News You Can Use Week of January 13, 2012
Shout out for Letters to the Editors!
In response to the report that came out in December about health and safety violations in targeted Head Start programs, NHSA encouraged members to submit letters to the editor to reassure local communities of the real facts of the matter. Our shout out this week goes to thirteen programs that successfully did just that! Check out letters that ran in Oroville California, Marysville California, Santa Cruz California, Colorado, Connecticut, Louisiana, Cape Cod Massachusetts, Massachusetts, Michigan, Ohio, Oregon, New Castle Pennsylvania, Wisconsin.
Winter Leadership Institute
It's not too late to register for NHSA's Winter Leadership Institute from January 23rd-26th in Washington, DC! View the schedule-at-a-glance, speakers, and more on our website. If you're already registered, plan ahead for your hill visit--schedule it now!
National Conference
Save the date! NHSA will be holding our 39th Annual Head Start Conference in Nashville, Tennessee April 16th-21st. The conference will include a special National Event, a Research and Practice Symposium, Health and Family Services Institutes, a Public Policy Breakfast, an Awards Dinner and more! We're excited and hope you are, too. Registration opens January 23rd!
Send Your Thanks to Congress
In no small part because of the efforts of all of you, Congress increased funding for Head Start in 2012. We encourage you to take just a minute to email your representatives and thank them for their commitment to the program!
Peep and the Big Wide World
Peep and the Big Wide World is a National Science Foundation-sponsored series airing on public television. If you haven't visited its website recently, you should. There are 100s of hands-on science activities for 3 to 5-year olds grouped by theme and the Peep Explorer's Guide for classrooms can be downloaded and copied free of charge-it contains six exploration units on shadows, water, plants, ramps, color, and sound. Family take-homes are translated into Spanish and streaming video from the series is available in both languages. A new blog is also being written by a Head Start teacher about her experiences using Peep resources in the classroom.
January Family Connections Newsletter
Family Service & Parent Engagement Coordinators! The January NHSA Family Connections newsletter is ready to print. This issue focuses on how to prepare your taxes and includes information on where to find free tax prep, paperwork needed for tax returns, and how to say "no" to Rapid Refund Loans. Family Connections is produced by PreSchoolFirst and is an exclusive benefit for NHSA Program Members. The newsletter is available in both English and Spanish. Access both on our website.
NHSA Leaders As Learners Series
Sharpen your negotiation skills! Join the NHSA Leaders As Learners Negotiation Skills Training, March 5th & 6th, 2012, in Atlanta, Georgia! Polish your skills including how to build consensus, negotiate with interested parties and collaborative partners in the field, and promote power sharing in state and regional associations. This training is targeting local, state, regional and national leaders in the Head Start community with priority given to Head Start agency directors and board members and directors of regional associations. Course fees are provided by W. K. Kellogg Foundation. For more information and application form visit our website. Application deadline for this course is February 13, 2012.
FDC Instructors' Training Institute: April 16 & 17, Nashville, TN
National Family Development Credential Program (FDC) which is administered by the University of Connecticut. FDC is one of the approved credential programs designated by the Office of Head Start to meet the Family Services Worker requirement. You can learn more about the Family Development Credential Program by visiting: www.familydevelopmentcredential.org. This two-part Trainer's Institute is for Head Start staff who would like to become certified FDC Instructors to offer the program for workers in their local communities as well as for state teams who are interested in becoming State Coordinators. Watch for letters of invitation, and applications coming out next week.
Abriendo Puertas/Opening Doors
We are now accepting applications for a second National Facilitators Training for April 15, 16 & 17, Nashville, TN. We are recruiting 10 more teams of two to join our Head Start Abriendo Puertas Network. Click here to review this unique scholarship opportunity. Application deadline is April 16, 2012. For more information contact Siria Rioja, 703-739-7555, srioja@nhsa.org
Don't Miss Upcoming Legal Advisory Service Trainings
The Head Start Legal Advisory Service, a collaboration between Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP and the National Head Start Association, has developed key offerings designed with programs like yours in mind. Join Ted Waters and Zoë Beckerman for the following webinars:
(2/01/12) So You Have Monitoring Findings, Now What Do You Do? (3 pm eastern time)
Rarely do programs undergo monitoring reviews and come away with no findings. And unfortunately, in this era of additional scrutiny and consequences, every finding counts. We've helped many programs over the years respond to monitoring findings. So, what do you do when you receive a monitoring report with deficiencies or non-compliances? How do you break the report down and properly respond? Join us on this webinar to learn:
• How to review your report and clues to look for;
• Tips on how to develop and strengthen your Quality Improvement Plans; and
• How to document and "prove up" your compliance to "clear" your findings.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Senior management and staff, but all are welcome.
(2/15/12) Human Resources Lifecycle in Head Start (3 pm eastern time)
HR in Head Start can be very confusing. The regulations require that certain actions need to take place pre-employment; others during the hiring process, and still others while someone is employed by your program. And then what happens if someone's employment needs to be terminated? Getting these elements right matters - not just for proper program operations, but for morale too. In this webinar, we will discuss the Human Resources Lifecycle of the Head Start employment relationship and include:
• Pre-employment requirements, such as recruitment and selection procedures and health exams;
• Hiring process, including steps and tips;
• Elements during employment, such as performance reviews and training/development; and
• Firing, including steps on "how to."
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, Human Resources Director and HR Personnel, but all are welcome.
The Head Start Legal Advisory Service, a collaboration between Feldesman Tucker Leifer Fidell LLP and the National Head Start Association, has this topic, as well as other new offerings on topics designed with programs like yours in mind. To register or see the full list of this season's trainings, please go to: http://headstart.peachnewmedia.com/store/provider/provider09.php.