DIS Head Start classroom welcomes local leaders

Part play, part partnership, the visit highlights commitment to early childhood education

CAAWHC CEO Jason Parent chats with students during a recent visit to the Deer Isle-Stonington Head Start Pre-K classroom. Photo courtesy of Community Action in Aroostook, Washington and Hancock Counties.

June 2, 2026

By Staff

DEER ISLE—The Deer Isle-Stonington Head Start Pre-K classroom, operated by Community Action in Aroostook, Washington and Hancock Counties, recently welcomed two “special guests,” a press release said, for “a meaningful visit highlighting the importance of early  childhood education and community partnerships.” 

Visiting the classroom were Linda Nelson, Economic & Community Development Director for  the Town of Stonington, and CAAWHC CEO, Jason Parent.

Nelson and Parent participated in classroom group activities throughout the day. The visit highlighted a ‘commitment to providing comprehensive early care and education services that support school readiness and whole-child development’ by local leadership. Photo courtesy of Community Action in Aroostook, Washington and Hancock Counties.

Nelson and Parent were introduced to students and participated in “small group time” and “work time,” the release said. Throughout the visit, students “explored learning centers, creative play, and hands-on art  activities,” and shared recent projects. At the end of the visit, students presented handmade thank-you cards to their guests, the release said. 

According to the release, DIS Head Start Pre-K program, operated by CAAWHC, is “part of a broader commitment to  providing comprehensive early care and education services that support school readiness and  whole-child development." Through the program students are able to “access high-quality learning environments that promote cognitive, social, and emotional growth, while also  connecting families to essential health, nutrition, and community resources.”