NHSA

Introducing Starling's Mental Fitness Program
2022-07-21 14:00 - 14:45 (America/New_York)
This highly interactive presentation will focus on stress, worry and anxiety and how these can be challenged in achieving or maintaining a work-life balance.
The webinar will answer the following questions:
1. What is Starling Minds and how can the platform support our mental health?
2. How can we recognize and deal with our triggers?
3. What strategies can we use to set limits that allow us to better manage our mental health?

Early Head Start Advocate Training
2022-07-15 13:00 - 14:00
Only 1 in 10 income-eligible families are able to access Early Head Start. Together, we can change this and NHSA’s Early Head Start Rising campaign is here to help! This research-based 1-hour advocacy training is designed to help you hone your ability to effectively educate and advocate for Early Head Start in your daily interactions and with policymakers and community leaders. This training will also give you an opportunity to become familiar with NHSA’s Early Head Start Rising Advocacy Toolkit. We hope you can join with other Head Start leaders passionate about supporting pregnant women, infants, toddlers and their families at this important training!
Moderated by NHSA Staff

Bold Leadership Series: Burning Up Before Burning Out
2022-07-14 14:00
Welcome to the first leadership webinar of our Bold Leadership Series!
Our everyday lives are filled with rules. We are aware of some rules; some, we abide by without knowing how much they exhaust us—leading to burnout. During this session, presented by Executive Director of Rural Utah Child Development Keri Allred, you will identify some of the rules that are tiring you and will have the chance to create a new way of living that can better sustain you in the work you do. These new rules are your own and they are waiting to be written! You too can achieve bold leadership.
Keri Newman Allred is the Executive Director of Rural Utah Child Development and has held this position for 9 years. Her bachelors degree in child development, masters degree in human and family development and a 30 year career in early childhood has been inspired by the motto ‘childhood is a journey, not a race’. This belief is the driving force behind every success RUCD has achieved. Keri believes that a positive and productive workplace is the highest goal, and that living truthfully is the best way to get there.

Webinar: El Desarrollo del Habla y del Lenguaje - Cómo Fortalecer el Apoyo de Los Niños Bilingües
2022-07-13 14:00 - 15:00
En nuestro mundo acelerado lleno de información al alcance de la mano, a menudo nos falta información útil sobre el desarrollo del habla y el lenguaje. Infórmese sobre el aprendizaje en dos idiomas y cómo mantener a nuestros pequeños estudiantes e hijos apoyados con estrategias dentro y fuera del uso de máscaras, tiempo frente a la pantalla y mucho más.
This webinar will be in Spanish.
In our fast paced world full of information at our fingertips, we are often lacking useful information about speech and language development. Become informed about dual language learning and how to keep our children supported with strategies in and out of mask-wearing, screen time, and more.
Speaker: Emily Vincent, M.S CCC-SLP, Bilingual Speech-Language Pathologist
Emily Vincent, M.S. CCC-SLP is a bilingual/bicultural (Spanish-English) speech-language pathologist. She has been working with families and children for many years providing therapy, diagnostic, and consultation services through Early Intervention, public and private preschools including Head Start and Early Head Start, as well as elementary schools. She began life after college as a Head Start preschool teacher, then later as a disability specialist for Early Head Start and Head Start while attending graduate school to become a bilingual speech-language pathologist. When she is not conquering tele-therapy or google docs with her incredible and diverse caseload, she can be found hanging out with family in the mountains or the beach, in a bootcamp class, or reading a novel.

