July 2023 | The Monthly Newsletter of the Florida Head Start Association
|
Letter from the Executive Director
Hopefully, everyone had a Happy 4th of July holiday and was able to spend some quality time with your family and friends. Here at FHSA, we are wrapping up two big projects. We can't wait to unveil the Wage Study and the Florida Head Start Dashboard to our members. These items will be released very soon. We are also working on dates for our Leadership Training & Annual Awards Luncheon and the 2024 Annual Conference and Expo. The FHSA board of directors will meet on July 18 to make those final decisions. Stay tuned for more updates.
If you have ever considered serving on the FHSA board of directors, this might be your chance. We will be seeking to fill two (2) director's seats, one in each Central and Northwest region of Florida, and one (1) Director-At-Large seat, which a staff, parent, or is a member of FHSA under the Individual or Corporate Friends level. Check your inbox in the next few weeks for our call for nominations.
Last month, FHSA released a new member benefit, Family Enrollment, and Staff Recruitment toolkits, to assist programs with recruiting staff and finding qualified children and families. I hope you have downloaded these tools and found them to be useful. Below under the Office of Head Start Updates, there are also additional resources curated by ECLKC to enhance your family recruitment efforts.
While you are enjoying your summer and taking time to recharge and relax, I trust you are indulging in some YOU time and making time for the things you love. I love to cook, so I experiment with making different summer salads since it's too hot to cut the oven on. I want to share a recipe for a salad I made over the July 4th holidays; everyone loved it, and I hope you do too. The link is below, enjoy! Orzo Salad with Chickpeas, Cucumbers, Lemon, Dill, & Feta, Two Peas and their Pod
In Fellowship,
Wanda Minick
Executive Director
FHSA
|
Office of Head Start Updates
|
Removal of the Vaccine Requirements for Head Start Programs
|
On June 26, 2023, the Federal register noticed the final rule around removing the vaccine and testing requirements included in the November 2021 Interim Final Rule with Comment Period (IFC), Vaccine and Mask Requirements to Mitigate the Spread of COVID–19 in Head Start Programs. Specifically, this rescission removes the requirement from the HSPPS that all Head Start staff, contractors whose activities involve contact with or providing direct services to children and families, and volunteers working in classrooms or directly with children are fully vaccinated for COVID–19. The associated HSPPS requirement that staff who are exempt from the vaccination requirement have “at least weekly” COVID–19 testing is also removed. Click here for a copy of the final rule.
|
Head Start Programs Recruitment, Eligibility, & Enrollment Strategies
|
Achieving and maintaining full enrollment is the primary goal of ERSEA services. Full enrollment requires targeted strategies for identifying and addressing the needs of current and future children, families, and communities. Explore these resources through the ECLKC that can help programs enroll children and families with the greatest need in a timely manner.
Recruitment Resources:
Eligibility Resources:
Enrollment Resources:
|
What's Happening Around the State
|
Orange County opens enrollment for Head Start early learning program, ClickOrlando.com July 16, 2023
An Orange County early learning program is seeking to register 650 children between 3 and 5 years old for the upcoming school year.
The Head Start program offers free early education to students at 22 locations in the county, according to a news release. The program opened enrollment Friday for the upcoming academic year, which begins Aug. 10.
Immokalee organization granted $16 million to build a new child development center, Naples Daily News, June 9, 2023
Redlands Christian Migrant Association and Lipman Family Farms are partnering to build a $16.4 million campus that will feature two child development centers, a community center, charter school and two soccer fields. Click here to read the article in its entirety.
|
FHSA Welcomes Our Newest Member, CELEBRATEsel
|
The One Goal Summer Conference: Building the Future Together
This year the Conference “Putting Families and Children First” will celebrate 36 years of providing motivational and educational experiences for early education and care providers is being held on July 19-21 at the Hilton Tampa Downtown Hotel.
The Opening General Session keynote speaker, Patrick Mitchell, is an entertaining and engaging speaker who will positively impact achieving a work-life balance. Dr. Pamela Phelps is a passionate and inspirational speaker who will kindle a new awareness of your strength and value and close out the Conference leaving you energized and with a renewed sense of self-worth!
