NHSA Closed: Memorial Day
2024-05-27

Show and Tell: Academy+
2024-05-31 10:30 - 11:00 (America/New_York)
Ensure your staff is Head Start-ready with access to Academy+!
Academy+ is a comprehensive solution to prepare your Head Start program for successful Focus Area 1 and 2 reviews and meet approximately 90% of the OHS training requirements. With access to 14 dynamic courses, totaling over 30 hours of professional development, your staff will have the knowledge and tools they need to excel in their roles and stay compliant with the latest OHS standards.
In this show and tell Academy+ session, you can take a tour of the Academy+ to determine if this is the right training and professional development opportunity for your team. Attendees will be able to completely explore all the Academy+ has to offer and ask pertinent questions to our Academy+ team.

Pre-service with a Punch!
2024-06-04 15:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
Do you struggle with how to ‘fit it all in’ when you are planning pre-service?
Interested in an easy, affordable, fun way to maximize your time so you can spend more time building relationships and less time meeting compliance?
Come listen to Dr. B and Rachel Hutchison as they show you the magic of self-paced professional development (PD) and how you can use and even create your own high quality Head Start specific online PD. In this Pre-Service with a Punch! webinar, we will unlock the magic of leveraging self-paced PD to create engaging training for all staff, so you can spend less time meeting compliance and more time where it matters – relationship building!
Presenters:
Dr. Deborah Bergeron 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 and currently serves as deputy director for Community Engagement and Innovation at NHSA.

Rachel Hutchison is the Manager of Online Instructional Design at the National Head Start Association (NHSA). In this role she oversees the design and management of 100+ online courses for the Academy at NHSA. In 2021, Hutchison launched NHSA in the Classroom, an initiative that aims to increase access to world-class arts and educational resources through virtual programming. Rachel earned her bachelors in writing and communication at Concordia College in Moorhead, MN and her masters in creative writing at Harvard University in Cambridge, MA. Rachel grew up in Havre, Montana and enjoys puppetry, music, and hiking.

Best Practices and Effective Strategies for Connecting Head Start Programs with Refugee Communities
2024-06-05 13:00 - 14:00 (America/New_York)
Program: Best Practices and Effective Strategies for Connecting Head Start Programs with Refugee Communities
Representatives from Head Start programs and Refugee Resettlement Agencies will share lessons learned, best practices, and effective strategies when engaging and collaborating with refugees. The 1-hour panel discussion will also offer opportunities for Head Start programs across the country to ask questions and share their own experiences when engaging this community.
Presenters:

Jennifer Larson, a former Head Start parent, has seamlessly transitioned from beneficiary to advocate, dedicating 31 years to supporting others in the early childhood field. Starting as a parent in a Head Start program, she rose to become the Associate Head Start Director of Child Care Resource and Referral/Families First of Minnesota. Throughout her journey, Ms. Larson completed her Elementary Education degree, obtained her Minnesota Teaching Licensure, and became a trainer for the development program at Minnesota Department of Education. Her diverse experience includes teaching in a classroom, building relationships with parents as a home visitor, coaching staff, supervising, and training. Ms. Larson’s personal experience underscores her dedication to improving the lives of children, families, and communities served by the Head Start program.

Malath Alarnosi, originally from Iraq, serves as a dedicated Case Manager Supervisor at Canopy Northwest Arkansas (NWA), assisting refugee families during their resettlement in NWA. Central to her role is facilitating the enrollment of these families in the Head Start program, helping them to navigate both the triumphs and obstacles of the process to ensure ongoing cooperation and support.

Dr. Deborah Bergeron, known affectionately as “Dr. B” to former students and teachers, brings a wealth of experience to her role as Deputy Director of Community Engagement and Innovation at the National Head Start Association (NHSA). Prior to joining NHSA in January 2021, she served as the Director of the Office of Early Childhood Development and represented the Office of Head Start as its director. With three decades of experience in pre-K–12 public education as a classroom teacher and school administrator, Dr. Bergeron holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas State University and earned her master’s in education leadership and doctorate in education policy from George Mason University.