Webinar: National Head Start Association Child Tax Credit
2022-07-12 14:00 - 15:00
Nearly 90% of children in the U.S. became eligible for the Child Tax Credit when it was expanded last year. Even though tax season has passed, families can still claim the full 2021 CTC – up to $3,600 per child per family – by either using the simplified filing portal – GetCTC.org, or filing a paper return.
This webinar is designed to help members of the National Head Start Association community better understand the expanded Child Tax Credit and how to help families claim this critical benefit.
You do NOT have to be a tax expert. We’ll share ready-to-use resources to help you provide information to families and connect them to tax preparation assistance, as well as discuss common concerns and questions around the CTC and things such as immigration status, public benefits impact, and much more! The webinar and accompanying multilingual resources are designed to help you easily integrate CTC outreach to families in your existing programs and communications.
Join the National Head Start Association, the Coalition on Human Needs and the Partnership for America’s Children for this training to learn more!
Speakers: Child Tax Credit Outreach Coordinators from the Coalition on Human Needs
Julia Beebe
Julia joined CHN to help launch its new Child Tax Credit outreach project, a collaborative effort with the Partnership for America’s Children. She has more than a decade of experience as a community organizer. Prior to joining CHN, she worked as Lead Organizer for the Matahari Women Workers’ Center, an affiliate of the National Domestic Workers Alliance in Massachusetts, and as a community organizer for Valley Interfaith, an affiliate of the Industrial Areas Foundation in Texas. She has a Master of Public Policy from Tufts University.

Aline S. da Fonseca, MSW
Aline joined the Coalition on Human Needs (CHN) at the end of 2021 and has helped to launch the CTC Outreach project run collaboratively by CHN and the Partnership for America’s Children. Prior to joining the CHN staff, Aline worked in East Harlem, NY for over 7 years helping public housing residents first as a health counselor and then as Program Director of East Harlem Aging Services with the Stanley M. Isaacs Neighborhood Center. Aline is committed to work that centers the voices and needs of low income, vulnerable, and marginalized communities, and addresses their most pressing concerns.”

Webinar: Preventing Picky Eating from First Bites
2022-07-07 14:00 - 15:00
Dr. Nimali Fernando will discuss feeding development is key in raising a healthy, happy eater. When parents and teachers understand how to proactively foster good feeding development they may be helping to prevent some of the common ways that kids can become picky eaters later. Dr. Fernando will share some of the free resources that help families and teachers overcome the barriers to eating well, and will how family meals shared in parallel with infants can help foster good feeding and provide a foundation of healthy eating habits.
Speaker: Nimali Fernando, MD, MPH
Dr. Nimali Fernando (aka “Dr. Yum“) is a pediatrician practicing in Fredericksburg, VA, and a founder of the website doctoryum.org and The Dr. Yum Project. She graduated from the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine and School of Public Health with an M.D. and Masters in Public Health. She completed residency and chief residency in Pediatrics at The University of Texas Health Sciences Center Houston and served there for two years as a Clinical Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics. She is the owner of Yum Pediatrics, a full-service general pediatrics practice with a focus on wellness and prevention through a healthy diet. Yum Pediatrics shares a large teaching kitchen and teaching garden with The Dr. Yum Project. She is also co-author of, ”Raising a Healthy Happy Eater” and “Dr. Yum’s Preschool Food Adventure.” She is a fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics. She is a proud mother of two boys and enjoys cooking with her family, running, and skiing.

Webinar: Overview of the Affordable Connectivity Program
2022-06-28 15:00 - 16:00
Let’s Get Connected! The Affordable Connectivity Program is an FCC benefit program that helps ensure that households can afford the broadband. Access to broadband can be used for work, school, healthcare and more. Please register to learn more about how this program can assist Head Start families.
The webinar will cover:

What Is The Benefit?
Who Is Eligible?
How Can Households Apply?

Speaker: Alma Hughes
Alma Hughes is a Consumer Education & Outreach Specialist in the Consumer Affairs and Outreach Division. In her present position, she provides outreach to numerous constituencies including K-12 and older adults, educating them on the importance of telecommunications programs as well as the rules and polices that have been implemented by the Commission.

