Recent News

The Hidalgo County Head Start Program is proud to maintain strong, year-round collaborations with a wide range of local agencies to provide essential services to the children and families we serve. One of the key ways we foster these partnerships is through our regularly held Network Meetings.
These meetings offer a valuable platform for community agencies to present their services directly to our Family Service Workers (FSWs), who are stationed at each Head Start campus. FSWs play a vital role in supporting families by helping them set and achieve meaningful goals in areas such as housing, healthcare, public assistance, food security, and parenting.
Beyond goal-setting, FSWs assist families in developing personalized action plans and contribute significantly to the success of our Head Start and Early Head Start programs through active involvement in recruitment and enrollment efforts.
On Thursday, August 28, 2025, a Network Meeting was held at Fellowship Baptist Hall in Edinburg, Texas. The event brought together agency representatives and Head Start staff to share resources, strengthen relationships, and continue building a supportive network for families across Hidalgo County.

On August 28, 2025, Superintendent Dr. Angela Dominguez, along with board members and Head Start administrators Dr. Nereyda Cantu, Marissa Reyes, and Sonia Casas, walked through the former Donna Head Start facility to review and discuss plans for its transformation into the new Donna Early Head Start Academy.
It is a collaboration and commitment to providing high-quality educational opportunities for its youngest learners. The new Academy is scheduled to open in January 2026 and will serve children from birth to three years old. It will offer a nurturing, developmentally focused environment designed to support early learning, social-emotional growth, and family engagement.
Donna ISD and Head Start are working diligently to ensure the facility meets the needs of both students and families. This initiative reflects a dedication to investing in the future of its community by laying a strong foundation for lifelong learning.
More updates will be shared as the opening date approaches, and families interested in enrollment are encouraged to stay connected through the district and Head Start’s social media platforms.

Dear Head Start Families and Staff:
Welcome to the 2025-2026 school year! We look forward to welcoming our young students back into our Head Start classrooms. We believe every child entrusted to our care deserves our best support academically and emotionally. The employees of the Hidalgo County Head Start Program are here to help our children achieve great success each and every day. 

Our young students made great progress last school year as a result of the great teamwork shown by our outstanding teachers, involved parents, and the children themselves. This year, we will build on that development as we will collaborate with parents to create great learning opportunities in the classrooms. In addition to the ongoing goal of academic excellence, there will be a focus this year on providing tailored support for our parents. All families are assigned a family services worker which will provide support and assistance with necessary resources.  
One of my favorite days is the first day of school. I love to watch the interactions between our children and their new teachers. Seeing our children meet new friends or reconnecting with old friends and learning about the adventures that lie ahead. It’s always fun to see our new Head Start parents walking up to the school and taking pictures. Parents usually feel excitement and some nervousness, but these milestones are to be remembered and shared with family and friends.

Our Annual Training took place on August 4 & 5, 2025 at the UTRGV Performing Arts building.

Children, First, Always… is the Head Start Way. Thank you again for entrusting the Head Start Program with your most precious children.
Sincerely,

Irma E. Peña
Head Start Executive Director

Congratulations to the Hidalgo County Head Start Program and Donna ISD on the grand opening of the Guzman Head Start Academy!
This remarkable new campus will serve 299 children across 16 classrooms, making it the largest Head Start facility in program history! Our ribbon-cutting took place on Friday, August 8, 2025.
Families will benefit from a wide range of resources, including:
Two Discovery classrooms for hands-on STEM learning, a sensory classroom, a fully stocked library, a computer lab and a central kitchen. In addition, the academy will serve as a one-stop hub for county services, offering high-quality education and essential support through partnerships with:
Hidalgo County Health & Human Services, Hidalgo County WIC Program and
Hidalgo County Community Service Agency.
The Head Start Program provides comprehensive services to low-income families, children with special needs, families experiencing homelessness or involved in the foster care system, families receiving public assistance, other at-risk families, depending on circumstances and availability
The Guzman Head Start Academy is an exciting milestone for Head Start, City of Donna, Donna ISD and Commissioner David Fuentes – Hidalgo County Precinct 1!

