Free! This one-hour dynamic course provides the basic information required to work or volunteer in a Head Start or an Early Head Start classroom.

Course Outline

Head Start Orientation is a one-hour long course that provides critical information required to work or volunteer in Head Start and Early Head Start classrooms. The course covers core topics to support children’s well-being and school-readiness skills. Head Start Orientation helps programs quickly expand their temporary staffing capacity by preparing new substitutes and volunteers to have high-impact interactions with children.

In addition to providing an introduction to Head Start policies, procedures, and guidelines, Head Start Orientation prepares learners to successfully implement positive strategies such as active supervision and positive redirection.

This course is a great first step for individuals who are seeking long-term placements or increasing their involvement. This course is recommended to be paired with Head Start Basics.

Course information:

• Start Date: On-Demand
• Course Level: Beginner
• Requirements/Prerequisites: None
• Target Audience: Instruction and Effective Practice, Parents and Families
• Course Meeting Times: None
• Completion Timeline/Duration: One Month

Course Includes:

• Online, self-paced coursework
• 1 Hour of Course Material
• Video Content
• Access to a National Cohort of Peers
• Discussion Forums
• 45 Days of Access to Online Courses
• Digital Badge
• Certificate of completition
• 24/7 access to transcript

Head Start Alignment:

Supports programs in meeting Part 1302: Program Operations, Subpart I-Human Resources Management requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards to ensure staff and volunteers are qualified and supported to effectively provide services.

Supports programs in meeting Part 1303.4: Federal Financial Assistance, Non-Federal Match, and Waiver requirements in which “a grantee must contribute 20 percent as non-federal match each budget period.” Volunteer time can be calculated into dollar amounts.

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Course Author

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.