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What is new at AHSA?

Visit our web site regularly and also read our quarterly newsletter (December) and find out!

Another way to stay informed and connected is to check out our bi-weekly update archives where you can also subscribe to this update.

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Join or renew your membership now. The next membership year starts November 1, 2011 and goes through October 31, 2011.


 

Senator Lisa Murkowski Receives the National Head Start Association's 'Commitment to Opportunity Award'

Headstart

Presenting the National Head Start Association’s Commitment to Opportunity Award to Sen. Murkowski is Yasmina Vinci, executive director of the National Head Start Association, and Mark Lackey, Executive Director of CCS Early Learning, an Alaskan Head Start program.

Providing children with the fundamental tools to sustain a lifetime of learning and healthy living is essential to ensuring their success in life. I have been a strong and consistent supporter of Head Start, which provides education, health and other services to low income children and their families to ensure that children have the skills that will enable them to be ready to start school.


In 2007, I worked closely with my colleagues on the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to write and pass the Head Start for School Readiness Act, which includes many of the priorities of Alaska's Head Start Directors, including authorizing more funding, expanding eligibility, maintaining local control and additional, guaranteed support for Indian Head Start programs.


Since then, I have continued to assist Alaskan Head Start grantees to work through issues associated with the regulatory process, to ensure full participation for Alaska's Indian Head Start grantees in the Tribal Consultations, and to ensure our small Head Start centers are allowed to open and serve Alaska's children.

The Alaska Head Start Association is accepting nominations for the 2011/2012 Awards. The deadline for nominations is May 1, 2012.

The Awards Packet has a list of available awards, category descriptions, and information about the nomination process.

 


This picture is from Senator Lisa Murkowski’s office on June 16, 2011. Programs that presented Head Start were Central Council of Tlingit & Haida Indian Tribes of Alaska, Cook Inlet Native Head Start, Council of Athabascan Tribal Governments, Fairbanks Native Association, Kawerak, Inc, RurAL CAP and Tanana Chiefs Conference.

The following issues were discussed:

1. Alaska's poverty guidelines for Head Start not capturing the families in poverty in Alaska, they are too low and need to be adjusted to 300% or more of poverty

2. The threat of re-competition, especially when Tribal Authority is not respected, and real and perceived non-compliance due to lack of services in Alaska

3. Rural and remote noncompliance and lack of services in remote Alaska, and the cost of flying families in to services

4. Teacher and staff qualifications, and the difficulty of reaching and maintaining compliance in Alaska

5. Staff compensation and benefits, migration to the school district, and lack of training and retraining funding

6. Tribal T/TA convoluted with Migrant T/TA

7. Tribal consultations - lack of and acts outside of, and costs associated with Tribal Leaders attending


The Alaska Head Start Association (AHSA) is dedicated to strengthening early learning programs through advocacy, education, and leadership.
AHSA represents all 16 Head Start programs in Alaska, creating a unified voice and point of contact for partners and policymakers.
Each year we strive to keep the Head Start community informed, to build collaborative relationships, partner with coalitions at the state and federal level, and to recognize outstanding achievement.

Alaska Head Start Association

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Through your membership support, AHSA can help provide training, information, resources and recognition to the Head Start community and work with legislators and government administrators to ensure the continued success and growth of the Head Start programs in Alaska. 

We are proud of the work we have accomplished and with your support we will continue to make a difference in the lives of Head Start children and families. Your membership is vital in building a strong voice for Head Start children and families in Alaska.

Join now!

 

 

Head Start is a national program that promotes school readiness by enhancing the social and cognitive development of children through the provision of educational, health, nutritional, social and other services to enrolled children. The program engages parents in their children’s learning and helps them in making progress towards their educational, literacy and employment goals. Significant emphasis is placed on the involvement of parents in the administration of local Head Start programs. Over forty years of experience in delivering high quality early childhood services makes Head Start stand out as one of the most successful demonstration programs in the nation.Head Start

The Head Start program provides comprehensive child development services to economically disadvantaged children and families, with special focus on helping preschoolers develop the early reading and math skills they need to be successful in school. The Early Head Start program was established to serve children from birth to three years of age in recognition of the mounting evidence that the earliest years of development are very important.

 

 

Why is Head Start Important in Alaska

  • Alaska Head Start is the largest early childhood program serving over 3,000 young children ages birth to age five in 100 Alaskan communities.
  • Head Start and Early Head Start grantees insure that thousands of children receive health and dental screenings each year. In many communities where medical and dental care choices are limited or non-existent, Head Start programs play a vital role in helping families access treatment for their children.
  • Research shows that well-trained teachers are a key component of high quality child development programs. In spite of funding and distance challenges, Alaska’s Head Start grantees have increased the number of teachers with BA degrees in Early Childhood Education and significantly increased the number of teachers with AA degrees since 2003. This achievement not only has raised Head Start program quality but also has helped Alaska address its statewide shortage of trained early childhood educators.
  • Over 10% of enrolled children have a diagnosed disability and are receiving coordinated services.
  • Children transition from Head Start to Kindergarten with increased literacy, math and social skills.
  • Parents of Head Start and Early Head Start children are involved in their child’s program. Parent involvement is directly related to children’s cognitive growth and social outcomes.
  • In 2008, Head Start programs employed over 900 people across the state. If Head Start were a private company, it would be among the top 20 of the state’s largest employers. In many smaller communities, the Head Start program is an important source of employment and local economic activity.
  • Demonstrated collaborative relationships with local and regional resources support and strengthen services to children and families in the State.
  • According to an Economic Opportunity Institute report from 2002 entitled “The Link between Early Childhood Education and Crime and Violence Reduction”, investments in early childhood education lead to large economic savings. For every $1 invested $7 is saved in special education services, correctional system services, and long term societal effects of delinquency.

 

 

For more information on the 16 Head Start Programs serving Alaska go to our Alaska Head Start Programs page.

The Alaska Head Start Association (AHSA) is dedicated to strengthening early learning programs through advocacy, education, and leadership.
AHSA represents all 16 Head Start programs in Alaska, creating a unified voice and point of contact for partners and policymakers.
Each year we strive to keep the Head Start community informed, to build collaborative relationships, partner with coalitions at the state and federal level, and to recognize outstanding achievement.

 

 

AHSA Executive Committee:

Malinda Besett, Co-Chair 
Mary Willey, Co-Chair    
Jamie Chinuhuk, Vice President
Mark Lackey, Treasurer
Racquel Martinez, Secretary      

Jeanette Gardiner, Virtual Assistant

 All Alaska Head Start Directors and Contacts