Financial Wellness: Already Rich: Joy, Gratitude and Generational Wealth
2025-11-13 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans: Already Rich: Joy, Gratitude and Generational Wealth
Generational wealth is more than money — it’s values, traditions, and opportunities passed down through family, culture, and community. Define what it means to leave a legacy, especially when it feels like you’re starting from scratch. Align spending, gratitude, and joyful giving to build a foundation that lasts for generations.
Sponsored by:

Head Start Works: Opportunities for States
2025-11-19 15:00 - 16:00 (America/New_York) | https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_672GPry7RV6C842h0TXnvA
Program: Head Start Works: Opportunities for States
Description: Join Dr. Dan Wuori and Head Start leaders to explore how states can collaborate with Head Start to strengthen early childhood systems, expand access, and improve outcomes for children and families.The discussion will be based on the new report, Head Start and Early Childhood Systems: Opportunities for Policy Makers.
Purpose:

Expose Early Childhood Leaders to the report, “Head Start and Early Childhood Systems: Opportunities for Policy Makers.”
Use this webinar to amplify the convening of NHSA & state partners coming in early 2026
Begin the national dialogue with Early Childhood leaders about effective partnerships with Head Start.

REGISTER HERE!
Head Start Works Presenter:
Dr. Dan Wuori
With more than 30 years of early years leadership, Dr. Dan Wuori is the Founder and President of Early Childhood Policy Solutions, a bipartisan public policy consultancy focused on the needs of young children, their families, and the early years professionals who serve them. He serves concurrently as a Strategic Advisor on Early Childhood to the Saul Zaentz Charitable Foundation. In both roles – and in his prior position as the founding Director of Early Childhood at The Hunt Institute in Cary, North Carolina – Dr. Wuori works alongside governors and state legislators to improve early years policy across the United States.
But to parents the world over, Dan is known not for his policy work, but for his innovative use of social media to educate about infants and toddlers – with more than 300,000 followers tuning in to his daily video child development lessons across platforms. This work was recently profiled in The New York Times, which called his X (Twitter) account “a font of delight and edification…educational, but also – put simply – awwwww.”
His new book The Daycare Myth: What We Get Wrong About Early Care and Education (and What We Should Do About It) was released in September 2024. Upon its announcement, the book – which explores the costly disconnect between what we know and what we do when it comes to the needs of young children – spent more than a week at the top of Amazon’s education best sellers list. It is now in its seventh printing.
Dan is currently at work on a second book, Wonderment: Our First Three Years, which was recently acquired by Ballantine Books (a division of Penguin-Random House) for publication in early 2027.

Jack Be Nimble: Virtual Cabinet of Wonder Time
2025-12-10 14:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Program: NHSA In The Classroom | Virtual Cabinet of Wonder Time: Jack Be Nimble
Description: NHSA is hosting a series of virtual Cabinet of Wonder experiences with Natalie Merchant (or as the children will come to know her, “Miss Natalie”). Teachers will enjoy these enchanting journeys to the Land of Make Believe as much as the students, and be empowered to use the curriculum and resources to continue the learning journey on their own. The Cabinet of Wonder is a reimagining of Mother Goose and her famous canon of rhymes for a new generation. This powerful educational and enrichment tool has been developed for teachers and parents to share with children ages 3-6. The professionally produced musical recordings, inventive videos, and endearing nonsense of Mother Goose are sure to bring joy to adults and young learners alike.
Learning Objective: In these live sessions, Miss Natalie will lead the attendees through Cabinet of Wonder time. She will follow the Recommended Scaffolding that is laid out on the Cabinet of Wonder website so that teachers and children alike can experience it, and teachers will feel confident in implementing it on their own. In order to model the interactive components, Natalie will interact with Pinky Jackalope during the session just as she would with a child in the classroom.
Bring your students!

October: Humpty Dumpty

10/8 @ 2:00 pm ET

December: Jack Be Nimble

12/10 @ 2:00 p.m. ET

February: Queen of Hearts

2/11 @ 2:00 p.m. ET (just before Valentine’s Day!)

