National Head Start Association

President Obama Has Your Back

On Tuesday, President Obama addressed current issues in education from Yeadon Regional Head Start in Pennsylvania. He said to the Head Start field, “I firmly believe that Head Start is an outstanding program and a critical investment. The children who have the chance to go to the best Head Start programs have an experience that can literally change their lives for years to come.” He also addressed upcoming re-competition, which will apply only to programs that fail to meet high standards and not a specific percentage of programs. Find NHSA’s official statement here. If you missed our follow up conference call with Roberto Rodriguez from the White House Domestic Policy council, you can listen to the recording by calling 712-432-0990 and using access code 484503.

 WEBINAR Promoting High Quality Programs: Head Start Re-competition

The purpose of all early childhood education is to provide children with the highest quality preparation for school and for life. As the Head Start field prepares for new regulations to help support that quality, there are many questions and concerns about how designation renewal will be implemented and how it will affect Head Start and Early Head Start programs moving forward. The National Head Start Association and Teaching Strategies are partnering to host a webinar that will provide a high-level, informative explanation of the Final Rule and address the needs of the field. Please join us on Tuesday, November 15th at 2:00 PM EST. Register here.

Shout out to SCCAP Head Start in Bloomington, IN!

SCCAP Head Start hosted Representative Todd Young at the end of October. They provided the Congressman with the opportunity to see Head Start in action. This is a great way to show Congress the impact of Head Start in their local communities! Read more here.

NHSA Seeks Support from Faith Leaders

Religious people of all faiths believe in the importance of helping those in need. In collaboration with Reverend Stephanie Weiner, NHSA has prepared a letter from leaders of all faiths - ministers, rabbis, imams, priests and more - to Congress, expressing the need to protect Head Start. Find more information, including a printable copy your families can bring to their places of worship, on our website.

NHSA Blogs!

As part of the Window of Opportunity Campaign, NHSA is collecting stories from Head Start alumni, parents, staff, and friends. Check out the last two issues of our blog to see stories and to find out how to share your own.

28th Annaul Parent Conference  - Yvette Sanchez Fuentes Addresses Re-Competition

Register Now!

To address recent developments in the Designation Renewal System (re-competition), Office of Head Start Director Yvette Sanchez Fuentes will join us to speak to the changes and take questions. And in addition to dozens of other meaningful and informative sessions, we are hosting a policy council recognition dinner and a 3-on-3 basketball co-ed basketball tournament and a daily health walk! Our conference hotels are almost out of rooms, so register now! Explore our website to find out more about conference content and activities.

Get Parents Trained for Advocacy with Abriendo Puertas!

Abriendo Puertas is the nation's first evidence-based parent leadership and advocacy training program for Latino parents with children 0-5 years of age.  The program was developed in Spanish and provides a linguistically and culturally relevant curriculum centered on the cultural values, strengths, and experiences of Latino families. This approach engages parents at a very personal level and results in transformative learning. Through a unique "train-the-trainer" program, Abriendo Puertas fully prepares local community leaders to become facilitators in delivering the program to parents in their neighborhood. With funding from an anonymous donor, NHSA is pleased to offer these important  training opportunities at no cost at the Parent Conference. See details here.

Statement from Secretary Sebelius on National Native American Heritage Month

NHSA joins Secretary Sebelius in honoring the contributions of American Indian and Alaskan Native members of the Head Start community. Read her full statement here.

Department of Education Awards $180M to States for Literacy

The states of Georgia, Louisiana, Montana, Nevada, Pennsylvania and Texas have been named recipients of multi-million dollar grants from the Depart of Education’s Striving Readers Comprehensive Literacy Grant Program. Find out more here.

Save the Date!

NHSA is hosting its annual Winter Leadership Instiute in Washington, DC from January 23rd-26th. Registration opens next week! Find more information here.

Share your expertise with the Head Start and Early Head Start community

The National Head Start Association is currently seeking engaging presentations for its 39th Annual Head Start Conference & Meetings in Nashville, Tennessee.  We are seeking to showcase a wide variety of formats, from 90 minutes workshops to Special Tracks (1- and 2-full-day specialized topics).  This annual conferences targets senior management staff in all content ares, site managers, classroom and family service staff, policy council and governing body members, community collaborators, research, policy and allied partners who work to ensure all vulnerable children and families have what they need to succeed.
 
Click Here to submit your Call for Presenter Application
 
We look forward to seeing you in Nashville, Tennessee!

Your CDA Makes Renewal More Convenient

The Council for Professional Recognition is pleased to announce that Candidates for the Child Development Associate® (CDA) credential can now apply online for their initial CDA or renewal.  YourCDA, the Council’s brand-new online application system allows Candidates to:

• Check their status at any time
• Pay online
• Have their Director and CDA Advisor submit statements electronically
• Receive email notifications and reminders about next steps
• See useful application tips
• Chat directly with Council staff

Here is what one recent Candidate had to say about her YourCDA renewal:
I just want to say that this is the Coolest and most efficient way for CDA candidates to handle their renewal process! I love this new set up. It is easy and so fun to keep up with the process of my CDA. Thanks. - Sandra Lattimore

Please visit www.cdacouncil.org/yourcda to learn more.

Upcoming Legal Advisory Service Trainings on HS Monitoring Reviews

Head Start monitoring results have major legal ramifications for your program.  It's always been important to get things right, but with re-competition on the horizon, it’s more important than ever.  Check out these upcoming webinars:

(11/16/11) Reviews on Governance & Management Systems (New for the FY 2012 Protocol)
This webinar covers what the lawyers have to say and includes a special focus on the governance and management systems sections of OHS Monitoring protocol. In this session, we’ll:

•    Review actual governance and management systems questions in the new tool;
•    Discuss what reviewers might be looking for; and
•    Provide ideas about documentation to "prove up" your compliance.

Please note:  this webinar covers only governance and management systems questions.  Please see our other Monitoring webinars for other key parts of the Monitoring Protocol.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, and Management Team, but all are welcome.

(12/7/11) Eligibility, ERSEA Monitoring, and More (New for the FY 2012 Protocol)
This webinar has a special focus on the ERSEA section of the OHS monitoring protocol. We’ll cover:
A review of actual ERSEA questions in the new tool;
Discussion what reviewers might be looking for; and
Provides ideas about documentation to "prove up" your compliance.


Please note: this webinar covers ERSEA questions. Please see our other Monitoring webinars for other key parts of the Monitoring Protocol.
Who Should Attend: Executive Directors, Head Start Directors, ESREA Staff, but all are welcome.

Governance Boot Camp (2 webinar series; On–Demand)
Every Board and Policy Council meeting is chock full of work to be done — ranging from developing goals, to approving grant renewals and policies, to ensuring fiscal and programmatic oversight.  Despite the time crunch, both bodies still need regular training.  Because we kept hearing from programs across the country how hard it is to fit in governance training into busy Board and Policy Council schedules, we’ve designed our Governance Boot Camp just for you!

This series is designed to ensure that you can provide cutting-edge governance training to both your Board and your Policy Council – in short segments that can fit into their regular meetings.  Each of these two webinars is comprised of discrete, short topics of 20-30 minutes in duration.  So you can show one segment at one Board or Policy Council meeting, and another segment at the next.  The presentations are “on-demand” so that they can be watched at your Board or Policy Council’s convenience.  You can also use the same training segments for both your Board and your Policy Council –so you get multiple trainings for one low price.  And, importantly, you’ll have an extended time (6 months) to use each webinar, comprised of multiple segments.

Segments for Part 1: Governance Essentials

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.