Program: Bring Pre-Coding Skills to Your Summer Programs!

Description: Are you interested in bringing coding readiness skills to your summer content for kiddos transitioning to kindergarten in the fall? Looking for some interesting new lessons and skills to teach before they head to the public school system?

NHSA, along with our partners at codeSpark and RAND, is excited to bring to you our free (!) pre-coding curriculum designed specifically for (and with input from) Head Start. Summer is a perfect time to test out this new curriculum with your students transitioning to kindergarten – so come join us to learn all about it.

This webinar will cover:
– What is coding readiness?
– How does coding readiness relate to what you do already in your classrooms?
– What does the curriculum entail?
– What does the training/professional development look like? (Hint: It’s quick and easy!)
– How can you sign up and get the resources?

Pre-Coding Skills Presenters:

Dr. Christopher Doss, Senior Policy Researcher; Professor of Public Policy, RAND School of Public Policy. Christopher Doss (he/him/his) is a senior policy researcher at RAND and professor of public policy at the RAND School of Public Policy. He is a quantitative researcher who specializes in fielding causal and descriptive studies in education. His research interests are broad and have focused on early childhood education policies, educational technologies, STEM education, alternative teacher and principal preparation programs, and post-secondary workforce success. He is currently leading a study to understand the effects of an SEL program in pre-K, leading a study seeking to integrate computational thinking into Head Start classrooms, co-leading a study looking at micro-credentials as a way to train high school teachers to teach STEM pathway courses, and continues to co-led studies on how text-messaging technology can help parents support the academic growth of their children at home.

Kassy Rinehard, Associate Product Manager at Begin. I’m all about turning ideas into joyful, intuitive digital experiences that educate, inspire, and make a real impact. My journey has taken me from hands-on teaching to leading the development of engaging, research-backed products that resonate with diverse audiences—from young learners to adults. I thrive on collaborating with engineers, designers, and customers to create products that put users first, transforming research into high-quality, impactful experiences that users can truly connect with.