April: Little Nut Tree

4/8 @ 2:00 p.m. ET

Head Start at the National Zoo
2025-12-11 14:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Program: Get a Head Start with the Smithsonian
Description: It’s time for music, it’s time for fun! It’s time to explore the Smithsonian National Zoo and Smithsonian museums with live 30-minute virtual field trips for all early learners. In this field trip, children will learn about community helpers, who they are, and how they help take care of a community, all while meeting a beaver, meerkat, and western lowland gorilla!
REGISTER HERE!
NHSA and The National Zoo Presenters:

Emily Porter – Manager of Early Childhood and Family Learning Experience, SNZCBI
Bethany Wells – Get a Head Start with the Smithsonian Education and Program Coordinator, SNZCBI
Rachel Hutchison – Senior Manager, Instructional Programs, NHSA
Nick Young – Preschool Musician, PlayMotion Music
Smithsonian National Zoo Keepers
Guest presenters from other Smithsonian institutions

Financial Wellness: Holiday Survival Guide: Joyful Gifting Ahead
2025-12-11 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans: Holiday Survival Guide: Joyful Gifting Ahead
Holiday Survival Guide sets you up to enjoy the holidays without overspending or over extending yourself. Make a gifting plan and tap into the science of gratitude. Giving can feel good and be financially healthy — because with a balanced plan, joy and mindful spending go hand in hand.
Register Now
Sponsored by:

Attracting and Retaining Great ECE Teachers
2025-12-16 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Program: Attracting and Retaining Great ECE Teachers
Description: Come learn some new strategies from soup to nuts about attracting, hiring and retaining new Head Start staff. Early Day, a new NHSA partner, specializes in this process and will share some tips and tricks for programs.
REGISTER HERE!
Purpose: Connect field to new partner and do some PD around recruiting talent
Target Audience: Leadership/HR/Managers (Anyone who hires)
Presenter:
Emma Harris, Vice President, Wonderschool

Program of Excellence Informational Webinar
2025-12-17 14:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Program of Excellence Informational Webinar
Description: Join us for an engaging session to learn about NHSA’s Program of Excellence designation—a prestigious recognition awarded to programs that consistently excel in program management, deliver exceptional services, and support strong outcomes for children from birth to five, pregnant people, families, and their communities.
This informational webinar is designed for interested candidates to gain insights into the application process, ask questions, and hear inspiring testimonials from past awardees. Discover if now is the right time for your program to pursue this esteemed designation.
Don’t miss this opportunity to learn how your program can shine!
REGISTER HERE!
Presenters:
Kisha McCray, Senior Manager of Academy Resources, NHSA
Celeste Presley, CCAP Head Start Project Manager, Community Action Council

Tackle Behaviors that Challenge: by Teaching Mindfulness
2026-01-06 16:00 - 16:30 (America/New_York)
Webinar Series: Tackling Behaviors that Challenge Us
Program: Tackle Behaviors that Challenge: by Teaching Mindfulness
REGISTER NOW
Description:Every teacher wants to build a positive classroom culture of safety and trust, for children and for themselves. Turns out that is a lot easier said than done, especially when faced with behaviors that are really challenging. So, what is a well-meaning teacher to do?
In this webinar series, our experts will share innovative approaches to building a trust-based classroom environment, which is the key to mitigating behaviors that challenge us. Learn practical strategies that will not only help teachers understand challenging interactions, but also significantly increase delightful interactions!
Join our experts as they share how to develop strong trust with the children in your care. You will learn how to:

inspire the desire to behave well;
use music and movement for joy, fun, and increased focus;
turn transitions into meaningful parts of your day;
and so much more!

Tackle Behaviors that Challenge: by teaching MINDFULNESS
Managing a learning environment can be extremely stressful, especially when facing behaviors that we do not understand. We can control how we respond to those times of stress, in part, by paying attention to the way that we breathe. In this session, we will learn a simple tool that we can use to focus on and control the breath when stress is high, so we can return to calm and respond with wisdom, care, and focus.
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.

Hayes Greenfield is the founder of Creative Sound Play and the Greenfield Method. He is a professional musician and artist who has taught with the PNC Bank Grow Up Great Initiative, consulted at Bank Street Head Start and led professional development workshops and programs for the New York City Dept of Ed.

