NATIONAL HEAD START ASSOCIATION TO HOLD 21st ANNUAL PARENT TRAINING CONFERENCE IN SALT LAKE CITY
Salt Lake City , Utah , will host the National Head Start Association’s 21 st Annual Parent Training Conference. The conference will take place December 10-14, 2004, at The Grand America Hotel. One thousand Head Start parents and staff, as well as distinguished members of the early childhood development field, will be on hand to participate in extensive training.
NHSA is dedicated to enhancing parent involvement in Head Start programs. Sarah Greene, president and CEO of the National Head Start Association said: “This annual conference offers parents an opportunity to develop their skills in the classroom, at home, and as advocates on behalf of their children. It also gives Head Start staff occasion to learn new ways to encourage, motivate, and welcome parents into their programs.”
More than 100 educational sessions will be offered. Key events include:
- Opening General Session, Saturday, December 11, The Grand America Grand Ballroom, 2:30-4 p.m.: Opening remarks will be presented by Ron Herndon, chairman, NHSA Board of Directors, and an inspirational leader of the Head Start community. Charles “Chuck” Mills will be the keynote speaker. Chuck is a former Head Start child, a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy, a successful corporate executive, and a dynamic motivational speaker.
- 10 th Annual Parent Awards Banquet, Sunday, December 12, The Grand America Grand Ballroom A and D, 7-9 p.m.: Nominees from every Head Start region have been invited to attend the ceremony for two prestigious awards – Parent of the Year and Beating the Odds. Each will be honored and this year’s award winners will be announced.
- Closing General Session, Tuesday, December 14, The Grand America Grand Ballroom, 9-10 a.m.: U.S. Representative Jim Matheson will speak during this session. He represents Utah’s Second Congressional District. He is a member of the House Transportation Committee, the House Financial Services Committee, and serves on the House Science Committee. During his time in Washington, Rep. Matheson has championed bipartisanship for common sense solutions to issues. Congressman Matheson is a sixth-generation Utahn, born and reared in Salt Lake City.
The Head Start Directors and Parents Associations of Utah will host this year’s event. Says Greene: “We are delighted to be here in beautiful Salt Lake City, home to nearly 7,000 Head Start children. We hope to share our knowledge and friendship with this important Head Start community.”
Press planning to attend the conference can receive a press badge at the NHSA conference office located in The Grand America Hotel, Venice Room.
ABOUT HEAD START
Created in 1965, Head Start is the most successful, longest-running, national school readiness program in the United States. It provides comprehensive education, health, nutrition, and parent involvement services to low-income children and their families. More than 22 million pre-school aged children have benefited from Head Start.
ABOUT NHSA
The National Head Start Association is a private, not-for-profit membership organization dedicated exclusively to meeting the needs of Head Start children and their families. It represents more than 900,000 children, 200,000 staff and 2,700 Head Start programs in the United States. The Association provides support for the entire Head Start community by advocating for policies that strengthen services to Head Start children and their families, by providing extensive training and professional development to Head Start staff, and by developing and disseminating research, information, and resources that enrich Head Start program delivery. |