Webinar: SNAP Eligibility Policy Discussion with Food Research & Action Center (FRAC)
2022-06-27 14:00 - 15:00
An opportunity for the Head Start community to hear from the nation’s leading experts on SNAP policy, the Food Research and Action Center (www.frac.org), about how to maximize the inclusion of SNAP enrolled families through the newly-created Head Start categorical eligibility pathway.
The webinar will bust myths about SNAP and raise opportunities to reduce bureaucracy for eligible families (and programs), strengthen services and outreach to food insecure children and build effective state and local partnerships.

Webinar: Human Superpower to Overcome Trauma
2022-06-22 14:00 - 15:00
Early childhood teachers, staff, infants, toddlers, and parents are all exposed to increasing stress and trauma in the environment. Learn about inborn “Human SuperPowers” to ease personal trauma, provide trauma-informed care to infants and toddlers, and share trauma-sensitive support for parents. Explore strategies that can help calm the traumatized brain and create ease for everyone involved in early childhood care settings.
Speaker: Dr. Darleen Wodzenski
Dr. Darleen Claire Wodzenski, MS ESE, MA CMHC, QPPE, Ph.D., LPC, NCC, is an author, speaker, and interventionist with Orchard Human Services, Inc. and Kinder Kollege Christian School. She is also an adjunct faculty member with Nova Southeastern University. A Nationally Board Certified Licensed Professional Counselor, Dr. Darleen provides direct clinical and developmental services to individuals and families with autism, neuro-atypicality, and disorders of attachment. She and her staff also serve children and adults with mental health challenges such as anxiety, depression, trauma, and neuroatypicality. Dr. Darleen delivers professional training, development, and consultative services for education and mental health professionals; provides special education advocacy; and is author of “Dead Children Can’t Read” and the “Marmalade Jam” therapeutic children’s book series. Dr. Darleen holds credentials in general and special education, is a qualified professional parent educator, and is a certified trainer for early learning and child care professionals.

Webinar: Snapping our fingers for SNAP
2022-06-16 12:00 - 13:00
In early May, The Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) announced that children who qualify for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) are now considered eligible for Head Start.
This webinar is a special response that significant change in eligibility that will further Head Start’s ability to prioritize services to children and families who need it most.
You will have the opportunity to hear from 2 leaders in the field, Kathy Vega and Stacey South-Corner Director, as they share their early success in implementation of the SNAP eligibility.

Speakers:

Kathy Vega, Associate Executive Director at RCMA
Kathy Vega is the Associate Executive Director for RCMA in the state of Florida. She has been employed with RCMA for 33 years and was introduced to RCMA when she was a former migrant farmworker who enrolled her children in the program. Kathy has held different capacity roles, primarily in direct services at the center level, and in the last seven years has moved into the upper management level.

Stacey South-Corner Director, Admissions & Recruitment at CAP Tulsa
Stacey South-Corner serves as the Director of Admissions & Recruitment for CAP Tulsa, a community action agency located in Tulsa, OK. Stacey has been with CAP Tulsa for 13 years and began her journey as an Administrative Assistant with the Early Childhood Program. Soon after joining the agency, she was promoted to Manager of Enrollment Services. Her experience with Head Start ranges from overseeing ERSEA, PIR, Policy Council, Quality Assurance, and the agency’s Interpretation & Translation team.

Wipfli Webinar: Exploring the Future of ERSEA (Part 2)
2022-06-15 14:00 - 16:00
Curious about what Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance (ERSEA) will look like in 2022? Join NHSA and Wipfli for an online, two-day training series to explore current best practices, challenges, and solutions regarding the future of ERSEA in Head Start. We will review regulation requirements and discuss how you can improve ERSEA implementation in your program.

