NCHEP: Summer 2010 Head Start Collaboration Project


	Summer 2010 Head Start Collaboration Project The National Center for Homeless Education (NCHE), the North Carolina Homeless Education Program (NCHEP), and the NC Head Start State Collaboration Office (NC HSSCO) are partnering together to convene three regional forums in June and July 2010. *NOTE: The registration deadline for the regional Head Start collaboration forums has passed. The information contained in this webpage is for information purposes for registered attendees only.* Jump to... Purpose of the Project Why Collaborate? Phase 2: Collaboration Mini-grants Forum Locations Tentative Agenda More Information Purpose of the Project The purpose of the project is to: Foster strong linkages and deeper collaborations between local homeless education liaisons and their counterparts in the Head Start programs within a service area Increase the capacity of Head Start programs to serve children birth toage 5 and families experiencing homelessness Why Collaborate? Recall that Section 642A of the Head Start Act requires each Head Start agency to, “take steps to coordinate with the local educational agency…and with schools in which children participating in a Head Start program will enroll following such program to promote continuity of services and effective transitions, including…establishing ongoing channels of communication between Head Start staff and their counterparts in the schools including… [local homeless education liaisons].” The McKinney-Vento Act also requires that states and school districts ensure that young homeless children have equal access to a free public preschool education and collaborate with Head Start and other agencies providing services for which young homeless children are eligible. This regional forum can serve as an important way to meet these requirements. Phase 2: Collaboration Mini-grants The regional forums are the first installment of a two-phase project. The forums will provide the opportunity for Head Start personnel and local homeless education liaisons to meet, network, brainstorm, and troubleshoot barriers to collaboration and serving young children experiencing homelessness. Attendees will be invited to be a part of Phase II of this project, wherein teams of local liaisons and Head Start personnel may apply jointly for mini-grants of up to $5,000 in Fall 2010 to fund a project designed to increase the access to Head Start services of children and families experiencing homelessness. Collaborators can begin brainstorming for their mini-grant application during the afternoon portion of the forum. Forum Locations The regional forums will be convened in Buncombe, Guilford, and Pitt counties. Lunch will be provided. Please attend the forum that is nearest to the county in which you work. Buncombe County Asheville, NC: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 - 9:30 am - 3:30 pm ET Buncombe County Board of Education (The meeting will be held in the media center) 175 Bingham Rd. Asheville, NC 28806 Ph: (828) 775-1898 Location Contact: Emily Walters Look up directions from your address via MapQuest Pitt County Greenville, NC: Thursday, July 8, 2010 - 9:30 am - 3:30 pm ET Community Schools and Recreation 4561 County Home Rd. Greenville, NC 27858 Ph: (252) 902-1983 Location Contact: Rita Roy Look up directions from your address via MapQuest Guilford County Browns Summit, NC: Thursday, July 15, 2010 - 9:30 am - 3:30 pm ET The SERVE Center 5900 Summit Ave. Browns Summit, NC 27214 Ph: (336) 315-7400 Location Contact: Lisa Phillips Look up directions from your address via MapQuest Tentative Agenda Download a tentative agenda. More Information Head Start: Head Start personnel are invited to contact Khari Garvin, Director, NC Head Start-State Collaboration Office, at khari.garvin@ncpublicschools.gov or (919) 431-2005 for more information. School Districts: School district personnel are invited to contact Lisa Phillips, State Coordinator for Homeless Education, at lphillip@serve.org or (336) 315-7491 for more information.