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Southern Illinois

University Carbondale

Head Start

SELF-ASSESSMENT 2018-2019

Table of Contents

Approval Verification ...............................................................................................................1

Introduction ................................................................................................................................2

Purpose .......................................................................................................................................2

Methodology ..............................................................................................................................3

Data Sources ..............................................................................................................................4

Team Members ..........................................................................................................................5

Accomplishments .......................................................................................................................7

Findings and Recommendations ................................................................................................8

Program Design and Management ......................................................................................8

Education, Disabilities, and Mental Health .........................................................................9

Family and Community Partnerships.................................................................................13

Health and Nutrition ..........................................................................................................16

Conclusions ..............................................................................................................................19

1

2

INTRODUCTION

Southern Illinois University (SIU) Carbondale Head Start program performs an annual

comprehensive Self-Assessment to evaluate the effectiveness of the service areas in meeting

established goals and objectives. The program is housed in a public university and currently

serves 353 preschool-age children throughout Jackson and Williamson Counties in Southern

Illinois. The SIU Carbondale Head Start program partners with local school districts, community

based organizations, public entities, and private business in order to leverage resources to

enhance quality and increase access to necessary services.

SIU Carbondale, located in Southern Illinois, established its first Head Start center in 1970 and

in the current program year, operates two Head Start centers in Jackson County in the cities of

Carbondale and Murphysboro, two locations in Williamson County, one center in the city of

Marion and one location situated at John A. Logan College. The program offers three service

models through center-based programs:

• part-day/double session/school year

• extended-day/school year

• full-day/school year

Purpose

Continuous quality improvement is central to SIU Carbondale Head Start’s planning process.

Annual self-assessment and reflection ensures that the program is meeting Head Start

Performance Standards and is best serving eligible children and families in Jackson and

Williamson Counties.

Head Start Program Performance Standards 1302.102(b)(2) specify that a program must

effectively oversee progress towards program goals on an ongoing basis and annually must:

(i) Conduct a self-assessment that uses program data including aggregated child assessment

data, and professional development and parent and family engagement data as appropriate, to

evaluate the program’s progress towards meeting goals established under paragraph (a) of this

section, compliance with program performance standards throughout the program year, and

the effectiveness of the professional development and family engagement systems in

promoting school readiness;

(ii) Communicate and collaborate with the governing body and policy council, program staff,

and parents of enrolled children when conducting the annual self-assessment; and,

(iii) Submit findings of the self-assessment, including information listed in paragraph (b)(2)(i) of

this section to the responsible HHS official.

3

Methodology

The SIU Carbondale Head Start conducted its annual Self-Assessment between December 2018

and February 2019. The Office of Head Start Guide to Self-Assessment and the results of the

2017-18 Self-Assessment informed the current Self-Assessment process. SIU Carbondale Head

Start utilizes a four-step system approach that includes: preparing, collecting and synthesizing,

interpreting, and strengthening.

Process

Preparing. The administrative staff engaged in a planning process based on guidance from the

Head Start Regional Office. The plan was submitted to the Policy Council on October 15, 2018,

and the Governing Board on September 19, 2018 for approval. After approval, the Self-

Assessment plan was presented to the administrative staff at the November Leadership Team

meeting for review; administrators then presented the plan to center staff and parents at the

January 2019 staff training and parent meetings. Parents were invited in the January newsletter

and through in-person requests from Center Directors to participate.

Collecting and Synthesizing. Teams were formed in December and early January, and team

members were trained on the Self-Assessment process and procedures in January 2019 by the

Program Director and Team Leaders (Service Area Coordinators). Team members finalized a

Self-Assessment time frame and were assigned specific roles and tasks according to the process

developed by team members and approved by the Policy Council and Governing Board. The

Team Leaders were responsible for leading the data gathering process and compiling this data

into a comprehensible format for the community-wide Self-Assessment meeting held at the

Carbondale Civic Center on February 7, 2019.

Interpreting. A review and analysis was conducted by program managers with the findings and

recommendations distributed to the Policy Council on March 18, 2019, and the Governing

Board on March 20, 2019. Following the input and approval of the Policy Council and

Governing Board, the final report will be written.

Strengthening. Upon approval of the final Self-Assessment report, administrative staff will

examine the results to uncover patterns indicating areas for corrections. This information will

be used to inform the 2019-20 continuation grant application, including the T and T/A plan, and

future action projects.

