Director Credential

In-Person • Live • Online • 40 PD Hours

Take a four-month learning journey with other new Head Start and Early Head Start Directors. Here you will dig into a wide range of program leadership topics, including effective leadership development, communication and advocacy, operations, and more.

Overview Course Outline

Overview

Let's face it, being a Head Start director is tough work. But with the right support, you can thrive and make a significant, positive impact in the lives of children and families. The Director Credential provides four months of professional development and practical support to help you overcome barriers and lead your program with excellence.

Designed especially for new directors (0-5 years on the job), this credential allows you to identify specific challenges, analyze those challenges, and develop solutions. You'll work through new modules every month and engage in conversations with peers all over the country. The cohort model provides peer-to-peer support, mentorship, and coaching on your journey.

In addition to the monthly meetings and online coursework, all participants receive free registration to one of two NHSA conferences. The fall cohort will attend NHSA’s Parent and Family Engagement Conference in December and the spring cohort will attend NHSA’s National Conference in May. Some learners may have the opportunity to present at one of the conferences, taking your leadership skills to the national level.

Start Date: New cohorts biannually in Fall and Spring

Cohorts Available: Head Start or Early Head Start

Course Level: Advanced

Requirements/Prerequisites: Directors with under 5 years experience in role

Target Audience: Leadership and Management

Course Meeting Times: Thursdays from 2:00 - 3:30 p.m. ET

Completion Timeline/Duration: Four months

Head Start Alignment: This course supports programs in meeting Part 1302: Program Operations, Subpart I-Human Resources & J-Program Management and Quality Improvement requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards to ensure staff are qualified and supported to effectively provide services.

Course Outline

Module Topics:

Leadership Versus Management
Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) and Equity
Family and Community Engagement
Communication
Continuous Quality Improvement (CQI)
Head Start Operations
Trends in Early Childhood Development

Learning Objectives:

Understand the differences between leadership and management and reflect on their own application of each as a Head Start/Early Head Start director
Review the HSPPS and the foundation of Head Start and identify connections to equity and inclusion
Analyze the family and community engagement requirements in the HSPPS and identify best practices to ensure their work as a Head Start/Early Head Start director places families at the center of their work
Learn basic communication theory and apply it to day to day communications requirements of a Head Start director
Identify various CQI strategies and apply them to specific challenges within the director’s role
Define responsibilities regarding Head Start operations and identify key challenges and solutions to those challenges through peer collaboration
Discuss trends in early childhood development, Head Start, and other issues related to leading Head Start and Early Head Start programming

Course Facilitators

Head Start Cohort

Dr. Deborah Bergeron

Dr. B served as director of the Office of Head Start from 2018-21. From 2019-21 she broadened her leadership as director of the Office of Early Childhood Development in the Administration for Children and Families. Known as "Dr. B" to former students and teachers, she spent three decades in pre-K–12 public education as a classroom teacher and school administrator. She currently serves as deputy director for Community Engagement and Innovation at the National Head Start Association.

Early Head Start Cohort

Zuly Vazquez

Zuly Vazquez is the senior manager of Early Head Start Professional Development. She has worked with Head Start and Early Head Start programs for over a decade, specializing in training, mentoring, coaching, facilitation, curriculum implementation, and management. She worked for several years in the classroom, providing high-quality education to children from different cultures, traditions, and ethnicities. She is a former Head Start parent and has vast experience supporting and providing technical assistance to teachers, family child care providers, education specialists, and families in large programs in Florida and Georgia. Over her career, she designed a supplemental Christian early childhood curriculum, bilingual online lessons, and classroom observation tools and has facilitated early childhood education courses in English and Spanish at the college level. As an active early childhood advocate, she is part of the advisory committee of her local NAEYC affiliate, the Family Child Care Home Alliance of Georgia, and Latinas United for the Children of America.

What learners are saying...

"This was one of the best decisions I've made as a new director! This is a MUST for all new directors!"

- Kalota Stewart-Gurley, Head Start & Early Head Start Manager, Richmond Public Schools

"A wonderful experience of collaboration and intentionality to carry on the mission, purpose, and innovation of Head Start. Great content and wonderful speakers! Dr. Bergeron was always very attentive to our needs and was a great facilitator."

- Leslie Mitchell, Assistant Director, Community Action Partnership of Kern

"I really enjoyed this experience and feel like I am ready to tackle this new adventure into being a director."

- Andrea Velasquez, Head Start Director, Marathon County Child Development Agency, Inc

"It was so worth it. It was a great learning experience!"

- Monica Coates, Director of Early Childhood, Caldwell Parish Head Start

"The Director Credentials builds relationships with other Head Start Directors. It is beneficial because you know other Head Start are experiencing the same things as your own agency. In addition, other directors share what has worked for them at their agency. I loved the class Dr. B! Thank you so much for bringing us all together to share and build relationships with great content."

- Julene Figueroa, Family Partnership Coordinator, Central Texas 4C, Inc.

Registration Rates

Regular Rate: $5,495

NHSA Member Rate: $4,225

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Includes

Online, Self-Paced Coursework
Live Instruction
Access to a National Cohort of Peers
40 Hours of Course Material
Video Content
4 Months of Access to Online Course
Registration to NHSA's Parent and Family Engagement Conference or National Head Start Conference
Discussion Forums
Digital Badge
Certificate of Completion
24/7 Access to Transcript

All
Advocacy
Best Practice
BOLD
Culture and Language
Diversity Equity & Inclusion
Early Childhood Education
Early Head Start
Early Learning Outcomes Framework
Family Engagement
Health and Wellness
Membership
Nutrition
Parent and Family
Parent Gauge
Policy
Pregnancy
rec
Research
School Readiness
SNAP
Starling Minds
States
The Academy
Trauma
Workforce

Director Credential

Course Facilitators

Dr. Deborah Bergeron

Zuly Vazquez

What learners are saying...

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Includes

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Registration Rates

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