The Hidalgo County Head Start Program hosted its annual Staff Awards and Recognition Banquet on Friday, May 30th, at the DoubleTree Suites in McAllen, Texas. This much-anticipated event, thoughtfully organized by the Human Resources Department, celebrated the dedication and accomplishments of its staff. Honorees included employees recognized for their years of service, recent retirees, and team members who achieved significant academic milestones—earning associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degrees. Among those honored was Denisse Barba, who shared, “Grateful to be acknowledged for five amazing years in a truly motivating environment.”
This year’s banquet embraced a vibrant and refreshing theme: “Mediterranean Style.” The venue was beautifully adorned with Italian-inspired décor, featuring cheerful yellow lemons, lush greenery, and rustic touches that evoked the charm of the Mediterranean coast.

On behalf of the Hidalgo County Head Start Program, we want to thank our community partners for providing essential services to our children and families. We are grateful for your expertise in helping us serve the needs and facilitate the goals and realities of our participants. Your service impacts the quality of life for Head Start families.
Our mission is rooted in strengthening our families and communities. We are proud to partner with organizations like yourselves who understand that working on crucial social issues and helping to ensure that every single Head Start child and family is loved and valued, and is recognized for their individuality.
Today’s celebration is a time of gratitude and reflection, a time to recognize your unwavering commitment to your mission, and a time to support each other in our collaborative work. Thank you for supporting every child and allowing them to dream, explore, and pursue whatever they want to become in life. The Community Partnership Appreciation Assembly was held on Thursday, April 24, 2025 at the Fellowship Baptist Church Hall in Edinburg, TX.

The Hidalgo County Head Start Program held its first Pre-K 3 and Pre-K 4 Teacher of the Year event. 44 teachers were named Teachers of the Year from Head Start campuses across McAllen, Mission, Edinburg, La Joya, Donna, PSJA, Edcouch-Elsa, Mercedes and Monte Alto ISDs were celebrated April 3rd at the DoubleTree Hotel in McAllen.
Mr. Jose Reyes, a teacher at Seguin Head Start from La Joya ISD was named Pre-K 3 Hidalgo County Head Start Program Teacher of the Year. Mrs. Yvette Solis Benavidez, a teacher at Sam Houston Head Start from McAllen ISD was named Pre-K 4 Hidalgo County Head Start Program Teacher of the Year. Both Mr. Reyes and Mrs. Benavidez won $2,000.00 for themselves and another $2,000 for classroom supplies. They will both be attending the Head Start National Conference in Columbus, Ohio in May.

The Fatherhood Family Wellness Conference was held on February 20th at the Doubletree Suites in McAllen, TX.
Father involvement is essential to parent, family, and community engagement initiatives. The Hidalgo County Head Start program staff are committed to integrating fathers as advocates, lifelong educators, and first teachers to their children. Father figures are crucial for the healthy development of their children as they support and reinforce family wellness. Consequently, Head Start proactively explores resources to enhance and motivate father engagement by focusing on their strengths, interests, and needs, thereby significantly enriching their Head Start communities. It was a cold day, but it did not keep our parents from showing up and participating in the conference. Keynote Speaker: Ricardo Rodriguez, Jr. shared the importance on being a role model for your children. Other sessions presenters included: Ms. Adelita Figueroa-Munoz, Judge Andre Maldonado, Terri Cossio, Alfred Molina, and Tomas Tamez.

The Governance Conference was held October 11-13 at South Padre Island, Tx. The theme for this year was One Team, One Dream. The conference was attended by the Head Start Administration and the newly elected Policy Council Members. Topics presented were: Head Start Overview, Framework of Conference, Importance of Team Building, Head Start Essentials & ERSEA Training, and Head Start Department Overview from Department Officers and Directors. They also learned the roles and responsibilities of the Policy Council, and Governance Structure and Bylaws. The new Policy Council members got the opportunity to network with each other and the Head Start staff.

The HCHSP is divided into six (6) geographic areas. The Policy Council is made up of 6 parent representatives whose children are currently enrolled in the program along with 5 community representatives who the Hidalgo County Commissioners Court appoints. This is similar to a school board for the Head Start program. The Policy Council members meet monthly (the third Wednesday of each month) to help lead the program and participate in important decision-making governing the HCHSP. Elections for Policy Council parent representatives are held during the Parent Leadership Conference in October. To become a Policy Council Member, Parents • must attend the first parent committee meeting at their child's campus held in September. • They must be elected as a Parent Committee Officer for the campus and the Campus Officers will elected. Campus officers consist of a PC parent rep, 1st alternate, and 2nd alternate for each area. • Policy Council members must attend monthly meetings to make informed decisions on behalf of HCHSP. Parent Leadership Conference was held on September 28, 2024 at Double Tree Suites in McAllen, Tx.