4

Data Sources

The team members reviewed multiple sources of data throughout the course of the Self-

Assessment process. Specifically, team members reviewed the following:

• 2012/2018 CLASS Federal Review Scores

• 2018 PIR Report

• Child Outcomes from Teaching Strategies GOLD

• Classroom Curriculum Fidelity Observations

• Community Assessment report

• COPA Reports (Absentee reasons, chronic absences, family assessments)

• Current budget and expenditures

• Family Engagement Planning Surveys

• Focus Child File Reviews

• Health and Safety Checklists

• Human resources data: Teacher credentials, staff vacancies

• IECAM Data

• Mental Health data from COPA

• Observation

• Salary Spreadsheets

• Staff Wellness Survey

• Stakeholder Surveys

Team Members

The Self-Assessment review teams consisted of management staff, teachers, LEA

representatives, parents, and community volunteers. Other participants included Head Start

Policy Council members and members of the Governing Board.

See Table 1: Self-Assessment Team Members

5

Table 1: Self-Assessment Team Roster

Service Area Team Leader

Team Members

Education, Disabilities, and Mental Health

Laura Lindsey

• Liv Bailey – Parent and Bus Monitor, SIU Head Start, Murphysboro

• Deborah Bruns – Professor, Special Education, SIU Carbondale

• Hope Hines – Center Director, SIU Head Start, Carbondale

• Abigail Moberly –Coach Specialist, SIU Head Start

• Michelle Pritchard – SIU Head Start Governing Board

• Jamie Ragan – Coordinator, Williamson County Special Education Services

• Diane Short – Education/Disabilities Specialist, Centerstone Early Head Start

• Heather Smith – Lead Teacher, SIU Head Start, Carbondale

• Kathy Staff – Policy Council Community Representative and Transition Coordinator, Child and Family Connections

• Amy Tallman, Coordinator, Southern Region Pre-K, SIU Carbondale

• Sarah Viernum – Mental Health Consultant, SIU Head Start

• Nina Wargel –Coordinator of Quality Services, Child Care Resource and Referral

• Kristi Zettler – Mental Health Consultant, SIU Head Start

Family and Community Partnerships

Joyce Guy

• Mary Carter – Paternity Establishment Liaison, HFS/DCSS

• Renee Dudley – Lead Teacher, SIU Head Start, Marion

• Daffney Glasco-Elerby – Center Director, SIU Head Start, Murphysboro

• April Higgins– Quality Compliance Manager, BCMW Head Start

• Wendy Ingersoll – DFCS, Marion

• Christina Lewis – ERSEA Specialist, SIU Head Start

• Ana Leyva – Parent, SIU Head Start, Murphysboro

• Terry Maxwell – Policy Council Member, SIU Head Start

• Marilyn Murry – Infant Toddler Care Specialist, Child Care Resource and Referral

• Morgan Nickles – Community Worker, SIU Head Start

• Rebecca Patrick – Parent Liaison, CFC #24

• Angie Stevenson – ERSEA Manager, BCMW Head Start

• Karla Tabing – Adult Education Director, John A. Logan

• Cheryl Walton – Policy Council Member, SIU Head Start

• Ryan Wilkerson – Intern, SIU Head Start

6

Health and Nutrition

Laura Duckworth

• Karen Brown – Director of Nursing and Family Services, Jackson County Health Department

• Ashley Fox – Health and Nutrition Specialist, Southern Seven Head Start

• Wendi Funk – Center Director, SIU Head Start, Marion Center

• Chrisden Marshall – Lead Teacher, SIU Head Start, Murphysboro

• Julie Reese – Health Specialist, SIU Head Start

• Malanda Smith – Community Worker, SIU Head Start, Marion

• Rene Lipe – Clinic Manager, SIU Carbondale Community Dental Clinic

• Toni Kay Wright – U of I Extension

Program Design and Management

Dr. Lea Maue

• E. Ryan Hall – Legal Counsel and Governing Board Member, SIU Head Start

• Lori Longueville – Director, Childcare Resource & Referral

• Erin Siebert – Assistant Program Director, SIU Head Start

• Lindsey Yordy – Pre-School Director, John A. Logan

7

ACCOMPLISHMENTS SINCE 2017-2018 SELF-ASSESSMENT

During January 2019, the Program Director, Service Area Coordinators, and Specialists analyzed

the program’s progress towards it intended objectives established in the previous year’s Self-

