November 2006 Update
November 2006 - Vol 6, Issue 11
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It is the mission of CHSA to provide it's members, the earlycare and education community, and our friends with up-to-date information from California 's Capitol in Sacramento and our nation's Capitol in Washington DC.

Head Start: Heart of the Family, Heart of the Community

Register Early and Save! On-line or Print the Registration Forms





• 5th Annual Parent Conference, January 29 & 30, 2007

• 9th Annual General Conference January 31 to Feb 2, 2007

Registration materials are online for both the Parent Conference & General Conference. Additional materials will be mailed out mid November.

We are very pleased to announce our Keynote Line- up: Parent Conference: Dr. Graciela Italiano-Thomas, CEO, Executive Director, Los Angeles Universal Preschool, and Mr. Ronald Mah, trainer, educator, and author. General Conference: Mr. Channell Wilkins, Director, Office of Head Start, Ms. Cheewa James, Storyteller and Mr. Victor Villaseñor, Author.
Reserve your hotel rooms today – Call Hyatt Regency Newport Beach at 949 729 1234 and ask for the California Head Start Association discount. Deadline is January 10, 2007 or as soon as the room block is sold out.



Conference Special Events:

• Region IX ACF Briefing – January 31st

• Awards Luncheon – February 1st

• Public Policy Breakfast – February 2nd

• Tours, Networking and much more


One of the many benefits of membership in the California Head Start Association is the opportunity to participate in our statewide awards program. We are pleased to invite you to nominate up to five special individuals and one project from your program or community for the following awards:
  • Administrator of the Year
  • Teacher of the Year
  • Support Staff of the Year
  • Parent of the Year
  • Friend of Head Start
  • Oral Health Project of the Year

CHSA Awards deadline is December 18, 2006 We have designed a very simple 2-step process: 1) Fill out the one page application. 2) Mail the application and any other letters or documents you wish to have reviewed. The state Association’s Awards Panel will review and evaluate all nominations. Successful candidates will be notified in writing by December 22, 2006. Agencies will be expected to send the awardees to the CHSA annual training conference in February 2007 in Sacramento so they will be present to receive their award during the Awards Luncheon February 1, 2007. Each award winner will be given a complementary conference registration. Each award winner will be provided two complementary tickets to the luncheon.
CHSA will post your employment opportunities on our web site to support recruitment efforts. Send your announcements to paula@caheadstart.org To view employment opportunities in California Head Start community go to caheadstar.org and click on Jobs in Head Start
CAEYC will be held in San Jose, March 9 & 10, 2007 – go to caeyc.org for conference updates, and registration materials.
FOCUS, CHSA’s quarterly newsletter is on-line.

In this issue you can read more about the 2007Conference Keynote Speakers, WIC Food Package Regulations, Head Start Garden Grants, CHSA Public Policy Update, as well as a number of feature stories, resources and updates from our collaborative partners.
On October 25, 2007 the Office of Head Start advised the individual Head Start State Collaboration Offices the “OHS has placed the Head Start-Pre-K partnership at the very top of the list of priorities for all HSSCO Directors”. In addition, OHS and NHSA have announced the planning of a joint meeting in January 2007 to include Pre-K Now, Head Start, as well as State and National leaders in this movement. CHSA will actively share the California Head Start communities experience during the Proposition 82 debate spring 2006.

What is happening in your community? Many local Head Start programs were engaged in planning local systems and reviewing community needs. Please update us on the current events in your community. Information sharing, ideas, challenges can all be sent to Ed Condon; ed@caheadstart.org
California Department of Education, Child Development Division is seeking feedback on new guidance to support funding collaboration and expansion utilizing First Five, State Education and Head Start funding. Please contact Ed Condon, ed@caheadstart.org to receive a copy of the draft for review.

During the month of October, CHSSCO & CHSA hosted a briefing on Desired Results Developmental Profile-Revised Access (DRDP-R Access). The full- day briefing was attended by a number of local Head Start programs. For more information on this tool go to draccess.org. Four recommendations or next steps were generated by the attendees: 1) Local Head Start programs must be in contact with their local SELPAs to discuss the SELPAs participation in the trainings that are to be offered in January 2007. It is not expected that Head Start staff will be included in the roll-out, but soon after the local trainings, Head Start should be briefed on the new tool. 2) Post April 2007 CHSA and CSHSCO will work with the state contractor, California Institute on Human Services (CIHS) to establish as needed additional trainings for Head Start programs. 3) It is critical that local Head Start programs engage their staff or contractors working with data collection in this planning. 4) CHSSCO will continue to provide project updates from the State Department of Education, Special Education Division and the DRDP-R Access project for local Head Start agencies.
San Diego Gas & Electric - Southern California Edison Customer Alert! The California Preschool Energy Efficiency Program (CPEEP) is a collaboration of organizations: California Head Start Association, Low- Income Investment Fund, Intergy Corporation, and the California Department of Education (consultation and support). CPEEP is funded by the California Public Utility Commission through two Southern California utilities - Southern California Edison (SCE) & San Diego Gas and Electric (SDGE).

This $4.2 million program will replace older, energy- intensive equipment and provide a variety of facility upgrades to assist you in controlling your energy costs, and thus, reducing your operational costs. For more information on this project contact Paula at CHSA – 916-444-7760
Region IX ACF will be hosting a “training-for-trainers” event on January 9 – 11, 2007 in San Francisco featuring the new “groundbreaking research –to- practice approach” for preventing and reversing childhood obesity in Head Start children – I Am Moving, I Am Learning. Training is limited to 25 grantees, 125 participants.

For more information contact Carol Robson, TA Region IX TA Network – 415-437-8662 or carol.robson@acf.hhs.gov
The Aetna Foundation recently awarded the CDA Foundation to expand oral health education to the 11 California Head Start Migrant & Seasonal programs. Utilizing the Cavity Free Kids curriculum, which is now being taught through the First Smiles project , these funds will ensure training opportunities to over 100 Migrant & Seasonal Head Start employees. Watch for additional details in December 2006 or contact Paula Carrino, 916-444-7760, paula@caheadstart.org

Building Blocks for Head Start Creating Opportunities for Greater Capacity! The California Head Start Association is pleased to announce our Building Blocks for Head Start, a new effort with a great friend – Discount School Supply is off to a good start.

Remember - For a limited time only, Discount School Supply will make a donation to the California Head Start Association Building Blocks fund. When ordering, use Key Code CBBC and Discount School Supply will donate a contribution valued at 10% of the net sales and will provide free shipping on orders over $59!*

 This campaign, launched in 2006, is targeted to raise funds for the California Head Start Association’s board and local leaders of member agencies. Through increasing capacity of California Head Start leadership to navigate change and identify strategic opportunities for service expansion, leaders will be better positioned to maximize resources for their communities. 2006 will bring a number of new and valuable opportunities to improve quality and expand resources. State and local capacity building for Head Start will ensure that our communities, the children and families we serve, and our staff will receive the best services.

Sincerely,
Edward Condon
California Head Start Association

phone: 916-444-7760
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