Webinar: COVID Impact on Infants and Toddlers
2022-06-15 14:00 - 15:00
An up-to-date medical review of the impact COVID-19 has had on infants, toddlers, and their families, including physical, mental, and developmental. We will also discuss vaccines, masking, and community resources to protect pregnant women, infants, and toddlers from the pandemic. There will be a brief presentation with plenty of time for questions.
Speakers: Dr. Danette Glassy and Dr. Hilda Loria
Dr. Danette Swanson Glassy is a primary care pediatrician and child advocate. Retired after 32 years from Mercer Island Pediatrics as a primary care pediatrician, she now concentrates her professional time with non-profit, child advocacy work locally and nationally, and is clinical professor of pediatrics at the University of Washington. Dr. Glassy’s child advocacy work has been focused on the promotion of quality early education for all children and access to nature. She is the co-chair of the executive committee for “Caring for our Children: National Health and Safety Performance Standards; Guidelines for Early Care and Education Programs, 3rd and 4th editions,” and is the editor of “PedFACTs: Pediatric First Aid for Caregivers and Teachers,” an American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) publication.
Dr. Hilda Loria is an assistant professor of pediatrics in the Division of Developmental-Behavioral Pediatrics at UT Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas. She practices as a board-certified general pediatrician and serves as the medical director of the Rees-Jones Center for Foster Care Excellence, an integrated, trauma-informed pediatric medical home for children in the child welfare system. Her clinical and advocacy work focus on the impact of childhood toxic stress on long-term health outcomes, with a special interest in the care of immigrant children and children involved with the child welfare system. Dr. Loria currently serves on the executive board of the Texas Pediatric Society and is the Texas Early Childhood Champion for the AAP Council on Early Childhood. She also serves as a community leader for the Office of Welcoming Communities and Immigrant Affairs of the City of Dallas. Dr. Loria completed medical school at Baylor College of Medicine, pediatrics residency at UT Health San Antonio, and Academic General Pediatrics fellowship at UT Southwestern. She aspires to leave a lasting impact in her community as a pediatrician, educator, and advocate for children.

Wipfli Webinar: Exploring the Future of ERSEA (Part 1)
2022-06-14 14:00 - 16:00

Webinar: Pediatric Vaccine Success Stories from the Field
2022-06-13 12:00 - 13:00
Hip, Hip, Hooray, We Are On Our Way to Under Five Year Old Vaccinations!
National Community Action Partnership (NCAP), National Head Start Association (NHSA), the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Administration for Children and Families (ACF) are excited to prepare for approval of the COVID-19 vaccine for children six months to five years old:

CDC Vaccine Confidence and Demand Team: Learn vaccine confidence concepts and hear tips for building vaccine confidence in parents, caregivers and your community
Success Stories from the Field: Learn from sites that have been successful in promoting or partnering to provide pediatric vaccinations
Questions and Answers: Ask your burning questions! All presenters will be available to respond to questions following the presentations

Federal Funding for Child Care: A National Webinar for Home-Based Child Care Educators
2022-06-08 20:00 - 21:00
For the past year advocates have urged Congress to make a massive new investment to improve access to child care and compensation for child care educators. When Build Back Better stalled in December, the path forward became unclear. Now Senators Patty Murray (WA) and Tim Kaine (VA) have a new proposal to increase funding for child care, pre-k and Head Start.
This webinar for licensed Family Child Care and license-exempt Family, Friend and Neighbor providers will discuss what’s in the new proposal, how it will benefit you, and how you can support it. The hour-long webinar will be in English with simultaneous interpretation into Spanish.

Families Unite for Head Start Teachers and Staff
2022-06-08 19:00 - 20:00
NHSA is hosting a live call-in event for Head Start parents and caregivers.
Who: All Head Start Parents and Caregivers (past, present, and future!)
What: Families Unite for Head Start Teachers and Staff
When: Wednesday, June 8, 2022 | 7:00 p.m ET / 4:00 p.m PT
Where: Zoom—Register here.
57 Years of Success are on the Line
This week, we are celebrating Head Start’s 57th birthday and the millions of lives changed over the last six decades. Children and families count on Head Start to provide the care and education they need to succeed in school and in life. At the center of this success are well-qualified teachers and staff. Register today for a live call-in event for Head Start parents and caregivers to learn more about how you can raise your voice to support them.
Why Should You Be Involved?
Elected officials in our nation’s capital are drawing up plans that stand to have a profound impact on all of early childhood education—and Head Start might be left out. This call is your chance to stand up for the Head Start teachers and staff that make a difference in your child’s life every day.
Register and join hundreds of other parents on this important call to raise your voice for Head Start teachers and staff.

