Madera Head Start Preschool Program
Head Start Office, 675 S. Pine St., Suite 101, Madera, CA 93637
About
The Madera Head Start Preschool Program is a center-based program with full-day and part-day options. It is part of the broader Head Start services that include Early Head Start as a home-based program, where a Family Facilitator visits the home once a week for an hour and a half to teach parents how to become their child’s first teacher.
• Ages: 0–5 years old
• Schedule: Office hours Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; services run August through May each year
The Madera Head Start Preschool Program serves children 3 to 5 years of age in Madera County, and Head Start Preschool (Ag) serves Fresno and Madera County’s rural areas and serves children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. Early Head Start serves children 0–3 years old, including pregnant mothers. Head Start is designed to ensure that all children, regardless of their family’s income, race, or ethnic background, are able to enter kindergarten ready to learn. Head Start classrooms prioritize a nurturing atmosphere, fostering both collaboration and individual growth, and teaching staff are described as passionate about the importance of learning through play and engaging in rich conversations to help children think deeper about their play and make meaningful connections.
Community Action Partnership of Madera County, Inc., which operates these programs, was incorporated in 1965 and is a public non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Its mission is “Helping people, changing lives and making our community a better place to live by providing resources and services that inspire personal growth and independence.” The organization serves as a pivotal resource for individuals and families facing poverty and offers programs including Head Start for children from birth to age five, support for survivors of domestic violence, energy assistance and weatherization programs, shelter provisions, and services for sexual assault survivors.
The leadership team connected to these services includes Maritza Gomez-Zaragoza – Head Start Director; Jennifer Coronado – Victim Services Program Manager; Ana Gudino – Community Services Program Manager; Leticia Murillo – Child Care Alternative Payment and Resource & Referral Program Manager; Irene Yang – Human Resources Director; and Mattie Mendez – Executive Director of Community Action Partnership of Madera County, Inc. Their credentials include degrees in fields such as Management Organizational Development, Criminology with a specialization in Victimology, Social Work, Business Administration, Economics with a minor in Chinese, and a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Parent feedback about the program includes comments such as, “Tammy said the program is cool!” and a note from a parent thanking teachers from the Chowchilla Center and describing how Teacher Anna helped calm her daughter and supported better communication between mother and child.
Last updated August 16, 2026.
• Ages: 0–5 years old
• Schedule: Office hours Monday–Friday, 8:00 AM–5:00 PM; services run August through May each year
The Madera Head Start Preschool Program serves children 3 to 5 years of age in Madera County, and Head Start Preschool (Ag) serves Fresno and Madera County’s rural areas and serves children from 6 weeks to 5 years old. Early Head Start serves children 0–3 years old, including pregnant mothers. Head Start is designed to ensure that all children, regardless of their family’s income, race, or ethnic background, are able to enter kindergarten ready to learn. Head Start classrooms prioritize a nurturing atmosphere, fostering both collaboration and individual growth, and teaching staff are described as passionate about the importance of learning through play and engaging in rich conversations to help children think deeper about their play and make meaningful connections.
Community Action Partnership of Madera County, Inc., which operates these programs, was incorporated in 1965 and is a public non-profit 501(c)(3) organization. Its mission is “Helping people, changing lives and making our community a better place to live by providing resources and services that inspire personal growth and independence.” The organization serves as a pivotal resource for individuals and families facing poverty and offers programs including Head Start for children from birth to age five, support for survivors of domestic violence, energy assistance and weatherization programs, shelter provisions, and services for sexual assault survivors.
The leadership team connected to these services includes Maritza Gomez-Zaragoza – Head Start Director; Jennifer Coronado – Victim Services Program Manager; Ana Gudino – Community Services Program Manager; Leticia Murillo – Child Care Alternative Payment and Resource & Referral Program Manager; Irene Yang – Human Resources Director; and Mattie Mendez – Executive Director of Community Action Partnership of Madera County, Inc. Their credentials include degrees in fields such as Management Organizational Development, Criminology with a specialization in Victimology, Social Work, Business Administration, Economics with a minor in Chinese, and a Bachelor of Arts degree.
Parent feedback about the program includes comments such as, “Tammy said the program is cool!” and a note from a parent thanking teachers from the Chowchilla Center and describing how Teacher Anna helped calm her daughter and supported better communication between mother and child.
Last updated August 16, 2026.
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