Birth To 5

The experiences and skills that children develop during the early years are critically important to their success later in school. What children learn during the first few years of life helps to lay the foundation for their future growth and development.  The Jefferson Davis Early Childhood Community Network is designed to assist families with selecting the most appropriate early childhood experience for their birth to 5 children.  The JDP ECCN consists of the Jefferson Davis Parish School System, Save the Children Head Start of Jennings and Elton, and Childcare Centers Brite Beginnings and Blooming Bull Pups of Jennings. All organizations work together to provide a positive and developmentally appropriate educational experience for your child.

To find out more about each organization please click on the menu buttons. 

Click the link below to access the downloadable and printable JDECCN Unified Application to enroll your child in the program of your choice and specific documents needed to register your child.  Applications are also available at each site.

Specific registration information can be found on the left menu buttons for Prek, Head Start, and Child Care Centers on the Printable Application.

Blooming Bull Pups and Bayou Babies Too of Jennings are both Type III child care centers that accept children from six weeks through the age of three.  Child Care Assistance is accepted for those who qualify

Breakfast, lunch and an afternoon snack are served daily. Additionally, infant cereal & iron fortified formula are provided for infants.

Both of these high quality learning environment allow children to explore and gain positive experiences that allow them to enjoy learning.  Children learn through active exploration of their environment.  Through positive interactions and by engaging in appropriate child-centered activities, they develop sensory, motor, perceptual, and language skills. All of these skills blend to provide a sound foundation for children to develop thinking skills needed for living in a complex world.

    Our primary concerns are with the three developmental stages which affect young children:

• learning to trust others outside their families,
• gaining  independence, and
• self-control as they begin to assert themselves appropriately.

Contact Information:

Bayou Babies Too: Tiffany Ceaser, Owner/Director ~337-824-1234

Blooming Bull Pups: Tassany Mathews, Owner/Director ~337-246-3456

The following links provide all the information needed to determine Child Care and Assistance Program eligibility and to apply for CCAP.

2021-22 Coordinated Funding Request for Jefferson Davis Early Childhood and Community Network is as follows: 

250 Jefferson Davis Parish School Board  LA4  Cecil Picard Early Childhood Seats

24 Birth through three year old seats for Type III Licensed Child Care Centers in Jefferson Davis Parish

0 NSECD Seats

0 Pre-K Expansion Grant Seats

Public Comment

• Each Lead Agency must provide opportunity for public comment.  Chapter 709, Bart B of Bulletin 140 states, "The lead agency shall provide an opportunity for each publicly-funded program in the community network and the general public in the coverage area of the community network to comment on the proposed funding request prior to submission to the Department and shall include documentation of this process in the funding request."

1. Anyone who wishes to comment may contact Jeff Davis Parish School Board at 337-824-1834, mail your comment to Pam Miller, P.O. Box 640 Jennings, LA, 70546, fax to 337-824-9737 or email pamela.miller@jdpsbk12.org
2.  A school board meeting will be held in November and public comment will be allowed.

Complaints and Reviews

• Any publicly-funded program may request that the Department review an enrollment decision or funding request of its Lead Agency.
  • Programs must email the request to earlychildhood@la.gov no later than 30 calendar days after the due date for funding requests (December 31).
• Any program or individual may submit a written complaint to the Department regarding the action or inaction of the Lead Agency in its Community Network.
  • Complaints must be submitted to earlychildhood@la.gov within 30 calendar days of the action or inaction of the Lead Agency upon with the complaint is based.
• Lead agencies must provide programs written notice of the opportunity to request a departmental review, with the contact information for the Department.

EarlySteps provides services to families with infants and toddlers aged birth to three years (36 months) who have a medical condition likely to result in a developmental delay, or who have developmental delays. Children with delays in cognitive, motor, vision, hearing, communication, social-emotional or adaptive development may be eligible for services. EarlySteps services are designed to improve the family's capacity to enhance their child's development. These services are provided in the child's natural environment, such as the child's home, child care, or any other community setting typical for children aged birth to 3 years (36 months). 

CONTACT: First Steps Referral and Consulting, Region IV and V SPOE  EarlySteps at at:

138 East Main Street New Iberia
Louisiana 70560 
Phone: (337) 359-8748  
Fax: (337) 359-8747

or contact  Region V SPOE at 337-884-4517

JEFFERSON DAVIS PARISH SCHOOLS provides a comprehensive and developmentally appropriate program of education for four year-olds throughout the communities of our parish.  There are 20 classes in seven communities including Elton, Fenton, Hathaway, Lacassine, Lake Arthur, Jennings, and Welsh.  Our universal program of Pre-K is provided at each school site and is aligned to the Early Learning and Development Standards (ELDS) outlined for four year-olds. Return to the Home Page and click on schools to find out more about each school site! The program is provided for ALL students, including those with special needs, who meet the age requirements of being four years of age before September 30th of the current school year. School sites with Pre-K programs and their phone numbers are listed for your convenience.

Jeff Davis Parish Pre-K Online Registration System (ORS) Instructions

Parents:  You have the option to register online your Pre-K child for the 2021-22 school year OR go in person at the school on the round-up date. 

On your phone or computer use the below link to begin.

• Works well on phone and can take picture of documents and upload from phone to system
• Or can do on a computer and have the documents scanned or pictures on computer to upload
• Make sure each tab is completely filled out and all required documents are uploaded.
• Choose the school that is in your zone.
• Your application will be reviewed and when approved you will receive an email.

If you have questions, please call Pam Miller at 337-824-1834

Parents are required by the state to provide:  proof of income, family size, birth certificate, social security card, proof of residence, and immunization.  Click on the above parent summary of documents needed.

Lead Agency Contact Information:

Jefferson Davis Parish School Board - Pam Miller, Early Childhood Supervisor ~ 337-824-1834

Contact Pupil Apprail Services at 337-824-1357  for information about evaluating children with special needs beginning at age 3.

Save the Children Head Start operates on two sites, one in Jennings and one in Elton and provides developmentally-appropriate programs for three year-olds. From the very start of a child’s life, Save the Children provides families with comprehensive, high-quality early childhood education and support services that focus on early language development and literacy. In addition, we support children’s healthy development and growth through nutrition and physical activity lessons as well as family literacy and education services. Save the Children brings its best to Head Start programs, including additional training for staff, extra resources like books and equipment, an experienced staff that pursues program excellence, and a well-established organizational support system. STC Head Start accepts three and four year-olds whose families qualify for services. They now are able to serve infants and toddlers with currently a limit of sixteen children.

     Contact Information:

                               Johnnie Belle Chavis, Director

                               Jennings ~ 337-616-9556  306 S. Lake Arthur Avenue

                                Elton ~ 337-584-2802  209 Al Wood Street