In this Update....
- Early Head Start Expansion
- Update on CHSA's Transition Plan
- President's Speech on Education
- Message from STG International, Inc.
- News from the California Head Start-State Collaboration Office
- California Migrant & Seasonal HS Coalition Conference
- Summer Institute Save the Date
- 2009 NHSA Conference
- Featured Jobs@Head Start
- Corporate Partners
- $2 Per Child
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The California Migrant
& Seasonal Head Start Coalition Conference
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April 21 - 22, 2009
Visalia, CA
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National Head Start Association's
36th Annual Conference
ORANGE COUNTY CONVENTION CENTER
ORLANDO, FLORIDA
APRIL 27-MAY 2, 2009
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Save the Date
California Head
Start Association
Summer Health Institute
 "Focusing
on Quality
Health Programs,
Looking Through
a New Lens."June 16-17, 2009
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The Los Angeles
Clippers have partnered with the Center for Community
and Family Services,
Head
Start, and Early Head Start to host special nights during the 2009 Clippers
season.
This is a great opportunity for families
to enjoy a night out together, as well as to take advantage of these special Head Start rates.
***Additionally,
the first 50 children
to sign up will receive a spot in one
of our Fan Tunnels where they will be able to High-Five the Clippers before they are introduced on
the Court.***
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Visit our
Corporate Partners
Andreini & Company
Armstrong & Associates
Discount School Supply
E Rate Solutions Group
FoodSource Plus
Kaplan Early Learning Company
Lakeshore Learning Materials
Teaching Strategies
Torrey Pines Bank
VinTalk
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Children's Health & Spanish Resource Technician
Northcoast Children's Services
Associate Director
The Institute for Human and
Social Development, Inc.
Site Assistant
Community Action
Partnership of
Sonoma County
Management Analyst
Neighborhood House Association
Social Worker
Neighborhood House Association
Head Start Coordinator, Family and Community Partnership
Neighborhood House Association
Bus Driver
E Center
Center Director
E Center
Center Education
Supervisor
E Center
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Visit jobsatheadstart.org for
more information.
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CHSA's jobsatheadstart.org
web site acts as a venue for employers to post job opportunities and
candidates to post resumes and does not screen or censor the listings
offered.
CHSA provides a referral service and makes no particular recommendation
regarding consultants and no representation or guarantee
about
performance.
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$2 Dollar Per Child Campaign
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Early Head Start Expansion
As a result of the passing of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act there are new expansion dollars for Early Head Start. The Office of Head Start (OHS) will soon issue a Request for Proposals (RFP) for the creation and expansion of Early Head Start programs throughout the nation.
California Head Start Association in partnership with First 5 California,WestEd and Preschool California is offering training and technical assistance to organizations planning to respond to the OHS RFP. The goal of the information and training is to help organizations develop strong EHS funding proposals, which will result in more quality services for California's children 0-5.
Information and training sessions are planned in three phases:
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Part I: Early Head Start: Providing a Quality Comprehensive Program for Infants, Toddlers and Their Families - April 7, 10:30am-12:00pm (PT)
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Phase II - Regional workshops are being planned for mid-April
Phase III - PITC training for programs who receive EHS expansion grants and those planning to apply in the future.
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Update on CHSA's Transition Plan
On behalf of the Board of Directors we want to keep our membership informed with our progress in recruiting a new Executive Director.
The first step was to recognize there was work that had to continue and an interim Executive Director has been brought in.
The California Head Start Board of Directors is pleased to
announce the selection of Darci Smith
as the interim Executive Director for the Association. Darci comes to us with a large amount of
statewide experience in her previous role as Executive Director of the California School-Age Consortium
for the past 15 years. She is also an experienced events planner and policy
advocate and is well suited to the variety of skills required to successfully
guide the operations of CHSA. We welcome Darci's experience and have confidence
in her leadership while we continue our search for a permanent Executive Director to replace
Ed Condon.
Darci is here and actively working to support the entire
Head Start community in California
and looks forward to your e-mails, phone calls, questions, information sharing
and knowledgeable connection. She can be reached at 916-444-7760 or darci@caheadstart.org
The search committee, under the guidance of Lucia Palacios, is in the process of hiring a search firm to help with the recruitment and selection. Look for monthly updates in our eNewsletters.
Kay Wernert
President, CHSA Board of Directors
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Taking On Education
March 10, 2009
In the opening of his speech
today at the
Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the President met critics head on who complain of
too much change, too fast. The President
explained why, on education in particular, we cannot afford to wait, noting
that even within a few years America will see a different reality: "By
2016, four out of every ten new jobs will require at least some advanced
education or training."
The President pledged to end pointless partisan
finger-pointing, and to ensure that new investments also came with new reforms.
He pointed to deep commitments both in the recovery act and his budget
proposal, while also telling the audience that "It is time to start
rewarding good teachers and stop making excuses for bad ones."
