About Us
The City of San Antonio Head Start Program provides comprehensive services, including full-day early childhood education, for children, six weeks to five years old, and their families through home-based and center-based services located throughout Edgewood ISD and San Antonio ISD.
Mission
Vision
History
The City of San Antonio Department of Human Services (DHS) has served as the Head Start grantee for the San Antonio area for over 40 years. Over this time, our direct service providers have changed but the fundamental mission of the program has remained the same. The DHS Head Start Program provides high-quality early childhood education and family support services that promote school readiness and success in life.
Two education service providers operate direct Head Start services in numerous center locations throughout the Edgewood and San Antonio Independent School Districts. In 2015, the Department of Human Services began providing Early Head Start services. Six local child care centers provide Early Head Start – Child Care Partnership services and Edgewood ISD provides Early Head Start and Home-based services. The program partners with additional support service providers to deliver medical, dental, and mental wellness services to children and families.
Program Governance
City Council
The Head Start Policy Council authorized by the San Antonio City Council, in accordance with Head Start Federal Regulations, acts as part of the official governing body for the City of San Antonio Head Start Program. In this role, they share responsibility with the San Antonio City Council, Economic and Workforce Development Committee of the City Council, and the Bexar County Community Action Advisory Board for program oversight, shared decision-making and general policy making.
Mayor Ron Nirenberg
District 1 Mario Bravo
District 2 Jalen McKee-Rodriguez
District 3 Phyliss Viagran
District 4 Dr. Adriana Rocha Garcia
District 5 Teri Castillo
District 7 Ana Sandoval
District 8 Manny Peláez
District 9 John Courage
District 10 Clayton Perry
2021-22 Head Start Policy Council
The Council includes elected parent members of children currently enrolled in the Head Start program and community representatives elected by parent members of the Head Start Policy Council. Meetings are open to the public and happen the 4th Tuesday of the month at 6:15 p.m. at 1227 Brady Blvd San Antonio, TX 78207
SAN ANTONIO ISD
Candice Stafford
Maritza Mendoza
Melinda Pina
Alexis Alfaro
*Martha Alvarez
*Jessica Gomez
*Isabel Martinez
*Sherise Campbell
COMMUNITY REPRESENTATIVES
Christy Caez Claudio
Howard “David” King
EDGEWOOD ISD
Ariana Patino
Maria C Martinez
*Angelica Hernandez
*Edith Palao
EHS-CCP
Naomi Castellanos
Krizia Franklin
*Lashonika Simpson
*Ruby Arizola
EHS
Sabrina Garcia
*Mercedes Brinkley
*Alternate
SCHOOL READINESS GOALS
The Office of Head Start requires programs to establish school readiness goals. In June 2016, the City of San Antonio Head Start Program held its first annual School Readiness Summit. The focus of the School Readiness Summit was to continue to build a birth to five continuum and develop a set of school readiness goals for the entire program. The School Readiness Summit team included grantee staff, teachers, site administrators, child care staff, community members, and parents/ guardians. In July 2017, the team revised the school readiness goals for each of the five central domains and created a set of School Readiness Goals for the program, birth – five years old. In the Spring of 2019, the Education Advisory Committee and Head Start Policy Council approved the program school readiness goals for the duration of the grant period.
