Jeff Davis Parish educators and city officials are joining forces to promote early childhood education for children from birth to five years old.

Members of the Jeff Davis Parish School Board, joined leaders from the Type III Early Learning Centers, Head Start/Early Head Start Centers and pre-kindergarten and area mayors gathered Monday to designating April as the Month of the Young Child with a series of proclamations.

“Our main goal is to increase the community’s awareness of our programs and the high quality of early childhood education that is available throughout the parish,” Early Childhood Supervisor Pam Miller said.

Jeff Davis can currently serve 135 children in Head Start with programs in Elton and Jennings and an additional 90 through three Type III learning centers in Jennings and Lake Arthur. New learning centers will open soon in Jennings, Welsh and Elton.

Four hundred children can also be served through public school pre-K programs at Hathaway High, Laccassine High, Fenton Elementary, Lake Arthur Elementary, Elton Elementary, Welsh Elementary and Jennings Elementary.

Officials are urging parents to register their children for next year’s pre-kindergarten, Head Start or early childhood programs.

Applications for registration are available online at jeffdavisreadystart.org.

To register children must be 4 years old on Sept. 30 for pre-K or 3 years old by Sept. 30 for Head Start.

Miller said it is important to enroll children in the programs because they help prepare them academically, socially and emotionally and gives them fundamental skills they need to start school, Miller said.

“These programs provide children with the foundational skills they need to ensure they are ready to learn when they enter school and to be successful,” she said, “Home learning is important, but if people work, we have licensed Type III centers, Head Start and public pre-kindergarten programs available to ensure their children are getting a high quality education.”

More information is available online at online at jeffdavisreadystart.org or by calling 337-824-1834.