Webinar: Neuro-Nurturing Everyday
2022-06-08 14:00 - 15:00
The human brain is an amazing organ that allows each of us to think, feel, act, and learn. Experiences in the early years have a critical impact on the way a brain develops and affects wellbeing in life. You have the wonderful opportunity to gain greater awareness combined with confidence in the way you contribute to optimal development. This insightful session provides you with an easy to understand and fun overview of your positive influence. You will be inspired by how much more you understand about the ways you significantly impact behavior and learning for the children you care about.
Speaker: Deborah McNelis, M.Ed.
Deborah McNelis, M.Ed is an author, speaker, and creator of Neuro-Nurturing®. As an early brain development specialist and founder of Brain Insights, she has developed the unique Neuro-Nurturing Interaction Packets and the digital Brain Basics Quick Start Guide. She has also published Transitions and Balanced Stimulation development packets in collaboration with Redleaf Press. She has been seen in publications, heard on radio interviews and webinars worldwide, and receives rave reviews for her engaging and insightful presentations and keynotes for communities, schools, organizations, and companies. Her enthusiasm is said to be contagious.

Webinar: The Future of Early Learning is Relational
2022-06-01 14:00 - 15:00
What matters most in learning is not IQ, not SAT scores, and not college. The greatest predictor of lifelong success is relationships (aka love), starting in the early years of life. The American Academy of Pediatrics recently elevated early relationships as a critical way to prevent toxic stress. This session will offer a fresh look at what it takes for children to flourish from the start. It will review the body of evidence on why relationships are foundational to learning and development. It will then explore the alarming trends in relationships around our little ones, including the latest studies on how COVID-19 has affected emotional connection between babies/moms, and how cognitive and social-emotional skills in babies born during the pandemic have been dropping. Lastly, it will discuss how to improve those concerns, and frame the circles of relationships around our little learners in the FTLM framework—Families, Teachers, Little friends, and Mentors/Community.
Speaker: Isabelle C. Hau
Over the past two decades Isabelle, impact education funder, has innovated at the intersection of education, philanthropy, and impact investing, to make high-quality learning accessible and joyful for all children starting at birth. She was a founding partner at Imaginable Futures, the education venture of The Omidyar Group. Prior, she led the U.S. education initiative at Omidyar Network. Her work has directly impacted millions of learners and families. She is currently authoring a book on the future of (early) learning. She also serves on the boards of Better World Ed, EDC, Sonen Capital, and Think Equal, and is advising multiple high-impact organizations. In November 2021, she was awarded the Inclusive Leader Award in Early Childhood Education by Global MindED. Isabelle was also honored as one of “100 inspiring women” as part of the 50th year anniversary of women at Harvard Business School. Another of her proud moments is a feature with Grover of Sesame Street on early childhood innovation.

How to Respond to Uvalde: Trauma and Young Children with Ellen Galinsky
2022-05-26 16:00 - 17:00
The world can be a confusing, frightening place to young children. More than ever, the Head Start community needs accurate information and practical guidance for helping children and families through this difficult time. Join NHSA and Ellen Galinsky, author of Mind in the Making and Chief Science Officer of the Bezos Family Foundation, for a discussion about trauma and young children. We will discuss:

What trauma is, what causes it, and its potential effects on the brain and learning
How children and families might be thinking and feeling?
Why your relationships with children and families are critical to promoting healing
How to care for your own wellbeing

We mourn deeply for Uvalde, which has heartbreakingly been added to the list alongside Buffalo, Parkland, Newtown, and far too many other tragedies. It is our profound hope the outpouring of outrage and support brings both strength to the survivors and desperately needed change to our country.