Dr. Thea Wilson is the Vice President for Children and Families at Step Forward. Dr. Wilson is responsible for managing the operations of Early Head Start, Head Start, and all service areas and Parental Involvement programs for 1750 children. Dr. Wilson has over 40 years of early childhood development experience in a public school system and spent 11 years in administration. She has 15 years of experience teaching college level courses as well as creating workshops and facilitating training for parents, teachers and other professionals. Dr. Wilson served as the Chair of Early Childhood at The Music Settlement — a five-star, arts-based, early childhood education program in Cleveland. Immediately prior, Dr. Wilson served as the Executive Director of the Office of Early Childhood – Pre-K to Third Grade – for the Cleveland Metropolitan School District.

Gilda Morales-Aleman, Administrative Director of eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment, and attendance (ERSEA),Family Services & Data Systems at Cardinal McCloskey Community Services Early Childhood Division, is a dedicated advocate for children and families. Born in Ecuador, Ms. Morales-Aleman’s parents migrated to New York when she was just 3 years old, instilling in her a deep appreciation for the immigrant experience. She is the proud mother of Natalia (16) and Victor Manuelle (9), and lives in New Jersey. With a passion for serving her community, Ms. Morales-Aleman’s journey in the education and social services field spans an impressive 23 years within the Department of Education (DOE) Bilingual Elementary
school 4th grade teacher, to presently working with the Head Start family. She has worked in the DOE and Head Start centers in the Bronx, Harlem, and Washington Heights. In her current role, she focuses on ERSEA, community partnerships, and family engagement, recognizing the importance of supporting and advocating for the most vulnerable populations.

Moderator:

Mark Weber provides 32 years of experience at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) challenging the status quo and creating meaningful change in Federal programs. Most recently he served as principal advisor and major policy-coordinating official on communications across public health, healthcare and in particular the human services portfolio of HHS agencies and offices. Examples of his work as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs include formulating and leading the first $300 million phase of the U.S. Government’s COVID-19 Public Education Media Campaign and leading communications work on the humanitarian response to the dramatic increase in unaccompanied children referred to HHS care by immigration officials. Prior to serving as HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs from January 2012 to July 2021, Mark Weber was the HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Director of Communications from September 1995 to January 2012 and a speechwriter in the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health from October 1989 to September 1995. Mark Weber achieved a bachelor’s degree in marketing management from Virginia Tech in 1987 and a master’s in business administration from George Washington University in 1995. He has documented and published much of his work in peer reviewed journals and received numerous awards throughout his career at HHS.

Financial Wellness: Joy (Option 1)
2024-06-13 14:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans
Aligning your summer plans with your financial plan. Regardless of how you plan on spending your long summer days- fun and financial progress do coexist!
Answer these three questions:

What do you value?
Do you have a plan?
Is your savings automated?

Learn about The Beans’ highly rated professional development programs for improving your staffs’ financial wellness + align your summer fun with your financial plan.
Sponsored by:

Financial Wellness: Joy (Option 2)
2024-06-13 18:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York)

NHSA Closed: Juneteenth
2024-06-19

NPRM/Final Rule Workshop Series
2024-06-20 14:00 - 17:00 UTC
Program: NPRM/Final Rule Workshop Series
Description: A dynamic workshop series to address the NPRM final rule and how to respond. More details will be posted
Presenters: Content Area Experts To Be Announced

