BATON ROUGE - Seven Head Start Centers will host Recruitment Fun Day on Saturday, Apr. 9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Parents will be able to tour facilities, ask questions, and submit applications for their children to participate in the Early Head Start and Head Start programs for the 2016-17 school year.

The early childhood education program has 977 children “graduating” to kindergarten and 597 children returning.

The program often has a waiting list and this year the program could have over 900 slots open for next fall.

“Research has shown the importance of early childhood education programs like Head Start in preparing students to succeed in kindergarten and elementary school,” Mayor-President Melvin “Kip” Holden said.

“The record number of openings at Head Start this fall presents a unique opportunity for parents to give their children a ‘head start’ in the education process.”

Recruitment Fun Day will be held Apr. 9 at the following centers:

- Progress Road Head Start Center, 1881 Progress Road. (This site is for  parents wishing to enroll children at Progress Road Head Start Centers 1 and 2; Baker Heights Head Start Center, 3750 Harding Street, Baker; and Discovery Head Start Center, located inside Mt. Pilgrim Baptist Church, 9700 Scenic Highway.)

- Children’s World Early Head Start Center ( inside Glen Oaks Baptist Church), 7200 Maplewood Drive.

- Creative Head Start Center (inside Greater Mt. Olive Baptist Church), 3165 Victoria Drive. (This site is also for parents wishing to enroll children at the Child Development and Learning Head Start Center, 7315 Exchange Place)

- Charlie Thomas Head Start Center, 8686 Pecan Tree Drive.

- Freeman Matthews Head Start Center, 1383 Napoleon Street. (This site is also for parents wishing to enroll children at the Wonderland Head Start Center, 1500 Oleander Street)
 
- LaBelle Aire Head Start Center, 1919 North Cristy Drive.

- New Horizon Head Start Center, 1111 North 28th Street. (This site is also for  parents wishing to enroll children at the Capital Area Head Start Center, located in the Baton Rouge Vocational and Technical College, 3250 North Acadian Thruway East)

The Early Head Start program accepts applications from expecting mothers who may receive services in the home/center.  When the child reaches 6 months of age, he/she will be eligible for the Early Head Start program through 35 months of age.

Once the child turns three, the child will then be eligible for the Regular Head Start program. Transitioning from Early Head Start to Regular Head Start begins six months before to the child’s third birthday.

For additional information about the programs and documents that are required for enrollment, call the City-Parish Department of Human Development and Services Head Start Administrative Office at (225) 358-4504 or visit their website at brgov.com/dept/headstart.