National Head Start Association

2-Day Pre-Institute Training
 

Saturday, September 18th - Sunday, September 19th

Effective Head Start Monitoring: Using Data to Make Decisions and Tools to Move toward Outcome-Based Management

More Information

Monday, September 20, 2010

7:30 am - 5:00 pm

Registration

(Ballroom Foyer)

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm

Opening General Session: Looking Ahead - a View from the White House
(Grand Ballroom)

This session will provide an opportunity for Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Domestic Policy Council,  to provide an update on the Administration's vision for Head Start and early learning in general, the opportunities and challenges.

Introduction:

• Ron Herndon, Chairman of the NHSA Board of Directors, NHSA

Presenter:

• Roberto Rodriguez, Special Assistant to the President for Education Domestic Policy Council, The White House (Confirmed)

1:30 pm - 2:30 pm

Effectiveness of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) Funds for Head Start
(Grand Ballroom)

2:30 - 2:45

Break

2:45 pm - 3:45 pm

NHSA's Update and Future Vision
(Grand Ballroom)

This session will provide an opportunity for attendees to hear NHSA's strategic vision, learn how NHSA is strengthening its relationships with its affiliate state and regional Head Start associations by providing advocacy, professional development, and research services. During this session, time will be allocated to review and update attendees on strategies to support meaningful and effective Hill visits.

Presenters:

• Edward Condon, Director of Affiliate Relations, NHSA
• Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director, NHSA

Moderator:

• Carolyn Stennett, Esq., Deputy Director, NHSA

3:45 pm - 4:00 pm

Break

4:00 pm - 5:00 pm

Three Concurrent Sessions

NHSA Affiliate Leaders Session

Returning Leadership Institute Attendees

New Leadership Institute Attendees

5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Opening Reception - Weaving a Quilt from Many Patches
(Solarium Room)

Greetings:

• Edward Condon, Director of Affiliate Relations, NHSA

Evening and dinner on your own.

Tuesday, September 21, 2010

7:00 am - 5:00 pm

Registration

(Grand Ballroom Foyer)

Policy Sessions

8:00 am - 8:45 am

Immigration Issues (Grand Ballroom)

Immigration is a hot political and policy issue, and Head Start program are not immune from it. This session will help attendees learn about the unique needs, challenges, and opportunities faced by Head Start programs, including those of migrant/seasonal workers who are recent immigrants to the United States.

Presenters:

• Olivia Golden, Senior Fellow, Urban Institute (Confirmed)
• Victor Gomez, Interim Executive Director, National Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Association (Confirmed)

8:45 am - 9:00 am

Break

9:00 am - 9:45 am

Head Start Appropriations Update
(Grand Ballroom)

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act appropriated enabled Head Start and Early Head Start programs to enroll at least 60,000 more children and created an estimated 24,000 new jobs. The Administration's Fiscal Year 2011 budget proposal would maintain these enrollment and job gains. During this session, attendees will hear from key congressional staff about the status of the Fiscal Year 2011 appropriations legislation.

Presenters:

• Mike Gentile, Professional Staff Member, Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies  (Invited)
• Lisa Molyneux, Professional Staff Member, House Appropriations Subcommittee on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies  (Invited)

Moderator:

• Yassmina Vinci, Executive Director, NHSA  

9:45 am - 10:00 am

Break

10:00 am- 10:45 am

Parent Engagement
(Grand Ballroom)

Head Start's strong commitment to parent engagement distinguishes Head Start from most early childhood programs. During this session, attendees will hear how other national parenting organizations engage parents and the extent to which they work with Head Start programs.

Presenters:

• Mishaela Durán, Director of Government Affairs, PTA National Office of Programs & Public Policy (Confirmed)
• Sue Stepleton, Executive Director, Parents As Teachers (Confirmed)

 Moderator:

• Gayle Kelley, Executive Director, Minnesota Head Start Association (Confirmed)

10:45 am - 11:00 am

Break

11:00 am - 11:45 am

Schools, Families, and Communities
(Grand Ballroom)

Presenters:

• Joe Theissen, Vice President for Policy and Government Affairs, Voices for America's Children (Confirmed)
• Raphael Bostic, Ph.D., Assistant Secretary for Policy Development and Research, U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (Invited)

Moderator:

• Edward Condon, Director of Affiliate Relations, NHSA

11:45 am - Noon

Break

NHSA Listening Lunches

Noon - 1:30 pm

Three Working Lunches and Listening Sessions

During these breakout sessions with lunch provided, NHSA staff will solicit input from attendees about policy, grassroots advocacy, and research issues.

What Should be in Our 2011 Policy Agenda?
(Room TBA)

This breakout session provides attendees with an opportunity to provide input into the development of NHSA's 2011 Policy Agenda. Attendees will have an opportunity to identify and share with the facilitators the legislative and regulatory matters that NHSA should pursue.

Facilitators:

• Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director, NHSA

• Vanessa Rich, Deputy Commissioner for Children's Services Division, City of Chicago Department of Family and Support Services (Confirmed)

Grassroots/Advocacy
(Room TBA)

During this breakout session, attendees can discuss their ideas and successes and provide suggestions on what NHSA should be doing in terms of its grassroots advocacy capacity and strategies. Attendees will have an opportunity to share their insights about grassroots communications, technologies, and outreach tactics.