The Why, What, and How of HS2EHS Enrollment Slot Conversion
2022-05-25 15:00 - 16:00
Converting enrollment slots from Head Start to Early Head Start (HS2EHS) is the process of shifting funding from services for Head Start preschool-age children to Early Head Start services for pregnant women, infants, and toddlers. This kind of change requires strategic planning. Join NHSA and panel of knowledgeable guests to discuss the challenges and the opportunities related to conversion.
Watch this webinar recording and access resources below:

CAP Tulsa Slide Deck
The Federal Approval Process Slide Deck
Moderator:

Ann Linehan, Senior Advisor, NHSA and Former Deputy Director of the Office of Head Start
Ann Linehan recently retired from her position as the Deputy Director of Office of Head Start (OHS). Ann served as Deputy Director since 2011 and prior to the Deputy position, she held senior management positions in OHS for 15 years overseeing Program Development, Quality Assurance and Program Operations. Ann’s leadership has been instrumental to improving program performance and increasing federal and local accountability. Ann began her federal career in 1992 in Region I as the Head Start Regional Program Manager responsible for Head Start programs in New England. Before joining the federal government, she was the Executive Director of a non-profit agency for nearly a decade that provided Head Start and Child Care services in eight communities in Massachusetts. Ann began her career as a special needs teacher for medically fragile children. She holds a BS in Sociology and Psychology and a Masters in Education from Boston State.

Speakers:

Karanae Duane, CPA, Chief Financial Officer, Childcare Associates
Karanae Duane is the Chief Financial Officer at Child Care Associates with over 17 years’ experience in the nonprofit industry. Most recently, she served as CFO at the James L. West Alzheimer’s Special Care Center in Fort Worth, Texas. She also has over 10 years of audit experience at Whitley Penn LLC, including an international secondment with Nelson Wheeler in Adelaide, Australia. Karanae is a member of the American Institute of Certified Public Accountants, the Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants, and a past member of the Financial Executives International and Fort Worth Chamber of Women Influencing Business. She received a B.A. from Texas Christian University in Fort Worth Texas and is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA). Karanae was a 2016 CFO of the Year nominee and the 2020 40 under 40 recipient by the Fort Worth Business Press.

Michelle Boatright, Chief Program Officer, CAP Tulsa
Michelle Boatright is the Chief Program Officer at CAP Tulsa. She joined the agency in 2003 and currently oversees all departments offering direct services to families. Michelle manages several support departments and a statewide program operated by the agency, and serves as CAP Tulsa’s Early Head Start/Head Start director. During her tenure at CAP Tulsa, Michelle has served in a range of roles spanning fundraising, strategic planning, family recruitment and intake, home visiting, asset building and work readiness initiatives, public benefit screening, and two-generation program design. In 2006, when CAP Tulsa was first selected to implement a new statewide program aimed at improving the quality and quantity of services available to at-risk children ages birth through three, Michelle helped lead the effort to launch what became the Oklahoma Early Childhood Program. Prior to joining CAP Tulsa, Boatright was the executive director for a domestic violence services center in central Oklahoma and also served as a child advocate for the organization. She is an Oklahoma State University graduate and has worked in the non-profit sector for the majority of her career.

Larissa Zoot, M.P.H., Program Operations Manager, Office of Head Start/ACF/DHHS
Larissa Zoot is a Program Operations Manager for the Office of Head Start, coordinating the work of the OHS central office Program Operations team, and supporting the work of the OHS Regional Offices. Larissa has served the Head Start community since 1999 in many Federal capacities: Regional Program Specialist, Early Head Start Liaison, Review Team Leader, Project Officer for a national TA center, Program Analyst, Trainer, and collaborative problem-solver and contributor. Larissa is proud to be a part of the Head Start community and feels especially fortunate to be in the position of supporting professional and procedural development for staff of the regional offices, who in turn ensure timely funding, helpful guidance, and accountability among grantees so that vulnerable children and families receive quality services in quality environments provided by well-trained, well-supported staff.