Info Session: Bilingual CDA Course in Arabic
2024-06-20 16:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Program: Bilingual CDA Course in Arabic
Arabic-speaking teachers, would you like to join a CDA bilingual course from The Academy at NHSA?
We invite you all to attend a webinar to explore the new bilingual course The Academy is offering. We recognize there is a large Arabic-speaking community nationwide, and now this course is available. Please come and learn more!
Learning Objective: To raise awareness about the bilingual CDA course now available in Arabic and other resources available to support learners.
ثنائية اللغة باللغة العربية CDA البرنامج: دورة
ايها المعلمون الناطقون باللغة العربية، هل ترغبون في الانضمام إلى دورة CDA ثنائية اللغة من الأكاديمية في NHSA ؟
ندعوكم جميعاً لحضور ندوة عبر الإنترنت لاستكشاف الدورة التدريبية الجديدة ثنائية اللغة التي تقدمها الأكاديمية.
نحن ندرك أن هناك مجتمعاً كبيراً يتحدث العربية في جميع أنحاء البلاد، والآن تم توفيرهذه الدورة.
من فضلك تعال وتعلّم المزيد!
الهدف التعليمي: زيادة الوعي حول دورة CDA ثنائية اللغة المتوفرة الآن باللغة العربية وغيرها من الموارد المتاحة لدعم المتعلمين.
– ناقشنا أيضاً عمل فيديو قصير باللغة العربية (لمدة دقيقة واحدة) يدعو المعلمين للانضمام إلى الدفعة التالية لإضافة صفحة التسجيل.
سأرسل لك روابط المراجعة لإحدى الدورات اليوم أو غداً حتى تتمكن من مراجعة وإضافة تعليقاتك حول مكان إضافة بعض مقاطع الفيديو باللغة العربية في المستقبل.
لدينا بريد إلكتروني سيصدر قريباً، وسيكون من الرائع إرساله باللغة العربية أيضاً. هنا بعض المعلومات:
لدينا بعض الأخبار المثيرة – تفتخر الأكاديمية في NHSA بتقديم برنامج CDA Pro Bilingual in Arabic وهو مفتوح الآن للتسجيل الصيفي!
أبرز مميزات البرنامج:
• الدورات الدراسية الذاتية: ادرس بالسرعة التي تناسبك من خلال دوراتنا لتتناسب مع جدولك.
• دعم مخصص لأعضاء هيئة التدريس: احصل على تدريب فردي مع المحتوى باللغة الإنكليزية ودعم إضافي باللغة العربية لضمان نجاحك.
• التدريب الشامل: أكمل 120 ساعة من التطوير المهني من خلال جلسات مباشرة تغطي جميع جوانب عملية اعتماد CDA.
إذا كان عندك الرغبة أنت أو غيرك لمعرفة المزيد حول كيفية الحصول على الـ: CDA يمكن لهذا أن يفيد مسار التعليم في مرحلة الطفولة المبكرة لديك، فنحن نشجعك على الانضمام إلينا يوم الخميس، June 20 at 4:00 p.m. بالتوقيت الشرقي لجلسة معلومات افتراضية!
Presenter:
Najwa Dahdah is the Founder and CEO of Empowered Child Care Consulting, Inc., established in 2016 to enhance community development and provide training in Early Childhood Education (ECE) for bilingual and underserved groups. Fluent in Arabic, she plays multiple roles including CDA Trainer, mentor, Professional Development Specialist, Pre-K CLASS observer and CDA Council Midwest Region CAN Ambassador. With over 25 years of experience, she has trained more than 3,500 CDA students and has provided training to Head Start programs in Michigan, focusing on the Head Start standards, CLASS Observations, and teacher mentoring. Additionally, she has supported the Michigan Association for Early Childhood Education (MIAEYC) by hosting CDA resource days statewide. Najwa is also the founder and CEO of Empowered Community Outreach Services (ECOS), a 501c3 non-profit providing resources to underserved communities. Najwa holds a master’s degree in ECE leadership/administration from the University of Michigan-Dearborn and a bachelor’s in ECE from Rochester University. She is committed to advancing culturally and linguistically responsive education and leads Arabic translation services for the ECE community.
Moderator: Zuly Vazquez

Pop-Up Informational Event: The Data Literacy Credential
2024-06-24 16:00 - 16:20, 2024-07-24 16:00 - 16:20 (America/New_York)
Join us for a free, quick and easy but extremely valuable pop-up informational event.
The Academy at NHSA in partnership with Acorn Evaluation offers the premier professional development opportunity for Head Start/Early Head Start managers and directors in the country: The Data Literacy Credential.
The program is specifically designed for ALL managers and directors in any Head Start/Early Head Start program nationwide. Cohorts are launching soon, so now is the time to learn! Feel free to share and forward this invite to your colleagues. Everyone is welcome to come, listen and ask questions. Just 20 minutes of your time could have a huge POSITIVE impact on your program!
Pop-Up Informational Event by to you by:

Leadership Education and Development Summit
2024-06-25 - 2024-06-28

NHSA Closed: Independence Day
2024-07-04 - 2024-07-06

Unlocking Your Career Potential: Next Steps After Your CDA!
2024-07-10 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Program: Unlocking Your Career Potential: Next Steps After Your CDA!
Just earned your CDA credential with The Academy? Congratulations! Take the next step by joining our webinar to explore the exciting career pathway National University created for Head Start CDA graduates. Discover opportunities to advance your early childhood education career and unlock your full professional potential. Don’t miss this chance to turn your CDA achievement into a rewarding future!
Learning Objective: National University’s Partnership Manager will walk attendees through the next steps in expanding your opportunities.
Presenter:
Katrina Davis-Darnell is a passionate higher education professional with 15+ years of supporting Head Start and PK-12 entities. She manages education partnerships at the National University in their Workforce and Community Education division. In her role, she develops and leads education solution projects that support making professional development affordable and accessible for K-12 professionals seeking to achieve their career ambitions through National University offerings.

Brought to you by:

Financial Wellness: How do I save when I have debt? (Option 1)
2024-07-11 14:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans

How do I save when I have debt? Automation is key!
Learn about The Beans’ highly rated professional development programs for improving your staffs’ financial wellness + find the evidence-based key to supercharging your debt pay off.

Sponsored by:

Financial Wellness: How do I save when I have debt? (Option 2)
2024-07-11 18:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York)

Your Key to Gathering Meaningful Parent Feedback
2024-07-16 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Program: Parent Gauge: Your Key to Gathering Meaningful Parent Feedback
Description: Join us for an in-depth look at Parent Gauge, NHSA’s premier family engagement assessment tool tailored specifically for Head Start and Early Head Start programs. In this informative session, we will explore how Parent Gauge leverages guided interviews conducted by frontline staff to delve into family experiences. Discover how you can utilize this invaluable information to make data-backed program decisions and drive continuous quality improvement. This webinar will provide essential insights and practical strategies to maximize family engagement and support program success.
Learning Objective: Explanation of the Parent Gauge tool and a look at how it is used to gain meaningful parent feedback.
Presenters: Parent Gauge Team

Bob Manning
Lucricia Delgado
Sandy Oceguera

Marketing 101 for Head Start Personnel
2024-07-24 14:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York)
With our partners at Working Smarter Consulting, NHSA is hosting a live and virtual training session on Marketing 101 for Head Start Personnel. Working Smarter Consultants, with over 25 years of experience in Head Start and marketing, will guide you through innovative strategies tailored to increasing your market presence while driving new traffic and increasing engagement.
Description:
Combat high employment turnover in the early childhood sector with tips and tricks for attracting qualified, dependable applicants.
Regular Rate: $325
NHSA Member Rate: $225
Marketing 101 for Head Start Personnel Learning Objectives:

Identify data needed for understanding personnel areas of opportunity.
Utilize free and low-cost resources.
Explore unique ways to share benefits with applicants.
Gain an understanding of partnerships and how they can funnel new staff.

Presenters:
Gerald Washington, Chief Executive Officer
With a longstanding history of taking brands and businesses to the next level of success, Gerald’s leadership, innovation, and business acumen will be sure to shock Head Start Programs. Prior to this venture, Gerald was the partner and president of Steve Harvey World Group, partner and president East 112th Street Productions, and president of the Steve Harvey Radio Network, where he led business development, production, and operations for all three companies. Gerald successfully secured major partnerships and endorsement deals with household names such as T-Mobile, Ford, State Farm, NBC, ABC, Fox and BET. He led the launch and growth of new business ventures with Match.com and Garrett’s Popcorn Shops, as well as the transformational coaching company Act Like a Success and Easy Bacon, Steve Harvey’s first food product. Through his leadership, the Steve Harvey World Group tripled in revenue and grew by 65 percent. It is this experience that makes Gerald an asset to any program working through contracts, contract negotiations, service, and lease agreements. Gerald has the uncanny ability to see the potential in staff that they don’t often see in themselves. He coaches people into leadership roles with ease. Gerald is ready to take your Head Start program to the next level.
Kenna Pruitt, Chief Operating Officer
With more than 13 years of Head Start experience, Kenna brings knowledge that is unmatched in the field/industry. She began her Head Start journey working as the Family and Community Partnerships Manager, for a large Head Start and Early Head Start program in Texas. This program served more than 1,500 children and families in 22 centers across Texas. This experience helped Kenna become well versed in data capturing, data analysis, processes and systems, leadership, management, supervision, and a deep understanding of all service areas. After working in a Head Start program, Kenna ventured out to the federal level. Working for DANYA, which, at the time, had a contract with the Office of Head Start, for Federal Reviews. Kenna’s time spent as a Content Area Lead for HSKI-C Reviews and Leadership, Governance, and Management Systems Reviews afforded her the opportunity to travel the country and visit Head Start programs in every shape and size. Kenna was able to see the complexities of a variety of programs, as well as, how programs attack and troubleshoot unique situations. It was at this point, that Kenna wanted to take the information she was learning from all these programs and share it with others. From here she went to work for ChildPlus Software, the data management system most used by Head Start programs. It was here, that Kenna was able to explore and dig into data. Understand how programs were and were not using it effectively. Her role as a ChildPlus Consultant fostered her skills in creating processes and policies, sharpened her abilities to find holes in data and create a plan to repair them, as well as, customize any training for varieties of staff. Starting Working Smarter Consulting, was a dream that would allow Head Start programs the ability to get training, coaching, and consulting from one place. Let’s Work Smart Together!