He proposed five pillars of reform:
1) "Investing in early childhood initiatives"
like Head Start;
2) "Encouraging better standards and
assessments" by focusing on testing itineraries that better fit our kids
and the world they live in;
3) "Recruiting, preparing, and rewarding outstanding
teachers" by giving incentives for a new generation of teachers and for
new levels of excellence from all of our teachers.
4) "Promoting innovation and excellence in America's
schools" by supporting charter schools, reforming the school calendar and
the structure of the school day.
5) "Providing every American with a quality higher
education--whether it's college or technical training."
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| A Special Message from STG International, Inc |
STG International, Inc.
was recently awarded the TA contract for the Head Start State-Based T/TA Office
in California. We at STG are excited about the new opportunities the
State-Based T/TA office will bring and the continued partnership with
California Early Head Start/Head Start Grantees. Over the next two weeks
your agency will be contacted by one of our State-based T/TA staff to
update you about the new T/TA delivery system and the required T/TA Needs
Assessment Survey. This survey will provide data that will be
instrumental in the development of a statewide T/TA plan for California and we
want you all to have a voice in the process.
In the meantime, feel
free to us directly if you have any questions:
Jennifer Senechal,
Manager: jennifer.senechal@stginternational.com
Marjory Keenan,
Infant/Toddler Specialist: marjory.keenan@stginternational.com
Cris Cochran, Family
Community Partnerships/Govenrnance/ERSEA Specialist: cris.cochran@stginternational.com
Rebecca Votaw,
Disabilities/Health/Mental Health Specialist: rebecca.votaw@stginternational.com
We look forward to
working with you in our new roles as the State-based T/TA Office!
Jennifer Senechal,
Manager
Head Start State-Based
T/TA Office for California
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NEWS FROM CALIFORNIA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION/CHILD DEVELOPMENT DIVISION
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California Head Start-State
Collaboration Office Activities
The CHSSCO has been working
recently on a number of activities designed to assist Head Start programs in
their collaborative projects.
MOUs with Publicly
Funded PreK
The CHSSCO and Region IX disseminated a joint letter to
State Preschool contractors and Head Start programs regarding this new Head
Start - State PreK MOU requirement. A sample MOU that programs may use is
available on the CHSA website. We have also been contacted by numerous Head Start
and State contractors for individual TA.
State Preschool
Regulations Change
Effective January 8, new regulations went into effect that
were developed based on the recommendations of a Head Start-Centralized
Eligibility List Workgroup facilitated by the CHSSCO. These new regulations are
intended to ease barriers to full day partnerships between state preschool
contractors and Head Start by more closely aligning state preschool and Head
Start enrollment priorities. The regulations now specify that State Preschool
contractors engaged in partnerships with Head Start will be able to search the
CEL for children "who meet Head Start enrollment priorities, as these children
shall be deemed as meeting the priorities specified..." Children referred by
Child Protective Services maintain first priority under state statute.
Grantee Needs
Assessment - Collaboration
The CHSSCO, with major assistance from the CHSA, has conducted
a web-based survey to assess grantee needs related to community collaboration.
We will present our findings at a
special meeting of the CHSSCO Advisory Committee in late March. The March meeting will also lead to
recommendations for a strategic or work plan based on the findings. The
assessment and strategic plan processes are new collaboration requirements in
the Head Start Act.
Head Start Inclusion
Workgroup
This workgroup, formed by the STG International
Technical Assistance Network (TAN) disabilities
specialist and CHSSCO, has reviewed the just completed update of
the CDE-Region IX Part B Interagency Agreement. The IA should be signed by
Superintendent O'Connell and the Office of Head Start sometime in the next
month or two. The Inclusion Workgroup (CHSA, CHSSCO, CDE Special Education
Division, First 5, WestEd, Department of Developmental Services, and local Head
Start disabilities managers) is planning a statewide videoconference this
Spring/Summer to introduce the updated IA to Head Start and local education
agencies.
State Early Learning
Council and Steinberg Quality Commission
The CHSSCO and CHSA have been in discussions with CDD
management regarding the role of Head Start in these entities. Discussions are
taking place regarding the naming of a State Early Learning Council (a Head
Start requirement) when funding becomes available from the OHS. While State
Quality Commission membership is not determined by CDE and much remains to be
planned, CDD is committed to seeking appropriate input from Head Start during
the Commission's tenure. The CHSSCO will work closely with the CDD which will
staff the Commission.
Bridges Journal
We worked with First 5 California on an issue of Bridges
focused on First 5 activities across the state. The issue is now at CDE Press
for editing and layout.
CSEFEL Initiative
The CHSSCO is working with the CHSA, State Department of
Mental Health, CDE Special Education Division, First Five CA, CDE Quality Unit
and others on an application to participate in the Center on the Social and
Emotional Foundations for Early Learning (CSEFEL) professional development initiative. The broad goal of this initiative is
to work with states to foster the professional development of the
early care and education workforce as it relates to supporting the social
emotional development of young children (birth - 5 years old). The
CHSSCO will co-facilitate the State initiative, if selected.
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