Educators say kindergarten is not what it used to be. 

It’s harder because “the expectation of what you need to know in kindergarten has changed,” said Amy Merit, county director for Youth In Need’s Head Start program.

Youth In Need provides Head Start programs for children and families for educational, development, counseling and residential initiatives. Services are provided for children from birth to age 5 and to expecting parents. 

Head Start programs are provided at no cost to qualifying families. The organization is based in St. Charles. Warren County is one of the six counties it serves. 

Head Start was created to give preschool-aged kids a pre-k education. Or, as Merit said, “We’re preparing them to be successful in kindergarten.”  

Enrollment is open throughout the year. Merit said now is a good time for parents to apply, that way families will be ready for Head Start classes as soon as there’s an opening. 

Merit said new students are evaluated to determine their learning level. Their education begins at that level. 

“They’ll never be behind for joining us late,” she said.    

Parents have three different programs to choose from. The home-based program, which serves 55 children, allows parents and children to stay at home while a family advocate with Head Start goes to them once a week to work on lesson plans. Parents do the teaching. 

The home-based program is open to pregnant moms to help them have a healthy pregnancy.

About 70 kids are enrolled in the Head Start programs at Marvin Marks Child Development Center, 1022 Steinhagen Road, Warrenton. The center takes Head Start kids from 6 weeks old until they start kindergarten. 

“It’s not day care, it’s an early childhood center. The older kids are being prepared for kindergarten (while) the babies work on developmental milestones,”  Merit said.

The third program is Little Warriors, a three-classroom partnership with the Warren County School District. Kids ages 3 to 5 may qualify for this program.  

“We run the program at no charge for families,” Merit said. “Classrooms have kids who are Head Start students, and some are not.”

Eligibility for Head Start programs are generally based on income and a student’s emotional, behavioral and educational needs. 

Child development experts with Head Start help kids work through self-regulation issues that may be holding them back. They also work with parents to help the entire household better manage stressful situations, said Jessica Jones, a Head Start family advocate.

She added that parents are a special part of the Head Start community.

“Our families are very involved,” said Jones. “That’s good because data shows the more the parents are involved, the better the outcomes.” 

Merit added, “All of our parents want what’s best for their kids.” 

For more information or to apply, visit the Early Head Start and Head Start Warrenton Central Office, 119 W. Booneslick, Warrenton, or call 636-456-5990. 

Sandra Scott leads the Head Start classroom at Warrior Ridge Elementary in "Balloon Breathing" during Conscious Discipline group time. It is a calming exercise used to transition students into reading time.