Greetings from our Program Director

The Staten Island Head Start program was one of the first community agencies to deliver Head Start services in New York City. President Lyndon B. Johnson commented on the success of our Staten Island Head Start program during remarks in a Rose Garden speech on August 31, 1965. As the President outlined his plans to make Head Start a continuing part of the educational foundation of needy children, he talked about the difference our program’s volunteers made in the life of one child. 

Providing comprehensive and high quality services to the community, Staten Island Head Start is comprised of four facilities: 44 Dongan Hills Avenue, 10 Kingsley Place, 16 Osgood Ave and 166 Lockman Ave. 

Staten Island Head Start is providing early childhood services to families within the catchment areas of Port Richmond, West Brighton, New Brighton, St. George, Tompkinsville, Stapelton, Rosebank, Clifton, South Beach, Midland Beach and Dongan Hills. 

The mission of Staten Island Head Start is to educate pre-school and empower parents to be advocates for themselves and their children, to be positive role models and to become productive members of society. The philosophy stems from the belief that a child’s learning experience during his/her preschool years form the foundation of his/her life success. Staten Island Head Start is committed to utilizing all available resources to educate the children and to providing a safe, nurturing literacy-rich learning environment to facilitate children’s positive developmental and social growth. Staten Island Head Start believes that it must also provide every opportunity for families to fully participate in the education and development of their children. Through these efforts, Staten Island Head Start hopes to contribute to ending the cycle of poverty that has existed for too long and restore its communities to health, happiness and prosperity

Staten Island Head Start provides children with activities that help them grow culturally, cognitively, mentally, socially, emotionally and physically. The Staten Island Head Starts staff recognizes that as parents, you are the first and most important teachers of your children. We will welcome your involvement in our program, and will work as partners with you to help your child progress.

At Staten Island Head Start, we offer your child love, acceptance, understanding and the opportunity to learn and to experience success. Children socialize with others, solve problems and have other experiences, which help them, become self-confidant. The children also improve their listening and speaking skills. The children spend time in stimulating settings where they form good habits and enjoy playing with toys and working on tasks with classmates. Your child will leave Staten Island Head Start more prepared and excited about learning and ready to succeed. 

QUALITYstarsNY is New York State’s voluntary 5-Star early childhood Quality Rating and Improvement System. Since its inception, QUALITYstarsNY has focused its evidence-based practices to ensure young children in participating programs have access to excellence and, their families can trust the level of quality in the programs they choose.

QUALITYstarsNY has 75 Standards of excellence that fall into four categories: Children’s Learning Environment, Family 

Engagement, Leadership & Management, and Staff Qualifications & Experience. Assessment, coaching, professional development, and a wide range of resources are made available to each site, to earn higher star ratings.

Monitoring the goals and activities of the Early Childhood Program is an ongoing process. Through the use of regular self-assessment, the Office of Head Start Monitoring system, annual fiscal audit, CACFP monitoring visits we are able to maintain a high quality program and participate in continuous improvement.