Head Start Alumni After Happy Hour
2022-05-02 19:00 - 21:00
When you leave your regular Happy Hour, catch up with other Head Start alums at the ‘After Happy Hour.’
When: May 2, 7 to 9 p.m.
Cost: Free thanks to the generosity of

Voluntary financial gifts of $10-$50 will be accepted at the door on behalf of Dollar Per Child, which enables NHSA to continue its powerful advocacy work on behalf of Head Start children and families. As a “thank you,” all giving guests will receive two drink tickets for a house beer or wine. There’s a full evening ahead! We’ll play Head Start Bingo, build a memory wall, take way too many pictures, chat and chew, kee-kee a bit, and oh, someone will win a raffle prize!

Webinar: Unequal Access, Unequal Opportunity
2022-04-21 13:00 - 14:30
Removing Barriers to Access to Head Start and Other Programs for Eligible Children and Families
Watch this webinar recording and access a full list of resources (listed below) to:

Learn about a new report and research from NHSA that updates our understanding of the top barriers to access to Head Start and Early Head Start for eligible families
Explore relevant frameworks and research from leading access to early childhood scholars
Understand the importance of family child care and other high-value policy solutions
Engage in how we support the call-to-action to federal and state advocates and policymakers to elevate and enact policies and funding focused on ensuring equitable access to early childhood education

Speakers:

Erin Hardy, Senior Research Scientist, NORC
Kent Mitchell, Senior Director of State Affairs, NHSA
Natalie Renew, Executive Director, Home Grown
Kathyrn Tout, Vice-President for Early Childhood Research and Partnerships, ChildTrends

Resources:

Head Start United: Removing Barriers to Access for Children and Families
Defining and Measuring Access to High Quality Early Care and Education (ECE): A Guidebook for Policymakers
Conceptualizing and Measuring Access to Early Care and Education
Supporting Families’ Access to Child Care and Early Education: A Descriptive Profile of States’ Consumer Education Websites
Measuring and Comparing Multiple Dimensions of Early Care and Education Access
Defining and Measuring Access to Child Care and Early Education with Families in Mind
Parents’ Reasons for Searching for Early Care and Education and Results of Search: An Analysis Using the Access Framework
Using the Access Framework to Guide Child Care Policy during the COVID-19 Crisis
Advancing racial equity through neighborhood informed early childhood policies
Early Head Start application resources for HBCC
Enhancing Comprehensive Services in Family Child Care with Early Head Start Partnerships
Comprehensive Services in Home-Based Child Care Networks

Reflection Sciences Webinar: Executive Function for Teachers and Learners
2022-04-14 14:00 - 15:00
Watch this webinar recording for an overview of Executive Function and its importance in early childhood followed by an in-depth explanation of the State of Alabama’s Department of Early Childhood Education’s work with Reflection Sciences on a teacher-led coaching model.
Speakers:

State of Alabama Dept. of Early Childhood Education: Joy Winchester
Conscious Discipline State Implementation Lead: Amy Brakenhoff
Reflection Sciences Client Success Manager: Hailey Buysse

Webinar: Parenting Around Food
2022-03-24 12:30 - 13:30
Raising a healthy eater can be a challenge. Dr. Nimali and The Dr. Yum Project team (including a pediatrician, dietitian, and early childhood educator) will guide you through parenting principles that will help you raise a happy and healthy eater. These principles can even be used outside of mealtimes to raise resilient, well-adjusted children.

NHSA Job Board: How to Post for Free
2022-03-23 15:00 - 15:30
There is a hiring crisis across the Head Start nation right now. To support efforts to recruit staff, NHSA is opening up our job board to all Head Start programs to post free open teacher positions announcements. Join Dr. Deborah Bergeron, NHSA’s deputy director for Community Engagement and Innovation, to learn how to post for free and exchange recruitment tips with your colleagues across the country.
To learn more about NHSA’s job board and to get started on your free postings, visit jobboard.nhsa.org.