Assessment, and arrived at the following determinations:

Program Design and Management:

✓ Initiated a staff wellness program

✓ Engaged in conversations with local providers about partnering for EHS expansion

✓ Moved classroom to John A. Logan College, with a possibility for expansion

✓ Reduced staff turnover rate

Child Development and Education:

✓ Implemented a peer mentoring program (seven teachers participating)

✓ Revised checkpoint due dates

✓ Began a coordinated coaching schedule

✓ Involved teachers in the IEP process at a greater level

✓ Quickened the referral process by scanning screenings

✓ Began utilizing the edocs function in COPA to electronically store documents

✓ Hired second Mental Health Consultant

✓ Increased numbers of families and children being served by mental health consultant

✓ Provided increased number of staff mental health consultation opportunities

✓ Provided training on trauma-informed care

Family and Community Partnerships:

✓ Developed a collaborative process to include all staff in referral process for program

requirements (needed health, H&V, mental health, disability assistance)

✓ Updated the current parent needs survey to capture more information about parents

interests and needs

✓ Utilized technology to reach families and to notify families of meetings and events

(Facebook, Remind, texting to send mass communication, reminders, events/meetings)

✓ Attended community meetings (Jackson & Williamson County Healthy Coalitions)

✓ Facilitated the credentialing of newly hired community workers are credentialed - HSU

✓ Offered door prizes at parent meetings to encourage attendance

✓ Developed a coordinated approach to new staff orientation

Health and Nutrition:

✓ Developed a “parent friendly” letter that will be sent home on day of hearing and vision

screenings with child in their backpack

✓ Began counting anemia as a diagnosis only, not just by a low hemoglobin score from

WIC/doctor

8

Findings and Recommendations

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION(S) RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

PR

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GEM

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The birth to three-year old child population is underserved in both Jackson and Williamson counties. Jackson county has a lower amount of services available than Williamson county compared to the population

Implement an Early Head Start program, preferably in Jackson county, either by converting existing slots to early Head Start in the next round of EHS expansion funding.

Director, CDC As funding becomes available

Service area is saturated with publicly funded pre-k, and collaboration between programs is not occurring to best serve low-income populations.

The Director should work with local superintendents and principals to develop a coordinated system of intake and referral for prioritizing children by age and need.

Director Set up meetings before the upcoming school year

There is a high level of staff stress. The cause of the stress is suspected to be due to low compensation and family issues.

During staff training says, implement training sessions that would help ease stress levels. Topics suggested include budgeting, investments, and smart shopping. Also request an HR representative from the university to go over employee benefits to ensure employees are accessing all benefits available to them.

Assistant Director

PY 19-20

There is a need for relevant professional development training, but local options are limited for outside training, which in turn limits the number of staff that have access to all of those training sessions

Share costs with other similar facilities to provide combined training sessions with outside trainers. This would make it possible to have high quality training closer to home, making the training accessible to more staff than outside trainings that are normally held in locations that require a minimum four-hour drive.

SAM, Training Coordinator

PY 19-20

CLASS scores during the most recent monitoring visit were lower than anticipated.

Consider adding another Coach Specialist if the budget allows. Currently the program has one coach specialist to serve four locations in two counties.

Director, CDC August 2019

Communication with public school districts needs some improvement, especially pertaining to disability services.

Director could request to be added to the Williamson county combined board meeting, all school superintendents attend this meeting.

Director March 2019

9

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION(S) RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

EAR

LY C

HIL

DH

OO

D D

EVEL

OP

MEN

T

Implementation of Conscious Discipline is making progress, but full implementation is not in effect. Book studies have dwindling participation, and many staff feel they “do not have time” to read the book on top of their daily tasks.

1. Develop resources to integrate Conscious Discipline with Creative Curriculum and CLASS.

2. Additional training is needed. a. Modeling of behaviors for all staff during

training days b. Modeling of behaviors for staff in the moment

during coaching/observations c. Building connections between Conscious

Discipline and daily tasks d. End book study activities, but have books

available e. Work with other HS programs to hold a

collaborative Family Curriculum training f. Look into purchasing additional materials for

rooms successfully implementing Conscious Discipline

3. Consult with Dr. Bruns regarding Conscious Discipline implementation for children with disabilities

1. CDC 2. CDC,

Program Director, FCPC

3. CDC

1. Fall 2019 2. PY 19-20

3. Spring

2019

Due to staff vacancies and/or absences, planning time has been inconsistent. This inconsistency is impacting the teacher’s ability to complete paperwork in a timely manner.