The event will include 80 concurrent presentations providing information on developmentally appropriate activities and teaching skills that can be used daily to work with children. Commercial and educational exhibits will showcase the latest in early childhood materials, books, training, and educational aids.
- Early registration fee is only $125 per person, if received by July 13.
- Click here to register to attend this event.
- Hotel reservations link can be found here.
For any questions or assistance regarding this event, please call the Conference office at (850) 893-6270.
|
NHSA Appropriations Update
|
Congress passed, and President Joe Biden signed into law the “Fiscal Responsibility Act,” an agreement to lift the federal debt ceiling until 2025 in exchange for capping federal spending programs at fiscal year (FY) 2023 levels in FY2024 and allowing only 1% increase in spending in FY2025. Overall, discretionary spending will stay flat from FY23 to FY24. Defense funding will be allowed to increase by approximately 3%, while non-defense will be cut by about 5%. Flat funding does not allow for COLA, which sets our programs back when inflation is factored in. The agreement also caps FY25 spending, which begins October 1, 2024, at a 1% increase over FY24. There is a trigger in the bill which requires Congress to pass each appropriations bill, either individually or in an omnibus, by December 31, 2023 – if not, each appropriations bill will be cut by 1%.
|
NHSA Fall Leadership Institute
September 18-21, 2023 | Crystal City, VA
|
Nothing matters more to members of Congress than their constituents! This is a critical time to show Congress the importance of Head Start and how many children and families depend on it. To learn more about this event, click here.
|
Click the link below to see what legislation NHSA is tracking.
|
Welcome, ...
...to the Monthly Newsletter! With this email, you'll receive all of the top updates from FHSA, as well as new features. To login to your account make sure you've got your username and password handy!
You are a member of the following member type: .
|
|
Three Things Heightening Head Start Awareness
|
Upcoming Events
July:
12: FHSA ProfessionalDevelopment Committee Meeting
12: EHS Advocacy: Pay Parity
13: Personal Stories: A Strengths-Based Perspective
18: FHSA Directors Affiliate Group
18: FHSA Board of Directors Meeting
18: Using Peer Support To Enhance Home-Based Child Care Providers’ Well-Being and Equitable Engagement
19-21: One Goal Summer Conference
19: Effective State-Level Policies
20: Fostering Inclusive Play for all Infants and Toddlers
25: Introducing the National Early Care and Education Workforce Center
26: Best Practice
|
Member Information
Change of address, email or any information? You will need to login to your profile in our organization.
Important Links
|
|
FHSA Member Benefit Discounted Pricing
|
FHSA has partnered with Teachstone to deliver FHSA members access to their on-demand and/or facilitated CDA with CLASS® program with discounted membership pricing now through September 30, 2023.
|
CACFP Hosting a Head Start Bootcamp
|
Region IV Early Head Start Institute, September 18-21, 2023 (Atlanta, GA)
Registration is open for the general conference as well as pre-conference seminars. Visit their conference website for more information.
|
Welcome Congressional Members to your Head Start Program
|
Congress members will return to their districts in August for five weeks. This is an excellent opportunity for Head Start programs to connect with their lawmakers by inviting them to visit their programs. Welcoming members of Congress to your programs is a powerful way to illustrate Head Start's value and elevate what negative impacts would mean if they cut spending to Head Start and what effects that would have on the children and families you serve.
Check out our advocacy resources webpage to get started, and if you need assistance, don't hesitate to contact FHSA at (850) 694-6477 or email [email protected]
|
Join your State Association: FHSA provides members with access to tools, resources, and collaborative relationships empowering your agency's management team, staff, and parents. FHSA offers Individual and Corporate memberships too!
|
Support your State Association: Help FHSA ensure Florida programs are supported through professional opportunities, research efforts, and legislation so they can continue to provide high-quality services to Florida's most at-risk children and families.
|
|
|
