Head Start Center-Based & State Pre-K (Ages 3-5 years)

Picayune School District Head Start is a federally funded, community-based program for families. This program is available for children ages 3-5 at no cost to eligible families. Families are selected according to federal income guidelines. Head Start programs support children’s growth and development in a positive learning environment through a variety of services. Service areas include:

• Education (early learning services): Children’s readiness for school and beyond is fostered through individualized learning experiences. Through relationships with adults, play, and planned and spontaneous instruction, children grow in many aspects of development. Children progress in social skills and emotional well-being, along with language and literacy learning, and concept development
• Health (health, safety, nutrition, mental health, and disability services): Each child’s perceptual, motor, and physical development is supported to permit them to fully explore and function in their environment. All children receive health and development screenings, nutritious meals, oral health and mental health support. Programs connect families with medical, dental, and mental health services to ensure that children are receiving the services they need.
• Family & Community Engagement (family services): Parents and families are supported in achieving their own goals, such as housing stability, continued education, and financial security. Programs support and strengthen parent-child relationships and engage families around children’s learning and development.

Picayune School District Head Start provides services to children in two locations.

• 1) 1221 Highway 11 South – Picayune, MS  
• 2) 205 East Locke Street – Poplarville, MS

The Picayune School District Pre-K Program is not income-based and is designed to promote children’s knowledge and skills in all developmental areas- cognitive, social, emotional, physical and kinesthetic. We are also here to establish a foundation for a lifetime of learning. The tools introduced in this program will ensure children the skills to handle educational objectives within our program are language/literacy, mathematics, science, social studies, arts, physical development, fine and gross motor skills, health and safety, personal and social development and technology applications.

Picayune School District PreK provides services to children at South Side Lower Elementary, 400 S Beech St, Picayune, MS.