1. Review teacher task list and see if any tasks could be eliminated

a. Brigance Supplemental 2. Continue to work toward filling remaining staff

vacancies.

1. CDC, CD 2. CDC,

Program Director

1. Spring/Summer 2019

2. Spring 2019

10

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION(S) RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

EAR

LY C

HIL

DH

OO

D D

EVEL

OP

MEN

T

Challenging behaviors and/or trauma impacts the overall classroom environment, stress level, and learning within the classroom. Teachers do not feel equipped to handle extreme behaviors or multiple children exhibiting behaviors throughout the day.

1. Provide training to teachers on functional behavior assessments and tools that can be used to address behaviors

2. Continue to train all staff on the impact of trauma on behavior and development

3. Work with Mental Health Consultants to develop social-emotional lessons to implement with children in the classroom

4. Work to create true 3 and 4-year-old classrooms throughout program. Create system for continuity of care so that teachers can keep children throughout their enrollment.

5. Develop a system that promotes strong teacher pairings to stay together as long as it is not a detriment to the center as a whole.

1. CDC 2. CDC,

Program Director

3. CDC

4. CDC, CD,

ERSEA 5. CDC, CD

1. PY 19-20 2. PY 19-20 3. Spring

2019 4. PY 19-20

5. Spring

2019

Teacher stress is high due to workload, challenging behaviors, limited support from ECD staff, etc.

1. Continue to train staff on self-care, stress management, caregiver fatigue, etc.

2. Provide additional support to teachers in the classroom when challenging situations arise.

3. Look at monthly tasks and see if revisions can be made.

4. Look into the division of tasks between the two classroom teachers.

5. Encourage program and center wide participation in wellness initiatives.

1. CDC, Program Director

2. CDC, CD 3. CDC, CD 4. CDC, CD

5. HNC, CD

1. PY 19-20 2. Spring

2019 3. Summer

2019 4. Summer

2019

5. PY 19-20

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FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION(S) RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

EAR

LY C

HIL

DH

OO

D D

EVEL

OP

MEN

T

Teachers are struggling to understand and implement aspects of CLASS consistently throughout the school day. Most teachers do not feel they were prepared in college for CLASS assessments. CLASS scores from 2018 Federal Review were low in Instructional Support, especially Concept Development.

1. Train staff on each dimension of CLASS a. Use Teachstone Video Library to show

examples b. Videotape classroom teachers (with

permission) and use videos as examples c. Practice implementing real life activities

2. When assessing classrooms for CLASS, discuss with teachers what scores they would like to receive.

3. Look into SIU’s Early Childhood Program and see if CLASS is taught in any college classes.

4. Discuss Concept Development Lesson Plan Tool with teachers and see if any are willing to pilot its use with current studies.

5. Look into contracting an outside CLASS observer for yearly assessments.

6. Look into classroom assessment timeline (fidelity assessments) and possibly revise fidelity assessment requirements so that CLASS can be performed twice yearly.

7. Create open ended question prompts to place in hallways and bathrooms to assist in transition-based learning opportunities.

8. Look into painting standing prompts in hallways next to bathroom to assist in transition-based learning opportunities.

9. Train Center Directors and teaching staff to become certified observers

1. CDC 2. CDC 3. CDC,

Program Director

4. CDC, CD 5. CDC,

Program Director

6. CDC, CD 7. CDC, CD 8. CDC, CD,

Program Director

9. Program Director

1. PY 19-20 2. PY 19-20 3. Immediately

(complete) 4. Spring 2019

5. Spring 2019

6. Spring 2019 7. Summer

2019 8. Summer

2019 9. Spring 2019

The program is struggling to provide effective support to all education staff on a consistent basis.

1. Look at current center director duties and develop system for providing support for teachers within the center.

2. Hire an additional CD staff member to assist with monitoring and coaching efforts.

1. CDC, CD, Director,

2. Program Director

1. Spring 2019 2. Summer

2019

12

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION(S) RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

EAR

LY C

HIL

DH

OO

D D

EVEL

OP

MEN

T

Teachers are struggling to implement curriculum to fidelity. Teachers have not been formally trained on Creative Curriculum 6th Edition implementation. ECD staff and Center Directors also have not been formally trained on Creative Curriculum 6th Edition Fidelity Assessing. Programs are being told that they should not use the fidelity assessment tool until they are formally trained by Teaching Strategies.

