Letter from FHSA Executive Director
As we close up October Head Start Awareness month, let's keep in mind Head Start Awareness should occur every day. We must continue to keep the Head Start/Early Head Start conversation alive about the benefits and impact you provide on the children and families who need Head Start services. FHSA is here to help support your efforts in inviting your state representatives to visit your programs throughout the year. If you need additional support in these efforts, please reach out to me and let me know how I can support you.
During committee weeks leading up to Florida' Legistiavtive session, which begins January 14, 2020, Florida's early care and education have been a hot topic. Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis and Education Commissioner Richard Corocan have been very vocal about their concerns on the quality of early childhood programs in our state. We must continue Head Start awareness to educate state representatives about the quality of Head Start and how we are the gold standard in early childhood care and education. If you would like to become involved with FHSA Advocacy committee work, sign up to volunteer via this link.
FHSA is working on its 2020 annual conference & expo, which is scheduled for March 4-6 at the DoubleTree by Hilton at the Entrance to Universal Orlando. We hope you are making plans to join us. Conference registration will be opening soon. FHSA has opened its Corporate Partners and Sponsorship opportunities as well as exhibitor registration. The deadline to complete an exhibitor registration is January 31, 2020. To learn more about how you can help support FHSA and Florida's Head Start community by exhibiting and sponsoring can be found below.
In Partnership,
Wanda Minick
Executive Director
FHSA
Updates from Florida Collaboration Director
Head Start and the Census: Count All Kids, Florida! Awareness campaign initiative was launched by the Florida Head Start Collaboration Office (HSSCO) with support from the Florida Head Start Association (FHSA). The Head Start and the Census! Count All Kids, Florida! is an awareness campaign designed to ensure ALL children and their families are counted in the Census 2020. The Census 2020 is critical to Head Start and Early Head Start because it establishes funding in the state for the next ten years. This funding is vital to families in need of additional support to ensure well-being.
Head Start programs were asked to identify a Census Ambassador for their program. This person will be responsible for launching the Head Start and Census! Count all Kids, Florida! Awareness campaign in their local HS/EHS program and community. This person will also be responsible for participating in at least two webinars to get this campaign launched. If your program has not yet established a Census Ambassador, please contact the HSSCO office at (850) 717-8648 or email Nacole@[email protected].
SAVE THE DATE!
HS/EHS Monthly Directors Call November 13 at 10:00 a.m. MORE DETAILS TO COME!
Updates from the Office of Head Start
Head Start Takes a Stand Against Opioids. Check out Dr. B November Vlog below.
A few notables from this month Vlog:
Office of Head Start FY2020 Monitoring Kickoff
The Fiscal Year (FY) 2020 Head Start Monitoring Protocols are available through the Office of Head Start (OHS) website. These protocols are used by the Office of Head Start to gather data and other information to assess grantee program operation and performance. They include the CLASS® Field Guide, The Focus Area One Monitoring Protocol, and the Focus Area Two Monitoring Protocol. OHS uses the information collected during reviews to understand the grantee’s approach to program design and services. The information is also used to evaluate their performance and continuous program improvement.
Watch the video below with Adia Brown, Monitoring Lead at OHS, and Dr. Deborah Burgeron, Director of the OHS, discussing updates and highlights of the FY20 monitoring season.
Improving Access to Affordable, High-Quality Child Care: Request for Information
On October 2, the Administration for Children and Families (ACF), Department of Health and Human Services released a Request for Information (RFI) seeking input from the public and interested stakeholders on strategies to improve access to high quality, affordable childcare in the U.S.
Comments are due December 2, 2019. NHSA will be submitting comments by the deadline. If you are interested in providing input, I encourage you to read the RFI. After you have read the RFI and have questions and or if you would like NHSA to incorporate your comments, feel free to reach Wanda Minick, [email protected], or (850) 694-6477.
FHSA Opens Exhibitor Registration and Corporate Sponsorships
Showcase your companies products and services by exhibiting and sponsoring at FHSA Annual Conference & Expo. This year's conference will take place on March 4-6, 2019, at the DoubleTree by Hilton at the Entrance to Universal  Studios.
Gain exposure to Florida leaders from Head Start, Early Head Start, Migrant, and Seasonal Head Start and Early Head Start - Child Care Partnerships Grantee Agencies'. FHSA annual conference includes a growing network of corporate partners and individual members, as well as our Parents, Staff Members, Directors, and Friends Affiliate Groups.
FHSA Conference & Expo has a limited number of sponsorships and exhibitor spaces available, which increases your access to conference participants. This is a chance to present your organization to Florida's Head Start networks. Visit our exhibitor webpage for more details.
Conference & Expo Venue
 This year's conference will be at the DoubleTree by Hilton at the Entrance to Universal Orlando.
FHSA has secured a room block and is open and available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The room block expires on Wednesday, February 12, 2020, or until it reaches capacity.