Financial Wellness: Make Meaningful Progress This Year
2026-01-08 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans: Make Meaningful Progress This Year
Dream big, make a plan, and set research-backed goals to make meaningful financial progress this year. Did you know writing down your goals and giving advice to others boost motivation and keep you on track. You’ll leave with a clear money plan, actionable steps, and the science behind turning your financial dreams into reality.
Register Now
Sponsored by:

Growing Strong at the CORE: Family and Community Partnership Series
2026-01-20 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Webinar Series: Growing Strong at the CORE: Family and Community Partnership
Description: This is a part of quarterly webinar series which started 10/14 focusing on various aspects of family and community engagement. Each session focuses on a key element of our CORE framework, providing practical strategies, tools, and insights to enhance your engagement efforts.
This session focuses on the CORE principal of OUTREACH: Learn effective outreach strategies to connect with diverse populations, expand your reach, and create welcoming pathways for engagement.
REGISTER HERE!
Growing Strong at the CORE Presenter: Sandy Oceguera, Senior Data Product Manager, NHSA

Winter Garden Storytime 2026
2026-01-21 13:00 - 13:30 (America/New_York)
Program: Winter Garden Storytime
Description: In these LIVE storytimes, we will read wonderful garden-themed books with a social emotional focus and have a “show and tell” about interesting plants. Both teachers and students will love these interactive learning sessions! Even when snow is falling all around, the garden is full of life for us to observe and appreciate if we just know where to look! Come sing, read, and learn with us about the wonders of nature in winter.

Story: Outdoor Farm, Indoor Farm by Lindsay H. Metcalf
Sing Along: TBA

REGISTER HERE!

2026 Winter Garden Storytime Presenters:
Noel Cibulka (she/her) is the Educational Content Manager for KidsGardening, where she co-develops original educational materials designed to help kids play, learn and grow through gardening. She holds a BA in Creative Writing from University of Southern California, where she developed a passion for informal education while teaching poetry at 32nd Street School/USC Magnet. Prior to joining KidsGardening, Noel worked as a Museum Educator at the Natural History Museum of Los Angeles County, developing and delivering educational programs for diverse, multi-generational audiences, and managing the museum’s Storytime Live program. In her spare time she teaches in the school garden at Third Street Elementary in Los Angeles.

Pinky Jackalope (she/her) is a Motivational Associate with NHSA. She loves to learn new things, and to share them with her Head Start and Early Head Start friends! Pinky’s favorite fruit is a banana, and her favorite vegetable is the snap pea. Pinky loves watching flowers and herbs grow in container gardens.

Sponsors:

The GroMoreGood initiative makes garden grants, garden kits, educational curriculum, and garden training available to all Head Start programs with the goal of creating more edible gardens for young children and their families. The initiative also supports the creation of green space projects—land that is partly or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation—as an option for children and the community to learn.

Want even more? Check out our Gardening with Kids Basics course provided by The Academy.

Mental Health Micro-Credential Info Session
2026-01-21 14:00 - 14:30 (America/New_York)
Program: Mental Health Micro-Credential Info Session
Description: Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) is widely regarded as the foundation of healthy development for all young children. This is why The Academy at NHSA created the Mental Health Micro-Credential, to help adults who work with young children understand how they can support and promote children’s mental health through safe, stable, and nurturing relationships and interactions.
Join us for this 30-minute info session, hosted by experts from Georgetown University who created the course.
Objectives: Attendees will learn

All about the course requirements and timeline
Valuable strategies for supporting young children
Who from your program should register for the course (hint: it’s more than one person!)

REGISTER HERE!
Mental Health Micro-Credential Presenters:
Jennifer Drake-Croft, Deputy Project Director of the Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health (IECMH) Technical Assistance Center at Georgetown University and a Faculty Director for the Georgetown Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation Certificate Program.
Lauren Rabinovitz, Academic Program Officer at the Georgetown Center for Child and Human Development; Early Childhood Division and the Program Director for the SAMHSA funded Center of Excellence on Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation; and Co-Director of the Certificate Program in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health Consultation with the Georgetown University School of Continuing Studies. Lauren is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker with specialized training and experience in Infant and Early Childhood Mental Health.

