Training and Events

Tuesday, July 25, 2023 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST via Zoom

This presentation highlights specifically how the Office of Head Start priority around enrollment levels (i.e., quantity of participants and “cost-per-child targets”) serves as a primary driver in the Head Start workforce crisis, as well as concerns that the OHS Full Enrollment Initiative is not the right strategy for the long-term quality and sustainability of the program. The presentation suggests national strategies which prioritize quality – first and foremost – before quantity. These strategies envision: (1) significantly more robust support for the workforce, and (2) programming models better-designed to support children who have experienced trauma and adverse childhood experiences, and better-designed to address the hardships faced by Head Start children, families and staff, and the mental health and behavioral issues linked to these hardships. The presentation is meant to generate more awareness and discussion, and to inform individual and collective advocacy efforts to assure better solutions and a brighter future for our Head Start program, its workforce, children and families.

 

FREE!

Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2023 from 3:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST via Zoom

This presentation highlights specifically how the Office of Head Start priority around enrollment levels (i.e., quantity of participants and “cost-per-child targets”) serves as a primary driver in the Head Start workforce crisis, as well as concerns that the OHS Full Enrollment Initiative is not the right strategy for the long-term quality and sustainability of the program. The presentation suggests national strategies which prioritize quality – first and foremost – before quantity. These strategies envision: (1) significantly more robust support for the workforce, and (2) programming models better-designed to support children who have experienced trauma and adverse childhood experiences, and better-designed to address the hardships faced by Head Start children, families and staff, and the mental health and behavioral issues linked to these hardships. The presentation is meant to generate more awareness and discussion, and to inform individual and collective advocacy efforts to assure better solutions and a brighter future for our Head Start program, its workforce, children and families.

 

FREE!

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

The Head Start Act requires periodic federal review of all Head Start programs to ensure consistent quality and accountability of Head Start programs, as well as opportunities for continuous improvement.  Federal Monitoring Review events can strike fear into the hearts of many Head Start Directors, managers and staff – but it need not be so!  With the proper preparation, programs can derive incredible value from Monitoring Reviews and sail through these events with pride.  This workshop will present tools, templates and strategies for programs to: prepare successfully for OHS Focus Area 1 (FA1) and Focus Area 2 (FA2) Monitoring Reviews; utilize these events as opportunities to showcase outstanding systems and services; and build world-class program camaraderie and culture.

Learning objectives

• Participants will learn strategies to “divide and conquer” the FA1 / FA2 processes, and assure clarity around management roles and responsibilities for these events.
• Participants will understand adaptations to Review Protocols which make them laser-focused and ensure that stakeholders understand and address the “high-leverage” issues prioritized by OHS.
• Participants will review processes for Head Start management teams to utilize a 360-degree approach to preparing for FA1 and FA2 events to assure that systems are strong and are presented with clarity and confidence to federal reviewers.

Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

$199 per person

(Group discounts for 12 or more: walnutleadership.com/contact/)

Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

“People don’t quit their job, they quit their supervisor.”  That’s the finding, essentially, of recent research from the Gallup organization.  Outstanding employee performance (and retention) requires outstanding supervision.  Yes, wages and benefits are important, but so too is the vibe and climate created by the supervisor.  This workshop will review the key principles of supervision, including the proper balance of support and accountability, the mindset, values and character of outstanding supervisors, non-attachment to results, and how to handle challenges when the going gets tough.

Learning objectives

• Participants will review the core function of supervision, and why it matters, including implications for organizational culture and climate.
• Participants will consider the balance and sequence of support and accountability, including the mindset and practices necessary to help employees develop and perform at their greatest potential.
• Participants will discuss key concepts around accountability at the individual and team levels, “ownership” for supervisory performance, and how to handle challenging situations around employee performance or behavior when the going gets tough.

Thursday, Sept. 14, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

$199 per person

(Group discounts for 12 or more: walnutleadership.com/contact/)

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST via Zoom

The Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) provide specific requirements around establishing and achieving program goals, including strategic long-term goals responsive to community needs, goals for the provision of program services (inclusive of health and safety practices), and school readiness goals.  These goals are informed by the program’s community assessment, self-assessment and monitoring, and result in plans required for federal grant submissions in the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES).  This session will provide meaningful, easy-to-understand guidance, tools and templates for program leaders and participants to streamline and coordinate these processes and plans for better clarity, utility and impact.

Learning objectives

• Participants will discuss the HSPPS around program planning and self-assessment, along with the types of goals and plans required by federal regulations.
• Participants will review templates for developing three clear, actionable, “foundational plans,” including: (A) Strategic Long-Term Plan; (B) Quality Assurance, Innovation & TTA Plan; and (C) School Readiness Plan.
• Participants will learn tools and formats for structuring meaningful and participatory processes for facilitating annual program planning and self-assessment.