Facilitators:

• Thomas Sheridan, Legislative Associate, NHSA
• Kylee Allen, Parent Coordinator of Parent Ambassadors Program, Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP (Confirmed)
• Cecily Dilworth, Parent Coordinator of Parent Ambassadors Program, Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP (Confirmed)

Research Agenda
(Room TBA)

This breakout session provides an opportunity for attendees to shape NHSA's 2011 research agenda and our advocacy for the larger Head Start/Early Head Start research agenda.  Among the many ideas that will be solicited, attendees will be asked what research is missing and needs to be conducted by OPRE; what NHSA should be researching and how NHSA can use research as professional development and advocacy tools.

Facilitators:

• Ben Allen, Ph.D., Public Policy and Research Director, NHSA

• Esmirna Valencia, Executive Director for the Division of Children and Family Services for Riverside County Office of Education (Confirmed)

Policy Sessions (Continued)

1:30 pm - 2:15 pm

Connecting the Early Learning Community to Asset Building
(Grand Ballroom)

Presenters:

• Richard Gonzales, Senior Advisor for State Advisory Councils, Administration for Children and Families (Confirmed)

2:15 pm - 3:00 pm

Demystifying Program Quality, Accountability, and Assessments
(Grand Ballroom)

Program quality is a key consideration when federal lawmakers and policy analysts evaluate the worth of a program. During this session, attendees will learn from a prominent Office of Management and Budget (OMB) official how OMB thinks about outcome definition and measurement, and from a key U.S. Department of Education early childhood advisor her perspectives about assessment as a constructive in Head Start.

Presenters:

• Jacqueline Jones, Ph.D., Senior Advisor to the Secretary for Early Learning, Office of The Secretary, U.S. Department of Education (Invited)
• Shelley Metzenbaum, Ph.D., Associate Director for Performance and Personnel Management, OMB (Confirmed)

Moderator:

• Ben Allen, Ph.D., Director of Public Policy and Research, NHSA

Skill Building Sessions (NHSA's Assets)

3:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The New Language of Head Start
(Room TBD)

Presenter:

• Lee Carter, Partner, maslansky luntz + partners (Confirmed)

Social Media/Technology
(Room TBD)

4:00 pm - 4:15 pm

Break

4:15 pm - 5:15 pm

Media Relations/Communications
(Room TBD)

Presenter:

• Myra Peabody Gossens, Principal, MPG Advisors (Confirmed)

How to Conduct and Use Research
(Room TBD)

The word "research" appears 73 times in the Head Start Act, as amended. The significance of this fact is that research influences the programming, practices, and services of Head Start programs. During this session, attendees will learn what research is and how it can strengthen advocacy efforts. In addition, the session will address research's role in improving service delivery and child outcomes.

Presenter:

• Ben Allen, Ph.D., Director of Public Policy and Research, NHSA

5:15 pm - 5:30 pm

Break

Late Afternoon Sessions

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Roundtable Discussion
(Room TBD)

This roundtable is an opportunity for State and Regional Head Start Association leaders and NHSA leaders to have a dialogue about our collaborative efforts.

5:30 pm - 7:00 pm

Advocacy 101
(Room TBD)

Advocacy by Head Start parents, directors, teachers, staff, and friends is essential to ensure that Head Start and Early Head Start programs can continue to thrive by providing needed comprehensive services to children and their low-income families. During this session, Washington State Association of Head Start & ECEAP (WSA)'s Parent Ambassadors will share with directors, parents, teachers, staff, and friends the nuts and bolts of how they advocate for these programs.

Presenters:

• J. Zoe Beckerman, Esq., Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP (Confirmed)
• Thomas Sheridan, Legislative Associate, NHSA
• Kylee Allen, Parent Coordinator of Parent Ambassadors Program, Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP (Confirmed)
• Cecily Dilworth, Parent Coordinator of Parent Ambassadors program, Washington State Association of Head Start and ECEAP (Confirmed)

Evening events and dinner are on your own.

Wednesday, September 22, 2010

7:45 am - 10:00 am

Registration

(Grand Ballroom Foyer)

8:30 am - 10:00 am

Reception and Award Honoring Senators Christopher Dodd and George Voinovich
Room G-50 Dirksen Senate Office Building

Sponsored by the Connecticut Head Start Association, the National Head Start Association, and the Ohio Head Start Association

Chairman Christopher Dodd (Confirmed)

Senator George Voinovich (Confirmed)

10:00 am - 5:00 pm

Effective Capitol Hill Visits

Scheduled by you or your state/regional Head Start association with your congressional delegation

Lunch on your own

The Dream Lives On: Celebrating 45 Years of Head Start

6:00 pm - 10:00 pm

Grand Hyatt Washington

1000 H Street, N.W.

Ticket is required for admission.

Or, dinner on your own

Thursday, September 23, 2010

9:00 am - 10:30 am

Closing General Session: Office of Head Start Update and Next Steps
(Grand Ballroom)

This session will provide an opportunity for Yvette Sanchez Fuentes to provide an update on policy issues of interest to the Head Start community. Yasmina Vinci will also close the Leadership Institute by suggesting some next steps to the attendees.

Introduction:

• Yasmina Vinci, Executive Director, NHSA

Presenter:

• Yvette Sanchez Fuentes, Director, Office of Head Start, Administration for Children and Families, U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (Confirmed)

10:30 am - 10:45 am

Break

10:45 am - 12:30 pm

Closing Session: Promoting Excellence on Head Start's Horizon
(Grand Ballroom)