Each month, NHSA Touchpoint shares insights into our latest work to support your programs, our community’s accomplishments and special events, a love note or two, and up-to-date info on Head Start’s highest priorities. This month, we are celebrating Native American Heritage Month!

Love Note: Native American Heritage Month

As November is Native American Heritage month, our love note goes to American Indian and Alaska Native (AIAN) communities and to all the staff who support our 44,000 AIAN children in Head Start and Early Head Start. To all Head Start dual language programs, which are tailored to AIAN children and families to preserve their native languages. To all the programs that are immersed in the AIAN culture and connect children to their roots and history. To our non-AIAN programs that also serve AIAN children and families and successfully incorporate AIAN cultural learning into their curriculum. To the incredible hard work you do–here’s to you!

National Family Literacy Month

November is also National Family Literacy month! It’s a great opportunity to reflect on how to use storytime, reading, and family literacy as a way to connect with parents. This spring, we are lauching a new course for you and your staff at The Academy at NHSA to walk you through family engagement through literacy. Stay tuned for more!

In Case You Didn’t Know

Applications for the NHSA Program of Excellence are now open for 2023, but are limited. If you think your program is a good fit, we would love to have you! We support you throughout the process and you will be acknowledged for your efforts. We recognized 13 programs last year. I encourage you to apply!

The Academy just released a new Classroom Management Certification. It’s a three-part series for teachers and staff who work directly with children and want to improve classroom management. It’s also a chance to help you better connect with children in the classroom. In addition, the spring semester cohorts for the Director Credential and Site Leader Credential are now open. We start our semester in late January.

Last but not least, Touchpoint is taking a short break in December, but we’ll be back in 2023. Remember that Head Start is access to the American dream, so go make dreams happen!