New England Head Start Association - Fall Leadership Conference

Networking opportunity to connect with other parent leaders, foster collaboration, and champion the interests of parents.

Host: NEHSA

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Networking opportunity to connect with other parent leaders, and foster collaboration.

Host: NEHSA: Interim Executive Director and Board of Directors

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RO/T&TA/Collab Directors

Host: Marina Winkler, OHS   

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This session will support Policy Council or parent committee leaders in identifying how their leadership role can contribute to ensuring effective and productive meetings.

Participants will learn the requirements for parent committees and have the opportunity to share strategies for enhancing parent engagement. In addition, participants will recognize the elements of a good meeting and consider strategies for ensuring effective communication during meetings.

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To implement culture change, it is important to understand that culture is not an input. It’s an outcome of processes, structures, behaviors, and priorities. Additionally, culture is complex, and it’s also a tricky concept to model. The values, beliefs, and norms that influence the behavior of people as members of an organization are the embodiment of culture. Bersin pinpoints that “Culture is not a nice to have, squishy topic; in fact, it’s a survival strategy for every [organization].”

Join us as we explore the drivers of organizational culture and the the culture framework.

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A discussion led by OHS (OHS invitation only)

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Host: NEHSA Board of Directors and Interim Executive Director; Marina Winkler, OHS

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A deep dive into what readiness means and how early learning standards can be accomplished while supporting children’s and teacher’s interests, curiosity, critical thinking, and agency.

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With a focus on structure, processes, and relationships, this session will provide an overview of Head Start governance with an emphasis on the role of Policy Council in the inclusive governance structure.  In addition to examining federal requirements regarding composition, roles, and responsibilities, participants will examine their role and strategies for meaningful Policy Council participation.

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UCLA Professor Cherbosque says Emotional intelligence is the ability to use emotions and cognitions as a source of energy so we can communicate, motivate, manage change, inspire, persuade, and resolve conflicts.  Join us as we examine the four areas of emotional intelligence and diversity (EDI) and participate in the discovery of your EDI.  We will conclude by linking EDI to the four basic requirements for creating extraordinary work relationships

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 “People don’t quit their job, they quit their supervisor.”  That’s the finding, essentially, of recent research from the Gallup organization.  Outstanding employee performance (and retention) requires outstanding supervision.  Yes, wages and benefits are essential, but so are the vibe and climate created by the supervisor. 

This workshop will review the key principles of supervision, including the proper balance of support and accountability, the mindset, values, and character of outstanding supervisors, non-attachment to results, and handling challenges when the going gets tough.

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Many Head Start schools are equipped with the foundational supports to create and strengthen the larger Early Education field.  Through engaging and interactive conversation and activities, we will work to help you identify your own unique path toward creating a stronger workforce within your own school, community and state. Educare Central Maine’s Lab School and Learning Hub was created to help solve a problem and fill a need.  Offering increased access to high-quality, research-based professional development learning opportunities and partnering with progressive higher education institutes, the ECM Lab School is a demonstration and field placement site that offers experiential learning, bridging theory to practice. 

Since its conception in 2020, and through innovative initiatives such as a state-recognized Early Childhood Registered Apprenticeship program, the creation, and awarding of Digital Badges, a successful Substitute Training program, and deepened partnerships with local CTE schools and colleges, their Lab School and Learning Hub has influenced early care and education and is helping to create a stronger workforce to support Maine’s children.   The creation of alternative and more accessible pathways into the ECE workforce breaks down common barriers, such as financial hardships and access to education and experience, that often impede individuals from establishing a meaningful career and pursuing their dreams.  

As they move into their third operational year, Educare Central Maine reflects back on the inception of their Lab School and Learning Hub and is eager to share their experience, setbacks, strategies, and learnings

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As a nation, we are just starting to see the long-term learning implications of the Pandemic on our youth who missed crucial skill-building opportunities during learning leap windows. Those who were infants and toddlers during lockdown are now school-age. And those born between 2020-2021 are now entering preschool programs. Parents and teachers notice significant milestone delays across all areas: social-emotional, interpersonal, physical body control, and early cognition.

Before the pandemic, we knew two things. Science proved that 85% of a child’s foundational brain growth is complete by 5 years of age. Data showed that only 4-out-of-10 Kindergarten students tested as “ready to learn” in all areas of the classroom.

Post-pandemic we have an educational crisis and Cara believes it’s a golden opportunity to reassess our early learning expectations and renovate our early years curricula to support this impacted generation not just to recover cognitive milestones but develop comprehensive readiness in all key learning areas that indicate long-term success in school and life.

In this workshop, you’ll learn the top five executive functioning skills that support this goal.

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 Participants will learn how First 10 school-community partnerships in over 50 communities in six states improve outcomes for children and families. Head Start programs typically join school districts as anchor institutions in First 10 partnerships and play a key role in their success.

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In this session, parents will learn how to harness their skills for advocacy through preparation, storytelling, and an understanding of where the decisions that matter to us are made. A legislator’s job is to listen to their constituents, and together we’ll make sure we’re prepared to tell them what we need.

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The national early educator workforce crisis has profoundly impacted our Early Head Start and Head Start Programs, directly challenging our work to provide consistent, emotionally responsive care to children and families. At the same time, our understanding of the developmental process, infant and early childhood mental health, and reflective practices – all in a framework of diversity, equity, and inclusion- offers us the opportunities to build systems that work. This interactive workshop will provide a framework and guide for achieving systemic, structural change in child and family serving systems by providing an overview of the core components necessary for building systems of care that can truly support healthy child development and strong, confident families. A special focus will be on “Emotional Competence” as foundational to child, family, and workforce well-being. We will explore how child-serving systems function as “holding environments” for all who work within them and how our programs can intentionally support staff’s ability to provide emotionally responsive, trauma and diversity-informed care by scaffolding their reflective capacities through mentorship, supervisory, and peer relationships.

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“Resilience Stretch” resources were developed with support from the AAP National Center on Child Health and Wellness to SKCDC, as part of an Early Childhood Education/Medical Home Learning Collaborative. Similar to how physical stretches prepare for and repair from physical activity, 12 resilience stretches build on diaphragmatic breathing (4 counts in, 6 counts out), with a self-reflection prompt, an image, and movement; which may help interrupt, prevent, or repair a stress response. They are available for professionals and parents. Resources are available for Head Start programs throughout New England and handouts will be provided.

The workshop will provide background on resourcefulness (e.g. Protective Factors from www.cssp.org) and resilience, supporting each stretch, as well as an opportunity to experience it and discuss of how it may be utilized by parents and early care and education professionals. Presenters include the author, the agency director, and a parent (to be identified).

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This interactive workshop will help educators and administrators gain a better understanding of the value and importance of parent engagement and will learn effective strategies to create and sustain successful collaborations. Beginning with an overview of current trends in parent engagement and best practices for building trust and meaningful partnerships with families. Topics will include cultivating a shared understanding of the impact of parental involvement, the importance of communication and offering appropriate support, and how to involve parents meaningfully. At the conclusion of the workshop, participants will have a clear understanding of the significant benefits of an effective parent-school relationship and how to have an engaging and authentic partnership with all families. Participants will have an opportunity to share their experiences and gain insight from their peers.

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