Head Start

Training takes front and center stage in Head Start. In order to run a fully compliant Head Start program, I’m sure you’ve realized by now that plenty of training is needed. What does the governing body need to know? In Part 1301.5, I quote “An agency must provide appropriate training and technical assistance or orientation…

So, with much debate and fanfare, the parent committee is back and part of the updated Head Start Performance Standards! Are you excited? “A program must establish a parent committee comprised exclusively of parents of currently enrolled children as early in the program year as possible. This committee must be established at the center level…

There aren’t a lot of changes to the ERSEA (Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance) requirements for Head Start in the new Performance Standards. However, there are a few important changes to note. As one of the 10 Head Start Management Systems, ERSEA specifies key elements and requirements to create and maintain a Head Start…

I recently gave a board training at the North Carolina Community Action Association (NCCAA). After the training, I received two very nice letters from the Board President and the Executive Director. I would like to thank NCCAA for choosing The Gravely Group for their training needs. Dear Mel, On behalf of the North Carolina Community…

The New Head Start Performance Standards are already making headlines around the world. How will they impact you? Here are some things you need to know. 1. You have sixty days from publication to read and put into effect many of the changes, November 7, 2016. However, for rules that changed significantly the effective dates…

When working with new hires, it is important to ingrain a sense of professionalism. One thing my boss once told me was, “You can be friendly to everyone, but not friends.” Start at the top. Managerial staff should be well trained and fit for their job. Continuous training is needed to keep up with new…

In Head Start, engaging fathers (and men in general) can be challenging, as many agencies can attest. However, that doesn’t mean that our efforts aren’t important. The appropriate financial support and positive role model of a present father can sometimes make a big difference in the outcome for children. And since Head Start’s mission is…

You may ask what the benefits are of familiarizing Staff and Policy Council with the Head Start Act 2007 and the Program Governance. First, the Performance Standards was published in 1974 and revised in 1996 and again in 2015, with the most recent proposed changes scheduled to take effect in school year 2017.  The Performance…

At The Gravely Group, we believe that there is a critical role that nonprofits play in communities across the nation. Thus it is imperative that a nonprofit Board function at a high level to ensure a clear and strategic organizational direction that supports the agency’s efforts to successfully navigate the challenges, responsibilities and opportunities of…

Recently, The Gravely Group received an question via email about how organizations can utilize Advisory Committees in their Program Governance Structure. According to the most recent Program Instruction document on Program Governance, Advisory Committees are allowed under the Head Start Act, “to the extent practicable and appropriate, at the discretion of the governing body, establishing…