Tuesday, Sept. 19, 2023 from 2:00 PM to 4:00 PM EST via Zoom

$199 per person 

(Group discounts for 12 or more: walnutleadership.com/contact/)

Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

The Head Start Act requires periodic federal review of all Head Start programs to ensure consistent quality and accountability of Head Start programs, as well as opportunities for continuous improvement.  Federal Monitoring Review events can strike fear into the hearts of many Head Start Directors, managers and staff – but it need not be so!  With the proper preparation, programs can derive incredible value from Monitoring Reviews and sail through these events with pride.  This workshop will present tools, templates and strategies for programs to: prepare successfully for OHS Focus Area 1 (FA1) and Focus Area 2 (FA2) Monitoring Reviews; utilize these events as opportunities to showcase outstanding systems and services; and build world-class program camaraderie and culture.

Learning objectives

• Participants will learn strategies to “divide and conquer” the FA1 / FA2 processes, and assure clarity around management roles and responsibilities for these events.
• Participants will understand adaptations to Review Protocols which make them laser-focused and ensure that stakeholders understand and address the “high-leverage” issues prioritized by OHS.
• Participants will review processes for Head Start management teams to utilize a 360-degree approach to preparing for FA1 and FA2 events to assure that systems are strong and are presented with clarity and confidence to federal reviewers.

Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

$199 per person

(Group discounts for 12 or more: walnutleadership.com/contact/)

Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

“People don’t quit their job, they quit their supervisor.”  That’s the finding, essentially, of recent research from the Gallup organization.  Outstanding employee performance (and retention) requires outstanding supervision.  Yes, wages and benefits are important, but so too is the vibe and climate created by the supervisor.  This workshop will review the key principles of supervision, including the proper balance of support and accountability, the mindset, values and character of outstanding supervisors, non-attachment to results, and how to handle challenges when the going gets tough.

Learning objectives

• Participants will review the core function of supervision, and why it matters, including implications for organizational culture and climate.
• Participants will consider the balance and sequence of support and accountability, including the mindset and practices necessary to help employees develop and perform at their greatest potential.
• Participants will discuss key concepts around accountability at the individual and team levels, “ownership” for supervisory performance, and how to handle challenging situations around employee performance or behavior when the going gets tough.

Thursday, Sept. 28, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

$199 per person

(Group discounts for 12 or more: walnutleadership.com/contact/)

Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

We all know the basics – make sure that you have a written agreement or contract, and make sure that the partner agrees to follow the Head Start Program Performance Standards, right?! However, Head Start and Early Head Start partnerships, and programs funded under the Early Head Start – Child Care Partnerships grant, need much more than the obvious elements in order to be successful. Launching partnerships with schools, child care centers and other providers is one thing, but sustaining truly collaborative, enduring, high-quality HS/EHS partnerships requires a very thoughtful and structured approach. This introductory workshop for program leaders will consider the typical challenges we face in assuring successful partnerships, and the management practices and specific tools necessary to position partnerships for compliance, quality, engagement and long-term success.

Learning objectives

• Participants will identify and discuss the most common roadblocks and obstacles to developing strong, long-term, Head Start and Early Head Start collaborative partnerships.
• Participants will consider the key phases of the collaborative partnership journey: (1) Courting and Contemplating; (2) Committing and Contracting; and (3) Collaborating and Cultivating for Quality, Compliance and Continuity.
• Participants will learn techniques, and review specific tools, for vetting and formalizing potential Head Start and Early Head Start partnerships, and for guiding and supporting ongoing engagement, program management, quality and compliance.

Tuesday, Oct. 3, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

$199 per person 

(Group discounts for 12 or more: walnutleadership.com/contact/)

Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

The Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) provide specific requirements around establishing and achieving program goals, including strategic long-term goals responsive to community needs, goals for the provision of program services (inclusive of health and safety practices), and school readiness goals.  These goals are informed by the program’s community assessment, self-assessment and monitoring, and result in plans required for federal grant submissions in the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES).  This session will provide meaningful, easy-to-understand guidance, tools and templates for program leaders and participants to streamline and coordinate these processes and plans for better clarity, utility and impact.

Learning objectives

• Participants will discuss the HSPPS around program planning and self-assessment, along with the types of goals and plans required by federal regulations.
• Participants will review templates for developing three clear, actionable, “foundational plans,” including: (A) Strategic Long-Term Plan; (B) Quality Assurance, Innovation & TTA Plan; and (C) School Readiness Plan.
• Participants will learn tools and formats for structuring meaningful and participatory processes for facilitating annual program planning and self-assessment.

Thursday, Oct. 5, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

$199 per person 

(Group discounts for 12 or more: walnutleadership.com/contact/)

Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

We need to make this world a better place.  We do this by supporting the well-being of humanity, and this begins with the critically important work we do in Head Start and Early Head Start around child and family development.  Our goal is to help children, families, staff and communities to thrive.