Queen of Hearts: Virtual Cabinet of Wonder Time
2026-02-11 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Program: NHSA In The Classroom | Virtual Cabinet of Wonder Time: Queen of Hearts
Description: NHSA is hosting a series of virtual Cabinet of Wonder experiences with Natalie Merchant (or as the children will come to know her, “Miss Natalie”). Teachers will enjoy these enchanting journeys to the Land of Make Believe as much as the students, and be empowered to use the curriculum and resources to continue the learning journey on their own. The Cabinet of Wonder is a reimagining of Mother Goose and her famous canon of rhymes for a new generation. This powerful educational and enrichment tool has been developed for teachers and parents to share with children ages 3-6. The professionally produced musical recordings, inventive videos, and endearing nonsense of Mother Goose are sure to bring joy to adults and young learners alike.
Learning Objective: In these live sessions, Miss Natalie will lead the attendees through Cabinet of Wonder time. She will follow the Recommended Scaffolding that is laid out on the Cabinet of Wonder website so that teachers and children alike can experience it, and teachers will feel confident in implementing it on their own. In order to model the interactive components, Natalie will interact with Pinky Jackalope during the session just as she would with a child in the classroom.
Bring your students!

October: Humpty Dumpty

10/8 @ 2:00 pm ET

December: Jack Be Nimble

12/10 @ 2:00 p.m. ET

February: Queen of Hearts

2/11 @ 2:00 p.m. ET (just before Valentine’s Day!)

April: Little Nut Tree

4/8 @ 2:00 p.m. ET

Financial Wellness: Money + Love: Building a Supportive Network for Financial Success
2026-02-12 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans: Money + Love: Building a Supportive Network for Financial Success
Your relationships can enhance your financial well-being. Discover the power of social support in overcoming financial stress and building resilience. Whether it’s significant others, family, friends, or mentors, your people can accompany you on the path to financial balance. Strengthen your network and lift each other up!
Sponsored by:

Container Gardening 101
2026-02-17 16:00 - 17:00 (America/New_York)
Program: Container Gardening 101
Description: Join KidsGardening Educators Noel Cibulka and Sarah Pounders to learn how to provide joyful and effective lessons and activities using container gardens. As long as you have some sun and access to water, gardening in containers lets you and your students grow vegetables, herbs, flowers, and even fruit trees. A container garden can be as simple as a few pots of herbs in a window box or as elaborate as an array of large outdoor tubs with plants that rotate seasonally. We’ll share how you can most successfully engage kids in container gardening and how this approach can become a cost-effective, successful, fun way to grow, learn and play in the garden.
REGISTER HERE!
Container Gardening 101 Presenters:
Noel Cibulka
Noel Cibulka (she/her/hers) started with KidsGardening in the summer of 2022. As Educational Content & Outreach Specialist, she helps develop KG’s annual garden-based content strategy, co-develops original educational materials, oversees the editorial calendar, and supports content marketing. Before joining KidsGardening, Noel spent many years working in informal education as a museum and environmental educator, developing and delivering programs for diverse, multi-generational audiences. For two years, she also ran a school garden program for TK through 5th-grade students.

Sarah Pounders
Sarah Pounders has been active in the field of youth gardening for over 30 years. Growing up surrounded by plants instilled a deep love of gardens and the desire to share that love with others. Over the years, she has worked at various botanical gardens, for Cooperative Extension, and since 2005 as an Education Specialist at KidsGardening, coordinating numerous children’s gardens, writing curricula and activities for youth of all ages, teaching formal and informal youth education programs, and conducting teacher training sessions on integrating gardens into the classroom.
Sponsor:

The GroMoreGood initiative makes garden grants, garden kits, educational curriculum, and garden training available to all Head Start programs with the goal of creating more edible gardens for young children and their families. The initiative also supports the creation of green space projects—land that is partly or completely covered with grass, trees, shrubs, or other vegetation—as an option for children and the community to learn.

Tackle Behaviors that Challenge: by offering CHOICES
2026-03-03 16:00 - 16:30 UTC
Webinar Series: Tackling Behaviors that Challenge Us
Program: Tackle Behaviors that Challenge: by offering CHOICES

Description: Every teacher wants to build a positive classroom culture of safety and trust, for children and for themselves. Turns out that is a lot easier said than done, especially when faced with behaviors that are really challenging. So, what is a well-meaning teacher to do?
In this webinar series, our experts will share innovative approaches to building a trust-based classroom environment, which is the key to mitigating behaviors that challenge us. Learn practical strategies that will not only help teachers understand challenging interactions, but also significantly increase delightful interactions!
Join our experts as they share how to develop strong trust with the children in your care. You will learn how to:

inspire the desire to behave well;
use music and movement for joy, fun, and increased focus;
turn transitions into meaningful parts of your day;
and so much more!