Webinar: FA2 Review
2022-03-22 14:00 - 15:00
With OHS getting back to FA2 monitoring, we know everyone is wondering: what will monitoring look like with COVID in mind?
Join a panel of your peers who have experienced FA2 monitoring in 2022 and hear their lessons learned. Five Head Start and Early Head Start leaders will share their insights, approach, and process. Bring your questions for a facilitated Q&A immediately after the panel.
View the recording.

GroMoreGood Webinar: Learning from Head Start Gardeners
2022-03-16 13:00 - 14:00
Join us to hear first-hand experiences and practical gardening tips from fellow Head Start gardeners and educators. This webinar will include program spotlights, detailed below, from three of our GroMoreGood Head Start Garden Grant winners and from educators participating in the Junior Master Gardener’s Learn, Grow, Eat & Grow Early Childhood Program. We hope their garden tales will inspire you to start a new or expand an existing garden program this spring.
Register Now
Murray Head Start
Murray Head Start utilized grant funds to launch a STEAM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Arts, Mathematics) gardening project entitled “Get Your Grow On” that was sent to every enrolled Early Head Start and preschool/Head Start child. STEAM kits included herb container garden kits and related parent/child activities; in addition, a website was introduced to families in these kits that included informational videos about germination, local Farmers Markets, nutrition and gardening resources available at the public library, family engagement, and a cooking lesson. With the assistance of several community partners, the project was a huge success, impacting nearly 1,200 children!
Bi-County Community Action Programs, Inc.
Because of the GroMoreGood Grant initiative, Bi-County Community Action Program’s Head Start classroom has been able to create, and continue to build our indoor and outdoor garden opportunities. It has allowed their program to create new community partnerships, all with the goal of getting more children and families involved and educated on the benefits of gardening. From fresh produce at meal times, to new gardening books and activities, the GroMoreGood Grant planted the seed for this new garden project to blossom into something spectacular.
Chicago Commons Association, Nia Family Center Garden
The GroMoreGood Grant enabled Chicago Commons to design and install a new garden at our Nia Family Center. The garden included edible vegetables and a sensory garden with herbs and flowers. Every part of the gardening process, including eating the food we grew, was educational. Children were engaged through food experiences, nutrition, science, math, social-emotional learning and language development. We are looking forward to continuing this program year after year with children from Head Start, Early Head Start and program staff.

Leading with a Growth Mindset Webinar
2022-03-08 14:00 - 15:00
Are you a new Head Start/Early Head Start director? Would you like to learn more about growth mindset leading? The best time to establish your leadership style is when you’re just getting started! Join NHSA and Frog Street for a special webinar on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 from 2:00 p.m. – 3:00 p.m EST.
We will explore how you can enhance your team’s potential during times of crisis. Dr. Deborah Bergeron will present key actions you can take to lean into a growth mindset, use it to create a growth mindset culture throughout your program and use these principles to work through challenges. You will also hear about opportunities to learn and grow with your new director peers. Register now.

NAACP + NHSA: A Focus on Head Start and Universal Pre-K
2022-02-23 19:30 - 20:30
Join the FL NAACP and NHSA for an in-depth discussion on the effectiveness of early childhood education in postively contributing to the future of our communities.
Speakers
Colleagues from the National Head Start Association will discuss Head Start’s history, Head Start’s present, and Universal Pre-K.

Malkia Payton-Jackson – NHSA Director, Alumni Engagement
Yasmina Vinci – NHSA Executive Director
Amirh Moore – NHSA Senior Associate, Government Affairs & Advocacy
Kent Mitchell – NHSA Senior Director, State Affairs

Discussion & Insights

High-quality, comprehensive services for families & children birth-to-five
Research with proven successful outcomes for children
Effectiveness of parent & community participation in key programs

Wipfli Webinar: Exploring the Future of ERSEA
2022-02-17 14:00 - 16:00