1. Purchase more developmentally appropriate books that are aligned to curriculum studies.

2. Explore training for staff on curriculum implementation a. Basics of the curriculum

i. Talk to CCRR and/or StarNet about possibility of scheduling curriculum training for all staff

b. Train staff on the day to day of implementation i. What’s expected in a half day classroom?

3. Explore training for leadership staff on fidelity assessment a. Talk to CCRR, StarNet, TSG, Lauri Frichtl (IHSA)

about need for training/availability. 4. Look at other program’s fidelity policies/procedures

and how they implement fidelity a. Build monitoring pieces into classroom

checklist? b. Have teachers self-report fidelity for center

materials? c. Observe teacher-child interactions during

semester CLASS observations?

1. CDC 2. CDC,

Program Director

3. CDC,

Program Director

4. CDC, HNC, CD, Program Director, Ast. Director

1. Summer 2019

2. Summer 2019

3. Summer

2019 4. Spring 2019

13

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION(S) RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

FAM

ILY

AN

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MU

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Y P

AR

TNER

SHIP

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There is a need to find creative ways to further engage families to increase parent involvement in the program. The program is not promoting meaningful parent engagement at a level sufficient to impact change within the program.

1. Use technology to increase parent meeting attendance.

2. Place the newsletter on Facebook to connect with families.

3. Ask similar probing questions during parent meetings/agency events

4. Have a secret/hidden message in the Family Connections Newsletter

1. FCP

2. FCP

3. FCP 4. FCP

1. PY 19-10 2. PY 19-10 3. PY 19-10 4. PY 19-10

Teachers in the classrooms need to engage volunteers (parent/community volunteers) in the classroom more.

1. Increase positive interactions in centers to make parent feel more accepted and needed.

2. Teachers need to slow down in order to educate parents of classroom expectations.

3. Award Kindness Awards: Acknowledge students for random acts of kindness

4. Give parents and volunteers specific jobs when they visit classrooms and centers

1. All staff

2. CDC Staff, FCP

3. FCP, CDC

4. CDC, Coach, Teaching staff

1. Immediate, Ongoing

2. Immediate, Ongoing

3. FCP, CDC 4. CDC, Coach,

FCPC

Continued and ongoing communication among families and staff at centers need to improve to create more of a school family

Create a Parent and Staff Comment Box (for suggestions by both parents and staff).

Program Director, Center Directors

PY 19-20

The number of families attending program events at centers has been steadily decreasing

1. Have more events to draw families into participating at centers (Family Fun Days, School Socials at the beginning of the school year, Couponing/Scrapbooking Groups/Crafts for parents)

2. Move parent events and meetings closer to town and in communities to increase the number of parents that attend (i.e. The Hub; community centers; smaller cluster group meetings at various places in the community, churches).

1. FCP 2. CDC, CD, FCP

1. PY 19-20 2. Immediately

Ongoing PY 19-20

14

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION(S) RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

FAM

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AR

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SHIP

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There is limited family engagement with parents as partners in the learning process.

Develop a Parent Agreement/Contract: a. Expectations for (Full-Day/Part-Day) parents to

volunteer at least 4 hours (home/school). Classroom Contract that specifically lists parent responsibilities (P/T Conferences, Home Visits, PO’s, Family Assessments)

b. Expectations for teachers

CDC, CD, FCPC 1. PY 19-20

A lack of Family and Community Service Worker Job Knowledge/Experience/Follow-up is a barrier to completion of program requirements (health, case management referrals etc.)

1. Real-life training scenarios during interviews 2. Extensive orientation training for new FCSW staff 3. FCSW Reflective Supervision (probing

questions/successes/challenges)/Mentoring/Job Shadowing/On-The-Job-Training

4. Extensive training with FCSW’s on health/child outcomes/attendance/ Ruby Payne (training of how to engage families)

5. My Peers Work Group for guidance and support 6. Role-playing/Scenarios during FCSW trainings

1. FCPC 2. Prog. Dir., FCPC 3. Prog. Dir., FCPC 4. HNC, FCPC 5. FCPC 6. FCPC

1. PY 19-20 2. PY 19-20 3. PY 19-20 4. PY 19-20

5. Immediately 6. Immediately

Family Community Service Workers need to be more engaged and connected with families.