FHSA conference rate is being offered three (3) days pre and post-conference.
The Group Discounted Rate is from $153 /per night++. To book  your room, you can call Hilton Reservations at 1-800-222-8733 using the unique rate code (HSA) or use the "Book your room" button below.
Parking: Overnight and event day self-parking rate is discounted to $11+ tax a night. Valet services are $29.00+ tax a night.
DoubleTree by Hilton at the Entrance to Universal Orlando
5780 Major Boulevard | Orlando, FL 32819
What's Happening Around the State
Children First named a Best Place to Work
Herald-Tribune, October 21, 2019
Children First have been recognized as one of the top 30 employers in Sarasota-Manatee in the “Best Places to Work” competition. Hosted by independent firm Best Companies Group and the Sarasota Herald-Tribune, the competition identifies and recognizes the area’s top employers who demonstrate workplace excellence and are known for retaining and recruiting the best and brightest employees. Click here to read this article in its entirety.
Staff and students celebrated Head Start Awareness Month
Staff and students at the Englewood and McCoy Head Start programs in Orlando, FL, celebrated National Head Start Awareness Month to raise awareness of the importance of accessible early childhood education for all kids, as well as the comprehensive health and nutrition services the program can provide. Here are photos from these programs.
Vance Aloupis: Early childhood education is key for a prosperous Florida
FLA POL October 29, 2019
State Rep. Vance Aloupis knows a thing or two about early childhood education. In addition to representing his constituents in Tallahassee, the Miami Republican leads The Children’s Movement of Florida, a nonprofit focused on getting Florida children ready for Kindergarten and beyond.
The organization has long stressed that if children hit developmental milestones in their first few years of life, the entire state benefits, whether through fewer entering criminal justice system, lower social safety net costs or higher economic output when they move from school to work.
On Tuesday, Aloupis reiterated those points during a speech at the Florida Chamber of Commerce’s Future of Florida Forum. “Children who are born to middle-class parents with college degrees have more gray matter than children born into poverty,” he said. Click here to read this article in its entirety.
State standards show 41 percent of voluntary Pre-K students not ready for kindergarten
WFTS Tampa Bay, October 29, 2019
MANATEE COUNTY, Fla.-- Florida test scores show that 41 percent of kids in voluntary Pre-K programs are failing the requirements to be ready for kindergarten.
Now there’s a push for education leaders to do more about it. Governor Ron DeSantis is calling for more funding to be made available for V.P.K. after 41 percent of 4-year-olds failed the 2017-2018 readiness assessment for kindergarten.
Funding could be part of the problem. A study done by Rutgers University showed that Florida Pre-K enrollment has increased by more than 15 percent in the last ten years, while state funding has decreased by $900 per child. Click here to read the article in its entirety.
Annual Awards Luncheon
On October 11, 2019, FHSA honored its state Head Start ROCKSTARS! During their annual awards luncheon at the Hard Rock Hotel in Daytona Beach, FL. This year, FHSA recognized seven state and regional award finalist along with four national state finalist. To view a complete listing of the award winner and finalists, click here. During this event, FHSA newly elected board members and officers were inducted, and outgoing officers and board members were recognized for their services.
A photo gallery with highlights from the luncheon can be viewed here.
Celebrate Parents, Families, and the Holidays this December!
Join NHSA in Anaheim, CA, this December for their 2019 Parent and Family Engagement Conference. The conference will be full of new and useful information to take home to your program, but there will also be time to let loose and celebrate your hard work. Check out more details here.
Report: Head Start-College Partnerships Improve Success for Student Parents
Head Start services and on-campus childcare centers can help student parents earn their degrees and establish long-term economic security.
That’s the findings from a new report titled, “Head Start-College Partnerships as a Strategy for Promoting Family Economic Success: A Study of Benefits, Challenges, and Promising Programs,” released by the Institute for Women’s Policy Research (IWPR).
The report explored the possible impact of on-campus or campus-affiliated Head Start programs for student parents and examined one-on-one, individualized support for parents to help them through challenges so they can successfully achieve educational completion. Read this article in its entirety, click here.
NHSA Released Head Start Explainers
NHSA is pleased to share these one-pager impact resources to use when communicating with outside partners, whether it be state representatives or partners in your community. These are meant as a supplement resource while talking with these individuals about your programs. To view resources, click on the topic of interest.
More information about each of these topic citations can be located by visiting this website.
Employment Opportunities
Primary Caregiver I, II, III, IV | Episcopal Children’s Services, Ocala, FL
Head Start/Early Head Start Family Advocate | Mid Florida Community Services, Inc. Port Orange, FL
CLASS Data Collector- Southwest Florida | Teachstone, SW Florida
>>> See More Job Openings
Thank You to FHSA 2020 Corporate Partners
Want to learn more about how you can help support FHSA through its 2020 Corporate Partners & Sponsorship program? Click here.
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