Tackle Behaviors that Challenge: by offering CHOICES
When children want to learn, we can tell, because they all use the same simple tool: they start asking questions! But how often do we ask questions of them? In this session, we will explore the power of questions as a teaching tool, and share practical ways that teachers can develop a more positive and engaged learning environment by teaching less, and asking more.
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.

Ron Shuali, M.Ed. has been called the “Messiah of the Mind”, the “Behavior Master” and the “Bad Boy of Early Childhood.” His laughter filled keynotes, workshops and assemblies are always full of eye-opening experiences as audiences have multiple “Ah-HA!” moments. He is the creator of the internationally acclaimed Yogarate and Behavior Mastery systems. Ron holds a Master’s of Education specializing in Early Childhood, is a best-selling author, motivational speaker, and most importantly…He is funny. His background of martial arts, yoga, reiki, professional wrestling and improv creates hilarious and educational experiences focusing on mindfulness and connecting with fellow humans and their inner-child.

Financial Wellness: Unlock Your Max Refund: Save Big, Plan Bigger
2026-03-12 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans: Unlock Your Max Refund: Save Big, Plan Bigger
Get ready for tax season and maximize your refund. Take advantage of the biggest refund opportunities and set yourself up for future financial success. Discover smart savings strategies, how to build a strong financial foundation, and how to plan for a future free from financial stress.
Sponsored by:

Little Nut Tree: Virtual Cabinet of Wonder Time
2026-04-08 14:00 - 15:00 (America/New_York)
Program: NHSA In The Classroom | Virtual Cabinet of Wonder Time: Little Nut Tree
Description: NHSA is hosting a series of virtual Cabinet of Wonder experiences with Natalie Merchant (or as the children will come to know her, “Miss Natalie”). Teachers will enjoy these enchanting journeys to the Land of Make Believe as much as the students, and be empowered to use the curriculum and resources to continue the learning journey on their own. The Cabinet of Wonder is a reimagining of Mother Goose and her famous canon of rhymes for a new generation. This powerful educational and enrichment tool has been developed for teachers and parents to share with children ages 3-6. The professionally produced musical recordings, inventive videos, and endearing nonsense of Mother Goose are sure to bring joy to adults and young learners alike.
Learning Objective: In these live sessions, Miss Natalie will lead the attendees through Cabinet of Wonder time. She will follow the Recommended Scaffolding that is laid out on the Cabinet of Wonder website so that teachers and children alike can experience it, and teachers will feel confident in implementing it on their own. In order to model the interactive components, Natalie will interact with Pinky Jackalope during the session just as she would with a child in the classroom.
Bring your students!

October: Humpty Dumpty

10/8 @ 2:00 pm ET

December: Jack Be Nimble

12/10 @ 2:00 p.m. ET

February: Queen of Hearts

2/11 @ 2:00 p.m. ET (just before Valentine’s Day!)

April: Little Nut Tree

4/8 @ 2:00 p.m. ET

Financial Wellness: Maximize Your Refund and File Confidently: A Step-by-Step Tax Session
2026-04-09 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans: Maximize Your Refund and File Confidently: A Step-by-Step Tax Session
Get hands-on support with filing your taxes and ensuring you maximize your refund. In this working session, we’ll guide you through the process of submitting your taxes, explain how to use your refund to make financial progress, and introduce a free, easy filing option. Leave with the confidence to file on your own and keep more of your hard-earned money!
Sponsored by:

Financial Wellness: Mind Over Money: The Psychology of Changing Spending Behavior
2026-05-14 14:00 - 15:00 UTC
Financial Wellness Thursdays with The Beans: Mind Over Money: The Psychology of Changing Spending Behavior
“Mind Over Money” dives into the psychology behind spending habits and how to change them. Spot patterns, set an implementation intention, and use the six stages of behavior change to make meaningful progress. Growth requires change — and it all starts with seeing what’s really driving our spending.
Sponsored by:
