In This Issue
- State Budget Update
- Early Start Update
- 2010 Garden Grant
- E Rate Information Calls
- CHSA Conference
- Kidsdata.org
- CHSSCO Update
- Training Opportunities
- State T/TA Update
- $2 Per Child Campaign
- California Smokers' Helpline
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Update on the California
Early Start Program for Early Intervention
Due to the budget crisis, the Governor and the Legislature have made changes in eligibility for Early Start. The
California Head Start Association (CHSA) California State Screening
Collaborative (CSSC) and the California Chapters American Academe of Pediatrics
(AAP) want to make you aware of new developments in the
California Early Start Program, Department of Development Services (DDS).
| | SchoolsMovingUp is currently accepting early bird
registrations for the February e-Workshop series "Academic Vocabulary for
Pre-K - Grade 2 English Language Learners"
for individuals who register by January 1.
The series will help teachers implement research-based methods for
boosting academic vocabulary knowledge in English language learners in
pre-kindergarten through 2nd grade classrooms.
This fee-based e-Workshop series include four
live, online professional development sessions and on-going online coaching
with Pamela Spycher, Director of English Learners and the Language Arts (ELLA)
at WestEd.
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Fathers & Families Coalition of America Announces
11th
Annual National Fatherhood and Families Conference February 23-26, 2010 Los Angeles, CA
The conference will feature workshops and speakers with helpful information on
how to improve communities by strengthening and improving programs serving fathers
and families.
Keynote speakers for
the 11th Annual National Fatherhood and Families Conference include
well-known individuals in social service and government.
SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: For
supporters and members of Head Start we have a partnership with the National
Head Start Association to design reduced fees. Registration Form
Additional information can be accessed at on our website www.azffc.org
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Visit our
Corporate Partners
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$2 Dollar Per Child Campaign
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A message from California Smokers' Helpline
In an effort to help achieve compliance with the smoke free-car with
minors lawthe California Smokers' Helpline has created a
Making Your Home and Car Smoke-Free handout. Download and share it now!
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The Helpline offers a choice of services: self-help
materials, a referral list of other programs, and one-on-one counseling
over the phone.The Helpline has been in operation since 1992.
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State Budget Update: LAO Forecasts $20 Billion Deficit in 2010-11
Last week, the Legislative Analysts' Office (LAO) released their annual report, California's Fiscal Outlook, which looks at projections for the state General Fund and financial forecast for 2009-10 through 2014-15. State Projections: Unfortunately, the LAO is projecting a General Fund and financial forecast for 2009-10 through 2014-15. State Projections: A General Fund deficit of $20.7 billion between now and the time the Legislature enacts a 2010-11 budget plan.
The LAO predicts:
* $6.3 billion projected deficit for 2009-10 * $14.4 billion gap between projected revenues and spending in 2010-11
What has changed since July when the Administration estimated that the state would have a $500 million reserve at the end of 2009-10? Read the full announcement |
2010 Head Start Garden Grant
Applications are Now Available
CHSA's garden grant project has been renewed for 2010. The project provides a wonderful opportunity for Head Start programs to integrate math, science and literacy lessons. The gardening work promotes social skill building and a chance to teach about of nutrition and nature.
Each
Grant recipient will receive:
- $600
check for supplies needed to install a fruit and vegetable garden (Wood, nails,
soil, fertilizer, irrigation, garden tools, etc.) and additional resources.
- Raised
Bed Kit
- Resource
guide from CHSA Garden Project Committee & Lakeshore Learning: Growing,
Eating Living
- An
irrigation kit from John Deere Water with instructions
- Over
$150 worth of educational resources
- Set
of children's garden tools, garden markers, and seeds
Application Deadline January 15, 2010
The Head Start Garden Project
is sponsored by Western Growers Foundation (WGF). This program is made possible
by a USDA Specialty Crop Block Grant through the California Department of Food
& Agriculture, with additional financial support from Lakeshore Learning.
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E-Rate Informational Calls
E-Rate is a program created
and funded by Congress which provides major rebates to schools, select
non-profits, and thanks to recent federal rulings and supporting state
legislation, Head Start. In California Head Start agencies are eligible
for major savings: 90% reimbursement on telecom
and internet services, internal networking and
maintenance.
The annual
application process is underway right now. For more information, check
out: The ECLKC website E-Rate Tool Kit Informational
Conference Calls - The E-Rate Solutions Group (www.erategroup.com) is holding weekly
conference calls this month for Head Start agencies in California. These
are free and are scheduled for 10:00 am on Tuesdays: Dec 15, 22 and 29.
If you or your staff would like to participate, email [email protected] in advance to receive
supporting documents for the call. The conference line is 866-851-5739,
with passcode 732 946 8301 #.
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Register Now!
Early registration discount ends on December 21, 2009
2010 CHSA Education Conference &
Edward Zigler Western Research Institute
February 2 - 5, 2010
Long Beach, CA |
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Kidsdata.org is Now Statewide
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Find Data for Every City,
School District, and County in CA.
Data on the health and well being
of children across California is now more accessible than ever before.
Kidsdata.org, a children's health website developed by the Lucile Packard
Foundation for Children's Health, just expanded statewide, offering data for
all counties, cities, and school districts in California -- nearly 1,600 regions.
Data is available for dozens of topics measuring the health and
well being of children, and much more data
will be phased in throughout 2010. Learn how kids in your community are faring.
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Report from the California
Head Start-State Collaboration Office
By Michael Zito and Nancy Remley |
The collaboration office is working on the following
activities intended to build bridges between Head Start and important State
partners. Current activities include:
Head Start -
Community Care Licensing Workgroup
The CHSSCO,
California Head Start Association (CHSA) and State Department of Social
Services Community Care Licensing Division (CCL) continue to meet and are
developing a Q&A document with questions from the 2008 Community Care
Licensing Roundtables. Look for this document later this winter.
The
group also facilitated discussions between CCL and the regional office to
plan for the potential influx of new licensees due to the Early Head Start
expansion.
Center on the Social
and Emotional Foundations for Early Learning
The California CSEFEL workgroup is planning a series of five
"Train-the-Trainer" events over the next 18 months. We will soon disseminate
sign-up information for the first training event, to be held in Sacramento March 11-12 and
April 15-16. Trainers must attend all 4
days. Train-the-Trainer event information for Southern
California will also be out soon, scheduled for late spring, early
summer 2010.
Part B Interagency
Agreement
Reports of the signing of this IA have been made
occasionally for the last year or so, but it now has undergone final legal
review at CDE and is now in the signing process. A statewide videoconference is
being planned by an interagency group including the State based TA office, CDE
Special Education Division, Department of Developmental Services, and the
CHSSCO. Mark your calendars for March 16, 2010, with video viewing available
at select County Office of Education sites; more
information will be out soon.
CHDP Lead Screening
Issues
The CHSSCO is working with the State CHDP program to
identify counties where grantees have difficulties getting the required blood screenings.
A county by county list will be presented to the CHDP administration this
month.
Collaboration Barriers Focus Group
We invite you to attend a focus group to assist the CHSSCO
determine the primary barriers Head Start programs face in their collaborative
activities, so we may focus our assistance where it is needed most. Look for this
event at the CHSA Annual Conference in February 2010.
California Early Learning Advisory Council
The Governor recently signed an executive order identifying
the Early Learning Quality Improvement Committee as the ELAC and adding five
new members, who we expect will be named very shortly.
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Update from the Head Start State-Based T/TA Office for California
Needs Assessment:
The California State Based T/TA Office completed the yearly update
of its T/TA Needs Assessment. Unlike the
previous assessment, this year's assessment includes strategies and prioritization
for addressing National and Regional Head Start priorities. These priorities are being shared with
grantees as the State Based Office (SBO) continues its outreach to the CHSA
Clusters. Two clusters have met with the SBO, and others are currently being
planned for early 2010.
Collaborations-Partnerships:
The State Based Office is represented at the Stakeholders
meetings on the Curriculum Framework and will provide feedback to the Committee
by December 16th. The SBO is also working with WestEd and SETA on
aligning the DRDP2 with the Head Start Performance Standards.
The California Screening Initiative website is up and
running and the SBO has been asked to provide information on Head Start and
Early Head Start for this website.
CSEFL Training of Trainers is planned for this Spring and the
training team will include SBO staff. As
specifics are identified, grantees will be notified of training opportunities.
The SBO Office is participating in Project Launch under the
California Screening Committee which will initiate a pilot project focusing on
Alameda County to support healthy, stable, safe and supportive families,
communities, and cultures.
SBO staff continues to participate in and provide feedback
for the ELQIS Workgroups and attends the public meetings of the ELQIS Advisory
Committee.
The California Breastfeeding Roundtable and Coalition is
developing breastfeeding curricula, as well as support and information for
agencies including Head Start. The SBO is
participating in this Coalition.
Resources for Early Head Start programs:
The State Based Office is developing materials and resources
to be available for the new Early Head Start grantees. This is being
accomplished in collaboration with the Regional Office and the Grantee Program
Support Specialists (GPSS).
Training Events:
Cluster trainings are still scheduled throughout the state.
Topics include Developing Family Partnerships, Creating Father-Friendly
Programs, Challenging Behaviors, and Head Start 101. More trainings are being scheduled based upon
National/ Regional Head Start priorities and upon requests at the local cluster
level.
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