Children between the ages of 6 weeks to 5 years old in Itasca and Koochiching counties are eligible to apply for programming.

• Four or Five days per week: Classrooms are in session through a typical school year (Sept – May) closely aligned to the local school district calendar.
• Extended Care Services: This may be available in some areas with childcare services before and after a school day.
• Summer Sessions: Summer programming may be available in some areas and varies from year to year. Please contact us for more information.
• Early Head Start: Infants and toddlers have full year, five days per week programming. The Early Head Start calendar aligns with the local school district calendar as much as possible.

KOOTASCA Head Start and Early Head Start implement research-based curriculums utilizing proven practices in the classrooms.  The program is currently using: Creative Curriculum, Conscious Discipline, and Baby Doll Circle Time.  The Creative Curriculum follows study topics throughout the year in the order most fitting to the classroom and specific set of children’s interest levels. The curriculum creates opportunities for children to explore the areas of study through high quality books, teacher-led large and small group activities, child-selected activities, and intentional, supported play. Conscious Discipline and Baby Doll Circle Time are curriculums which focus on the social and emotional development of children. Conscious Discipline is an adult first, trauma-informed approach designed to integrate social-emotional learning, school culture, and discipline to create collaborate learning communities. Baby Doll Circle Time is focused on infants and toddlers to provide connections which will allow them to thrive in life.

Our teachers use Teaching Strategies Gold  to assess children’s skills in multiple areas: language, literacy, cognitive, social/emotional, mathematics, and physical development. The data is collected through ongoing observations and documentation. This type of data is used in a formative way to plan intentional, targeted activities within the curriculum frameworks to help the children progress to even higher abilities in each area. At the conclusion of each checkpoint period, the teachers finalize all the data in a summative format to share with parents at multiple times throughout the year. When teachers share the assessment data with families, they also plan student goals with them to make sure each child is ready for their next year in school.

Teaching staff at KOOTASCA have access to coaching services specific to the teaching practices and enhancing interactions with children to ensure we are implementing our curriculums to fidelity and providing the highest quality of care for the children and families served.

At KOOTASCA Head Start, we’re committed to supporting the health and well-being of every child, while empowering families to build lifelong wellness habits. Our comprehensive health services include screenings for hearing, vision, nutrition, and speech/language development. These ensure we understand and meet each child’s individual needs. These screenings take place within the first 45 to 90 days of enrollment, and we follow up with personalized referrals and resources to support each family.

We believe that mealtimes are a valuable part of your child’s learning and social development. That’s why we serve meals and snacks “family style,” creating opportunities for conversation, social interaction, and exploration of new foods. Our menus follow the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) guidelines and align with the 2025 Dietary Guidelines, focusing on healthy, balanced options.

At KOOTASCA Head Start, we know that a child’s health is closely tied to their ability to learn and thrive in school. That’s why we’re dedicated to providing the strong, healthy foundation they need to grow, succeed, and shine.

KOOTASCA Head Start & Early Head Start collaborate with our Local Education Agencies (LEAs) to provide quality services for children who have identified needs. KOOTASCA also partners with LEAs to ensure timely access to services for children that are eligible under the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA). KOOTASCA assists families to access these services and resources for their family or child which includes creating links to various family support programs in the communities we serve.

KOOTASCA partners with local mental health providers in the communities we serve. These providers work very closely with our classroom staff and are woven throughout each day in the classroom. The providers and practitioners may spend time consulting with classroom staff, family members, and providing direct services to children of families requesting these services. Through partnerships with these agencies, KOOTASCA is able to provide additional services to children and families that may need support throughout the program year.