Professional Development - Head Start - U.S. Department of Health ...

At Family Educational Network of Weld County, a rural
Head Start and migrant and seasonal Head Start grantee in
Colorado, staff members participate in planning their own
professional development and supervisors celebrate their
staffs’ educational achievements.
This grantee has offered staff support by collaborating
with community colleges, tapping funds for tuition and
books through a federal grant, advocating for staff with
partners, ensuring all staff have opportunities to learn, and
encouraging distance education for staff in rural locations.
Head Start Director Janet Flaugher placed an emphasis
on professional development when she joined the program
three years ago. “I find that staff members who understand
the importance of self-improvement impart this important
message to families and others in their circle.” Ms. Flaugher
notes. “It is clear that an emphasis on continuous advancement
helps the entire program by improving staff skills and
raising staff morale.”
Ms. Flaugher described the annual survey of staff training
needs. This survey supports the cornerstone of the program’s
professional development system—an employee evaluation conducted
every 6 months that includes a personal professional
development plan. Furthermore, professional development is
embedded in all systems—annual planning, continuous monitoring,
self-assessment, work planning, and TTA planning.
Collaboration is another key element of the success of
Family Educational Network’s professional development.
AIMS Community College in Greeley is an important and
proactive partner, according to Ms. Flaugher. Through a federally
funded Hispanic Partnership Grant, AIMS (see page 11
where AIMS is listed as a Higher Education Grantee) is able
to offer the following assistance to Head Start teachers:
� Tuition support for courses taken at AIMS
� Funds for books
� Study groups
� Financial assistance for staff taking distance learning
courses at other institutions in rural locations
� Support for the new mentor teacher and mentor
coach programs
Systems/Partnerships
USING PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AS THE
CORNERSTONE FOR CONTINUOUS IMPROVEMENT
Grantee Family Educational Network of
Weld County—Head Start
155 N. 17th Avenue
P.O. Box 1805
Greeley, CO 80632
Contact Janet Flaugher, Director
T: 970-353-3800 x3340
F: 970 304-6453
Email: jflaugher@co.weld.co.us
Enrollment 694
Total staff 100
Type Rural Head Start with Migrant
and Seasonal Head Start programs
Centers 16
HS classes Head Start—22
Migrant and Seasonal Head Start—26
� Modified course schedules including classes offered
late in the day at Head Start centers. (This is particularly
important for staff that work year-round due to
work in regional programs that end before summer
and migrant and seasonal programs that operate from
June to September.)
� Courses tailored to bilingual staff.
The AIMS grant is dedicated to Head Start teachers.
There also is support for general staff training through a
tuition assistance program in Weld County dedicated to
improving the skills of all staff. Managers, directors, office
technicians, family liaisons, recruiters and others may tap
these funds. Furthermore, tuition support available for staff
through the TTA plan has been accessed by 6-10 people per
year, according to Ms. Flaugher.
To stay well informed about state education initiatives,
Ms. Flaugher collaborates on the state systems task force
that works to achieve statewide outcomes for early childhood
education, is engaged in the Weld County Promises for
Children education initiative, and works cooperatively with
the Colorado Head Start Collaboration Office director.
The success of the grantee’s emphasis on education and
improving staff skills is evident—students are graduating
Continued on page 57
Head Start Bulletin 9