Early Head Start
Frontier Family Childcare
Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Run by Montgomery County, Maryland
Head Start centers / Maryland / Gaithersburg
Head Start
Watkins Mill ES
A Head Start center in Gaithersburg, Maryland, run by Montgomery County Public Schools.
Center details
Program: Head Start
Ages served: Head Start: children ages 3 to 5
Address: 19001 Watkins Mill Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20886
County: Montgomery
Run by: Montgomery County Public Schools, Rockville, MD
Federal grant ID (for reference): 03CH013329
Funded seats at this site: Head Start: 20. These are total funded seats, not how many are open.
Phone: (301) 840-7181
To apply, call: (240) 740-4530
Every Head Start program must meet federal quality rules for early learning, health and family support. When you call, ask: How do I apply and what documents do I bring? Is there a waitlist? Is the day full or part? Is there transportation?
Who can enroll
Head Start serves children ages 3 to 5 (ask the center about its birthday cutoff date). Early Head Start serves pregnant women, babies and toddlers under 3. Both are free for families who qualify.
Families usually qualify when household income is at or below the federal poverty guideline for their family size, or when the family gets public assistance such as TANF or SSI, the child is in foster care, or the family is experiencing homelessness. Programs may also enroll some children from families just above the guideline, and each program sets its own application steps and waitlist, so ask the center.
Official HHS poverty guidelines (current year) · Head Start's own center locator
More Head Start locations in Gaithersburg
Early Head Start
Montgomery County Early Head Start
200 W Diamond Ave, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Run by Easter Seals Serving Dc/md/va, INC.
Head Start
South Lake ES
18201 Contour Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Run by Montgomery County Public Schools
Head Start
Strawberry Knoll ES
18820 Strawberry Knoll Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20879
Run by Montgomery County Public Schools
Head Start
Summit Hall ES
101 W Deer Park Rd, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Run by Montgomery County Public Schools
Head Start
Washington Grove ES
8712 Oakmont St, Gaithersburg, MD 20877
Run by Montgomery County Public Schools
Other options near Gaithersburg
Licensed child care and after-school programs in Gaithersburg · Maryland child care rules
Source: Head Start Service Location Dataset, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, Office of Head Start (CSV file), file dated November 8, 2026. The information is reported by each Head Start grant recipient and can be out of date, so call the center to confirm its address, hours and openings. Locations the program lists as closed are left out. Home-based locations show city and ZIP code only. A listing is not an endorsement.
Something wrong? Head Start centers update their own records with the Office of Head Start; you can also tell us and we'll fix or remove this page.