NHSA

Webinar: Neuro-Nurturing Everyday
2022-06-08 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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 (America/New_York)
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, 2022-02-15 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
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.

NHSA Parent Book Club
2022-02-02 12:00 - 13:00 UTC
Join us for a six-week book club series on Wednesdays, February 3 through March 9. We will be discussing When You Wonder, You’re Learning: Mister Rogers’ Enduring Lessons for Raising Creative, Curious, Caring Kids.
Each week, we will offer interactive sessions with NHSA facilitators and fellow Head Start parents and staff. Finding time to read between parenting, work, activities, etc., can be difficult; follow these tips or click here to learn more about finding the time to read.

Designate separate reading spots for work and reading
It’s OK to use an audiobook
Limit your screen time
Make reading a part of your routine (model reading for your kids)
Read in short bursts whenever and wherever (like waiting at the doctor’s office)
Take breaks

You are invited to network before, during, and after the book club series through The Block, NHSA’s online community where you can seek advice, share resources, and engage with a network of your national colleagues. Sign up today.
