Mt. Hood Community College Child Development Center

Head Start will operate the Center in collaboration with MHCC. (Head Start is a federally-funded program that provides comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families.)

Head Start and a companion program, Early Head Start, will meet childrens educational, social, health and nutritional needs.

By investing in this Center, we are helping to break the cycle of poverty for many children and their families in our service region, says John J. Ski Sygielski, former MHCC president. Effective early childhood education is a proven strategy in closing the achievement gap and reducing the dropout rate, continues Sygielski. By making childcare and other services available on the Gresham Campus, it increases the chances of parents remaining in college so they may graduate and secure gainful employment.

The new ECC will provide both Head Start and Early Head Start care to children six months to five-years-old whose parents are enrolled in Head Start. Seven hours per day of childcare services will be available to full-time MHCC students, says Susan Brady, director of child development and family support programs for the College. Priority for half-day childcare will be given to part-time MHCC students.

Child Ages:

1 year - 5 years

Licenses & Accreditations:

Oregon Employment Department - Child Care Division

Preschool:

Yes