Month: August 2017

Policy Council and Board of Directors Training: Building a Strong Governance Team

The Policy Council and Board of Directors play an important role in your program. The Policy Council is responsible for the direction of your Head Start program and the Board of Directors has a legal and fiscal responsibility to administer and oversee your Head Start program. It’s critical that you provide comprehensive training for your Policy Council and Board of Directors so that they can successfully fulfill their role.

Our highly interactive training for Policy Council & Board of Directors includes topics such as:

  • Roles & Responsibilities – A key element of a successful Head Start program is having a Policy Council & Board of Directors that is knowledgeable about their roles and responsibilities. This includes the new Head Start Program Performance Standards as well as the Head Start Reauthorization regulations. Shared governance is another important part of their role.
  • The history and vision of Head Start – Just as it’s important for staff to be familiar with the history of Head Start, it is important that the Policy Council and Board of Directors are familiar with it as well. Knowing where Head Start came from and where it’s going is critical information as they carry out their governing duties to your program. The mission, vision and guiding principles of Head Start are valuable information to share as well.
  • A strong partnership with the Management Team – It’s essential that your Policy Council and Board of Directors receive training on the value that comes from a strong partnership with the Management Team. Good communication, transparency and trust are key components to creating a successful partnership. A strong partnership will result in a system of effective and efficient governance of the Head Start program.

Our training will inspire your Policy Council and Board of Directors to be fully engaged and invested in your Head Start program. We will explore what your Policy Council and Board of Directors would like to achieve for your Head Start program while they are a part of the governing body. This will show your Policy Council and Board of Directors the tremendous value that they bring to your agency.

Are you looking for highly interactive & engaging training for your Policy Council & Board of Directors? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.

Making the Most Out of CLASS Observations

CLASS observations are a critical piece of the puzzle in achieving success in Head Start.  The data that comes from CLASS observations is invaluable… as long as the observations are conducted by objective observers and the CLASS tool is implemented with fidelity.

CLASS observations can provide you with a tremendous amount of data – data to prepare for a successful CLASS Review, data to improve teacher practices, data to make decisions about professional development as well as data to provide mentor coaching services, just to name a few.

We conduct comprehensive CLASS observations that include all of the following items:

  • As outside observers, we have the objectivity needed to observe classrooms without the possibility of bias.  We have English-speaking and bilingual (English/Spanish) observers.
  • We will debrief with each teacher after the observation in order to give them some immediate feedback (strengths & opportunities for improvement).
  • At Essential Elements, we offer the opportunity for your Education Coordinator or Mentor Coach to sit in on the debriefings that we do with teachers – for continuity purposes.
  • We offer the opportunity for your Education Coordinator (or other CLASS-reliable staff person) to join us for dual coding on a couple of classrooms.
  • We will debrief with you (and your Management team if you wish) to discuss the results of the observations.
  • At Essential Elements, we will provide you with CLASS scores, a summary of each classroom observed and a list of program-wide issues that are causing lower CLASS scores as well as recommendations to address and correct those issues.

Are you looking for an outside observer to conduct your CLASS observations & provide you with valuable data? Give us a call at (704) 451-3255 or email us at kristinecortina@hsessentials.com.