In the spirit of “Be the change you wish to see in the world,” attributed to Mahatma Gandhi, this session will provide a roadmap for new and seasoned leaders to become the best versions of ourselves and, by so doing, to become the best leaders that our world – and Head Start – so desperately needs.  This introduction to self-regulated leadership will focus on the foundational elements of getting anchored with research-based self-care practices for optimizing physical and mental health, and on self-regulation techniques which enable us to choose our responses, rather than reacting from ego, in challenging situations.

Learning objectives

• Participants will identify and discuss the well-known, and not so well-known, anchoring practices around diet, exercise, sleep and “breath / mind / body” practices to cultivate calmness and clarity.
• Participants will consider how executive function enables us to choose our response to situations rather than reacting from ego.
• Participants will learn techniques and strategies to process challenging situations, minimize reaction and stress, and respond constructively with humility, compassion and truth.

Tuesday, Oct. 10, 2023 from 2:30 PM to 4:30 PM EST via Zoom

$199 per person

(Group discounts for 12 or more: walnutleadership.com/contact/)

Monday, Oct. 16, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EST

Royal Sonesta Resort – San Juan, Puerto Rico

The Head Start Act requires periodic federal review of all Head Start programs to ensure consistent quality and accountability of Head Start programs, as well as opportunities for continuous improvement.  Federal Monitoring Review events can strike fear into the hearts of many Head Start Directors, managers and staff – but it need not be so!  With the proper preparation, programs can derive incredible value from Monitoring Reviews and sail through these events with pride.  This workshop will present tools, templates and strategies for programs to: prepare successfully for OHS Focus Area 1 (FA1) and Focus Area 2 (FA2) Monitoring Reviews; utilize these events as opportunities to showcase outstanding systems and services; and build world-class program camaraderie and culture.

Learning objectives

• Participants will learn strategies to “divide and conquer” the FA1 / FA2 processes, and assure clarity around management roles and responsibilities for these events.
• Participants will understand adaptations to Review Protocols which make them laser-focused and ensure that stakeholders understand and address the “high-leverage” issues prioritized by OHS.
• Participants will review processes for Head Start management teams to utilize a 360-degree approach to preparing for FA1 and FA2 events to assure that systems are strong and are presented with clarity and confidence to federal reviewers.

Monday, Oct. 16, 2023 from 10:00 AM to 11:30 AM EST

Royal Sonesta Resort – San Juan, Puerto Rico

Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM EST

Royal Sonesta Resort – San Juan, Puerto Rico

The Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS) provide specific requirements around establishing and achieving program goals, including strategic long-term goals responsive to community needs, goals for the provision of program services (inclusive of health and safety practices), and school readiness goals.  These goals are informed by the program’s community assessment, self-assessment and monitoring, and result in plans required for federal grant submissions in the Head Start Enterprise System (HSES).  This session will provide meaningful, easy-to-understand guidance, tools and templates for program leaders and participants to streamline and coordinate these processes and plans for better clarity, utility and impact.

Learning objectives

• Participants will discuss the HSPPS around program planning and self-assessment, along with the types of goals and plans required by federal regulations.
• Participants will review templates for developing three clear, actionable, “foundational plans,” including: (A) Strategic Long-Term Plan; (B) Quality Assurance, Innovation & TTA Plan; and (C) School Readiness Plan.
• Participants will learn tools and formats for structuring meaningful and participatory processes for facilitating annual program planning and self-assessment.

Tuesday, Oct. 17, 2023 from 1:00 PM to 2:30 PM EST

Royal Sonesta Resort – San Juan, Puerto Rico

Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM EST

Royal Sonesta Resort – San Juan, Puerto Rico

“People don’t quit their job, they quit their supervisor.”  That’s the finding, essentially, of recent research from the Gallup organization.  Outstanding employee performance (and retention) requires outstanding supervision.  Yes, wages and benefits are important, but so too is the vibe and climate created by the supervisor.  This workshop will review the key principles of supervision, including the proper balance of support and accountability, the mindset, values and character of outstanding supervisors, non-attachment to results, and how to handle challenges when the going gets tough.

Learning objectives

• Participants will review the core function of supervision, and why it matters, including implications for organizational culture and climate.
• Participants will consider the balance and sequence of support and accountability, including the mindset and practices necessary to help employees develop and perform at their greatest potential.
• Participants will discuss key concepts around accountability at the individual and team levels, “ownership” for supervisory performance, and how to handle challenging situations around employee performance or behavior when the going gets tough.

Wednesday, Oct. 18, 2023 from 8:00 AM to 9:30 AM EST

Royal Sonesta Resort – San Juan, Puerto Rico