Tulip Tree 102
Bloomington, IN 47408
812-856-5860

The Head Start at Tulip Tree program is a partnership of Indiana University Bloomington and the Monroe County Head Start program. The classroom opened on September 4, 2001 and is licensed to serve 12 children, ages 3 to 5 years of age. Children must be income eligible for enrollment. The Head Start at Tulip Tree program is licensed by the Indiana Family & social Services Administration.

Head Start at Tulip Tree is open 7:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. The classroom is closed on national holidays and for about 9 days of professional development training throughout the year.

Head Start believes that play and exploration are the keys to children's development. We believe that if children are allowed to make choices and decisions they discover the world in ways that best allow them to learn. We use a positive, child-centered approach to all aspects of child development. We use The Creative Curriculum which states: "Learning isn't just repeating what someone else says; it requires active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work and to learn firsthand about the world we live in."

Our Lead Teacher has at least an Associate Degree in Child Development or Education. Our aides have extensive training and many have Child Development Certification. We maintain a ratio of 2 adults to 12 children or less at all times. All of our staff receive on-going training and supervision.

The classroom environment is considered one of our most important"tools". It is arranged to encourage children to be curious and to explore. We keep a diverse and well-maintained supply of manipulative toys, art materials, literacy supports, and props to spark imaginative play. We rotate materials so that there are new things to explore.

Head Start supplies breakfast, lunch and two snacks. These are designed to be healthy and nourishing to children. We consider nutrition to be a part of child development so we teach children about the basics of good nutrition and encourage them to explore new foods.

This is a key piece of Head Start. We believe that parents are their children's first and best teachers. Because of this, we actively seek for parents to volunteer and visit in the classroom. We offer a variety of class time and after-class time events so that parents have a chance to be a part of our learning experiences. In particular, parents are all a part of the site's "parent group" which is, in turn, a part of Head Start's Council of Involved Families. The CIF is a group of parents who meet and help to make decisions about our Head Start program here in Monroe County.

If you think Head Start might be right for you and your children, you can call Family Services at 812-334-8350. Children are eligible if they turn 3 by August 1 of the year they wish to enroll and the family meets income guidelines. We enroll year-round and have both half-day placements and full-day placements. The Tulip Tree site is a full-day program.