Can you believe it’s 2022? Here we are back for a new year, so it’s time for a new Touchpoint. We are going to start the year off with a topic that’s near and dear: trust. I firmly believe, if trust is at the center of your organization’s value system, of your classrooms, and in your work with children, parents, and staff, you will be successful.

This Month’s Theme: Developing Trusting Relationships

As you know, NHSA takes the value of trust very seriously. We believe it is our job to create a trusting relationship with you. When a program joins NHSA as a member, everybody related to that program is also a member of NHSA: from teachers to bus drivers, kitchen staff to front office staff. We all come together and we work toward a common goal, whether it’s securing higher compensation, funding trauma informed care, updating eligibility policy so you can reach more families, renovating facilities. Our trusting relationship with you is foundational to this work— it’s what enables us to grow and serve families and children who need it most in this country.

Through listening to your voices on a regular basis, NHSA is able to cull together a single, unified voice that becomes so strong when it comes to making decisions. So, keep working on trusting relationships with your families. We’ll keep working on our trusting relationship with you.

Love Note

Our January love note is going to go to our parents because, really, it’s the trust that parents build with programs that makes Head Start’s “DNA” so unique. So, kudos to all of our parents out there.

In Case You Didn’t Know: National Mentoring Month

Did you know it is National Mentoring Month? What a great time to bring in community members, parents, and create some mentoring opportunities for children, and also maybe for some of your staff.

A great way to do that is through The Academy. We are working on some amazing staff trainings that will roll out this year, from leadership credentials to wellness for staff. We’ve even got a class for policy councils so that you can mentor your parents as they become engaged and knowledgeable about Head Start.

Another way to create a mentor opportunities is through our Mind in the Making (MITM) Trainer Certification program. MITM prepares early childhood education professionals to coach families and practitioners on best practices identified in Ellen Galinsky’s groundbreaking research. In partnership with the Bezos Family Foundation, NHSA is working to share the science of early learning in ways that transform research into action. Learn more about becoming an MITM Trainer.

Last but definitely not least, tax season is coming! Don’t forget about the Child Tax Credit! Make sure your parents know about it and make sure they know how to apply. And of course, support them in that process.