Take advantage of this one-of-a-kind opportunity to revamp how your program recruits personnel.

Early Childhood Innovation Summit
2024-08-05 - 2024-08-08
Looking at the Future of Early Education
Early childhood education stands at a pivotal juncture where innovation is essential. However, for practitioners, the challenge is figuring out how to build the plane while flying. The Early Childhood Innovation Summit (ECIS) is here to bridge this gap, connecting researchers, policymakers, and practitioners and empowering educators to tackle 21st-century challenges head-on.
Each year, we curate an agenda rich in content and rooted in practice, featuring plenary sessions with brilliant thought leaders addressing today’s most pressing issues. We explore the intersections of early childhood education with AI and brain development, delve into pediatric health, and discover trauma-informed tools to enhance social and emotional health for children and families facing adversities.
Meet us at the Summit, where we equip today’s early educators to meet current challenges and prepare for future opportunities!

Financial Wellness: 3 Principles to Money + Life Balance (Option 1)
2024-08-08 14:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans: Revisiting the basics: 3 Principles to Money + Life Balance

Make a Plan
Save Some
Spend on what brings you joy

Learn about The Beans’ highly rated professional development programs for improving your staffs’ financial wellness + the evidence-based principles proven to promote financial progress and reduce financial stress.
Sponsored by:

Financial Wellness: 3 Principles to Money + Life Balance (Option 2)
2024-08-08 18:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York)

Head Start Advocacy: Voting Counts!
2024-08-13 12:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
Voting Counts: Understanding the Important Role Head Start Parents and Staff can have in the 2024 election.
Program Description: This year’s presidential election is already a hot topic and not likely to cool in the fall. As citizens of the USA we all can and need to vote. It’s one thing that makes this country great. Voting is a right and privilege that we all need to exercise. Learn how Head Start parents, staff and programs can support voter registration and Get Out the Vote (GOTV) activities. Learn how to engage in these activities while following the Head Start standards. Here what other programs are doing. Do not let fear and discouragement keep you from taking action.
Together we can help the whole Head Start community participate in the election and know that Voting Counts!
Learning Objective:

Understand the Head Start standards relative to voter registration and GOTV activities.
Find inspiration and courage to engage in supporting the election process in your Head Start program.

Presenters:
Blair Hyatt, Senior Director of State Affairs
Katie Dufford-Melendez, Manager, State Affairs
This professional development presentation is part of a larger Head Start Advocacy Series. By registering for this event, you can sign up for the entire 2024-2025 series. Each month will feature new topics of concern when we talk about the big picture of advocacy.

Onboarding New Leaders
2024-08-15 15:00 - 15:30 (America/New_York)
Program: Onboarding New Leaders in Head Start
Purpose: New leadership in any environment can be tough. But, becoming a new leader in Head Start is particularly challenging. Head Start requires a very specific understanding of Federal requirements, program history and managing in an environment that is ever-changing. Come learn about how to support new Head Start leaders and how you can take charge of your new position and grow your own capacity to serve your program, staff and community.
Learning Objectives: To Identify what is your leadership style is and who do you want to be as a leader; Exploring the differences between managing and leading; Determining actions to take over the next 6 months.
Presenters:
Dr. Deborah Bergeron 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 and currently serves as deputy director for Community Engagement and Innovation at NHSA.

Zuly Vazquez is the senior manager of online professional development at the National Head Start Association. 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 EHS/HS parent. She has vast experience supporting and providing technical assistance to teachers, family child care providers, education specialists, and families in large EHS/HS 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 a board member of her local NAEYC affiliate and Family Child Care Home Alliance of Georgia. She is a senior advisor of Latinas United for the Children of America.

NHSA Closed: Labor Day
2024-09-02

Advocacy: What is it? How to do it!
2024-09-10 12:00 - 12:30 (America/New_York)
Program: Advocacy: What is it? How to do it!
Description: The lack of funding needed so that programs can implement the Final rule without having to cut large numbers of children and their families from programs has put Head Start in a funding crisis. We need everyone to step up their advocacy capacity and skills. This webinar will help people understand how to be an advocate, what an advocate does and how to do it with the limits of the Head Start Standards.
Learning Objectives: Attendees will learn:

What is educating.
What is advocacy.
What is lobbying.
The Head Start standards that impact doing education, advocacy, and lobbying.
The important role parents and staff play in education and advocating for Head Start.

Advocacy: What is it? How to do it! Presenters:

Blair Hyatt, Senior Director of State Affairs

Katie Dufford-Melendez, Manager, State Affairs

This professional development presentation is part of a larger Head Start Advocacy Series. By registering for this event, you can sign up for the entire 2024-2025 series. Each month will feature new topics of concern when we talk about the big picture of advocacy.

Financial Wellness: Behavior Change Strategies (Option 1)
2024-09-12 14:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans: Behavior Change Strategies
Behavior change is not always easy, and it takes a little time, but knowing the stages of behavior change will make the process more successful and more fun.
Learn about The Beans’ highly rated professional development programs for improving your staffs’ financial wellness + the evidence-based principles proven to promote financial progress and reduce financial stress.
Sponsored by:

Financial Wellness: Behavior Change Strategies (Option 2)
2024-09-12 18:00 - 18:30 (America/New_York)

Tuning Up Circle Time: How Musical Play Boosts Learning and Connection
2024-09-17 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Program: Tuning Up Circle Time: How Musical Play Boosts Learning and Connection
Description: Circle time—a safe, focused space for children to learn and interact in a group setting—is nothing new. So, how do we keep it from getting old and fine-tune it as a model for healthy social behavior? Leaning into the rich history of making music in the round and dancing in circle formation is key to cementing developmental milestones in this important early childhood setting. This workshop focuses on how to boost social awareness and connection through joyful musical circle time experiences, including morning rituals, dance breaks, and story time.
Learning Objectives: As a result of this session, participants will be able to:

Explain the science behind why circle time—specifically musical circle time—is beneficial to the social-emotional development of children.
Incorporate music more intentionally into movement-based brain breaks and gathering rituals.
Scaffold teaching of music-based activities to lead with confidence and enhance learning.

Price:

Regular Rate: $75
NHSA Member Rate: $50

Tuning Up Circle Time Presenter: Deanna Bucci, Director of Product Development for Kindermusik International
Deanna Bucci oversees the content creation for Kindermusik’s programs and curricula as well as professional development and product training. She has worked with and trained various organizations and educators across the United States, including presenting at national conferences for NAEYC and NHSA. Deanna holds a Bachelor of Music in Music Education and Master of School Administration. She taught elementary general music (ages 3-8) for eight years in New Jersey before initially becoming a Curriculum Designer for Kindermusik in 2017. Through childcare, musical direction, and private music instruction, she has also taught and worked with children and adults of all ages over the last 15+ years.
Sponsored by: Kindermusik International

Rallying for Meaningful Trainings Series
2024-09-17 16:00 - 16:30 UTC
In this Rallying for Meaningful Trainings webinar series, we will unlock the magic of leveraging self-paced PD to create engaging training for all staff, so you can spend less time meeting compliance and more time where it matters – relationship building!
Join our experts in this two-part series as they unveil:

Onboarding without Overboarding
In-Service for Everyone

Learning Objectives
In this series, you will learn practical ways to align your professional development offerings with the way adults learn – and immediately make your training sessions more meaningful!

Autonomy: Give adult learners the ability to direct their own learning
Constructivism: Actively involve the learner in the process of making learning meaningful
Prior knowledge: Respect and acknowledge the experience of adult learners

Register for this webinar series today! Also Check-out Pre-Service with a Punch!

Connecting Refugees With Head Start and Early Head Start
2024-09-17 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Program: Connecting Refugees With Head Start and Early Head Start: Introducing NHSA and Fors Marsh Toolkits
Description: In partnership with Fors Marsh, NHSA designed toolkits including customizable fact sheets, guides, flyers, social media ads, and posters to encourage the enrollment and employment of children and families with refugee status in Head Start. This webinar will provide an overview of Head Start programs and present the toolkits developed to the Episcopal Migration Ministries (EMM) and their affiliates.
Learning Objectives:

Overview of Head Start programs
Increase awareness and collaborate around connecting refugee families and children to Head Start and Early Head Start programs.
Utilize toolkits to support connection efforts

Connecting Refugees Presenters:
Mark Weber provides 32 years of experience at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) challenging the status quo and creating meaningful change in Federal programs. Most recently he served as principal advisor and major policy-coordinating official on communications across public health, healthcare and in particular the human services portfolio of HHS agencies and offices. Examples of his work as Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs include formulating and leading the first $300 million phase of the U.S. Government’s COVID-19 Public Education Media Campaign and leading communications work on the humanitarian response to the dramatic increase in unaccompanied children referred to HHS care by immigration officials. Prior to serving as HHS Deputy Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs from January 2012 to July 2021, Mark Weber was the HHS Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration Director of Communications from September 1995 to January 2012 and a speechwriter in the HHS Office of the Assistant Secretary for Health from October 1989 to September 1995. Mark Weber achieved a bachelor’s degree in marketing management from Virginia Tech in 1987 and a master’s in business administration from George Washington University in 1995. He has documented and published much of his work in peer reviewed journals and received numerous awards throughout his career at HHS.
Jennifer Larson, a former Head Start parent, has seamlessly transitioned from beneficiary to advocate, dedicating 31 years to supporting others in the early childhood field. Starting as a parent in a Head Start program, she rose to become the Associate Head Start Director of Child Care Resource and Referral/Families First of Minnesota. Throughout her journey, Ms. Larson completed her Elementary Education degree, obtained her Minnesota Teaching Licensure, and became a trainer for the development program at Minnesota Department of Education. Her diverse experience includes teaching in a classroom, building relationships with parents as a home visitor, coaching staff, supervising, and training. Ms. Larson’s personal experience underscores her dedication to improving the lives of children, families, and communities served by the Head Start program.
Malath Alarnosi, originally from Iraq, serves as a dedicated Case Manager Supervisor at Canopy Northwest Arkansas (NWA), assisting refugee families during their resettlement in NWA. Central to her role is facilitating the enrollment of these families in the Head Start program, helping them to navigate both the triumphs and obstacles of the process to ensure ongoing cooperation and support.
Kisha McCray is the Senior Manager of Academy Resources at The National Head Start Association. In 2005, she began her journey working as an Early Childhood teacher and in 2007 she discovered her love for Head Start and has held various positions to include Family Advocate, Family Services Supervisor, Health Coordinator, Director of Child Health and Wellness, Director of Child Development and Health, Program Director of Health, Family, and Community Partnerships, and Associate Executive Director. Kisha has spent years advocating for early childhood education and early intervention services through working for Early Head Start, Head Start, and other agencies that support pregnant mothers and the birth through five populations and their families. She has previously served as a member of the public policy committee for the Maryland Head Start Association and Coordinator for the Maryland Health Managers Network. She has completed HS University’s Program Design and Management Credential, Yale School of Management Women’s Leadership Program and UCLA’s New Director Mentor program. Kisha has a commitment to community service, community development, and empowerment and has dedicated her life both personally and professionally to engaging the unserved and empowering the marginalized.
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