Meet the new leader of Tarrant County’s largest provider of Head Start programs

Head Start in Tarrant County is welcoming a new leader as the federally funded early learning program aims to increase communication with families of young children.

“I’m thrilled to join an organization that is such an innovative leader in the early learning space,” Helena Mosely said in a statement. “As a child-centered leader, my focus is on how we at Child Care Associates continue to deliver high quality learning experiences for our students and provide services that support families.”

Child Care Associates is a Tarrant County nonprofit that operates the federally funded Head Start and Early Head Start early learning programs, which provide early childhood education in addition to health, nutrition and parent involvement services to low-income children and families.

Kara Waddell, the CEO of Childcare Associates, said Mosely is entering the field at a pivotal time.

“The early childhood education and care space is fundamentally changing,” Waddell said. “With Dr. Mosely, we think we have a leader who can think about it from a school perspective ... a community perspective ... and a community-based early learning perspective.”

Mosely’s career in education spans roughly three decades with 23 years as a school district administrator and four years in the classroom. At Crowley ISD, she implemented CCA’s Head Start program into the district’s elementary schools — bridging the divide between early learning and K-12 learning.

“I’m excited that after decades of experience with school districts that I now have the opportunity to impact children in their most formative years – when they are infants, toddlers and preschoolers,” Mosely said.

The educator also led multiple campuses to exemplary status as assistant superintendent, director and principal, overseeing multi-campus operations and leading strategic planning.

Mosely is a graduate of Cheyney University with a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education and Sul Ross State University where she earned her Master of Education and Educational Administration. She also has a Doctorate in Theology.

Head Start has been operating in Tarrant County since the inception of Child Care Associates over five decades ago. Today, CCA serves approximately 1,800 infants, toddlers and preschoolers at 20 CCA campuses and partnering elementary schools with nearly 300 campus staff.

“We are out-of-this-world thrilled to have Mosely joining the Child Care Associates’ team,” Waddell said. “She is a fireball of energy, and her leadership is unparalleled when working to improve outcomes for young children and their families at scale.”