts collaborated with Anthony Head Start staff in a door-to-door summer recruitment campaign. Norma Gomez, the Anthony Head Start Assistant Center Manager, is excited about the benefits of the Anthony ISD partnership and stated, "I'm very excited to see both of our programs working together and learning from each other for the betterment of our children."
Anthony Head Start continues its outreach efforts by recruiting families at community parks, fairs, festivals, and other events. For more information call, (915) 790-4600.