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Friday, March 20, 2020

Share with co-workers.

  1. Everyone has pay/benefits; Tim (HR Director) and Deb (Union Field Rep) are working together to create a MOU to cover this unique situation that ensures our staff’s health and well being while allowing the Agency to continue to provide service to families in new and virtual ways.
  2.  The Agency is using work groups to create some childcare opportunities for families working in healthcare settings and the Agency is using work groups to create “virtual April” for EHS/HS home visits and classrooms using technology. More to come when plans are finalized.
  3. Continue to stay in touch with your direct supervisor; you can set up a regular time if needed.
  4. Plan to be home or work virtually in April unless you hear something different from your supervisor.

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Tuesday, March 17, 2020

From Marci, Head Start/ Early Head Start Director….

I know that you all hearing the news that Gov. Brown is extending school closures until the end of April The Exec. team and Val have been talking about this possibility and have begun our planning for how April might look for us.

Office of Head Start (OHS) is giving reassurance to programs to use common sense during this time; they want us to use our local school districts and our local Health authorities (this is Val for us) to guide our decision making as well as keeping in touch with our Program Specialist (Annie and I are doing that).  Keep documenting!

  • They are relaxing many of the rules and regulations to help all programs cope within their local settings. The following are ways they are relaxing the rules:

1)     We can relax expectations about enrollment, attendance, screening, recruiting, home visiting- we need to continue to document what we are doing and how we are doing it. We are planning for this week and next and are beginning to plan for possibilities if we have to remain closed into April.

2)     No make-up days are required or expected during this time. All current slots stay current. No families have to worry about not meeting expectations for attendance, etc…

3)     Continue to pay benefits and wages, they have extended the time through April.

The Exec. Team is working to keep on top of expectations around grants and funding deadlines. Most of this is done virtually anyway, so we are keeping our deadlines and/or adhering to the new extended deadlines for grants, DRS updates and possible negotiations (when/if) we are renewed) COLA, and Quality dollars. Annie (Executive Director) is staying in touch with PC/Board (with Sami, Executive Assistant) to keep them abreast of our plans and to ask for their help as needed.

  • OHS talked about monitoring visits for those in the queue to be monitored this year and that does not pertain to us. Whew!
  • OHS talked about In-Kind, and again, we don’t have to worry about it as our State grant is in place for matching funds. Whew!
  • OHS talked about food resources and diapers, etc… for families and using some of our funds to help; Charleen and Caroline have already given food resources to FSCs to distribute to our families and EHS is involved with getting practical supplies out to our families who need them
  • The last part of the Webinar focused on planning for a more extended closure scenario; think about the things that can be done virtually and put plans into place to do those things. Think about ways to deliver services to families in a virtual way (Charleen is exploring the kinds of Technology we already have in place to make that happen). We are already providing services needed to our high needs families, and after Spring Break, if we need to remain closed, the Exec. Team is exploring ways to reach out to staff and families to keep them connected.