1. More extensive training to educate parents of FCSW job roles and responsibilities

2. Moving 45-day deadlines so that FCSW’s can better assist families

3. Better phones for FCSW’s to communicate with families (SMART phones)

1. FCPC, CDC

2. FCPC

3. Prog. Dir, Asst. Dir

1. PY 19-20

2. PY 19-20

3. PY 19-20

Parents do not understand the importance of regular and on-time daily attendance. Children are missing many days and arriving to school late.

1. Move sessions from part-day to full-day to increase ADA.

2. Setting hours (morning) hours that align with the school districts.

1. FCP/ERSEA 2. Program

Director,

1. PY 19-20 2. PY 19-20

15

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION(S) RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

FAM

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SHIP

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Chronic absenteeism is a problem for a majority of the families attending the program.

1. Begin good attendance awards (certificates, mention in classroom and agency newsletters thanking parents for getting their children to school).

2. Mail letters to families to inform them of their ADA percentages (Chronic) and (Good) attendance for the program year.

3. Develop more structured attendance procedures (late-arrival policy that requires parents to fill out forms when bringing children in late to school).

4. Provide a more extensive Parent Orientation to increase parent’s awareness of attendance policies and consequences.

5. Display ADA percentages on the HS website, at each center to make parents aware of how ADA affects all areas of the program (School readiness, health and wellness, kindergarten transition, child outcomes).

6. Present attendance data during parent meetings and agency events.

7. Develop an Attendance Improvement Plan to increase ADA and decrease Chronic Attendance

8. Decreasing bus driver absences throughout the school year (children do not attend when there is no transportation)

1. FCPC

2. FCPC

3. FCPC

4. FCPC

5. FCPC

6. HR/FCPC 7. FCPC

8. Prog./Cent. Dir.

1. PY 19-20

2. Immediately

3. PY 19-20

4. PY 19-20

5. PY 19-20

6. PY 19-20

7. PY 19-20

8. PY 19-20

16

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

HEA

LTH

AN

D N

UTR

ITIO

N

Follow up care is not a priority with our parents. In particular, with our dental treatment, parents either make the appointment and miss it or don’t even make it at all. In the same manner, staff are struggling to find ways to support parents in this effort. Also, some providers may not be clear on the follow up care that is required of our program.

1. Provide education for families to help them understand why this is important and to help fill the gap between knowing what to do and putting it into practice.

2. Address how to help families meet their basic needs (rent, food, electric etc.) so they can move on to higher order needs.

3. Try a workshop (with food) for families to introduce them to WIC, Dentists etc.

4. Educate FCSW so they can educate families. 5. Start working with the families at enrollment

and give them information on why we do what we do and why we need what we need.

6. Host an Educational Forum for our Medical providers to give them information on Head Start, or send letters so they too understand the “Why.”

7. Send cards/artwork to our providers to thank them for all that they do for our families.

8. Be a vendor and hand out Head Start information at the yearly conferences that providers attend. – There is a Primary Care Update

Scheduled in April and an Immunization Summit at JALC in September for providers.

– Could provider’s nurses come for information instead of providers if this is easier.

1. FCSW, HNC, HS 2. FCSW, HNC, HS 3. HNC, FCPC 4. HNC, FCPC 5. FCPC, ES 6. HNC, HS 7. HNC 8. HNC/FCPC

1. Ongoing 2. Ongoing 3. Fall/winter

2019 4. Immediately 5. April 2019

and ongoing 6. August 2019

7. Spring 2019 8. HNC/FCPC

17

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

HEA

LTH

AN

D N

UTR

ITIO

N

The program is struggling to provide effective staff wellness initiatives to staff.

During staff training staff say, implement initiatives that would help staff feel appreciated, accomplished and excited about staff wellness. Ideas include: 1. During the school year have a

recognition/incentive (possibly monthly) for staff to check in on how they are doing. (At the health department they track points for 6 months and if this is completed they get a half day off with pay!)

2. Try to have staff to get an exercise partner to hold accountability too. Counting steps, learn meditation, yoga, etc.

3. Maybe use a portion of a training day to do a “Relaxation Day/ Hour” Have yoga, selfcare, just a moment to breathe.

4. Have an extra set of hands in the classroom on most days, especially in our classrooms with predominately younger kids. Also, making sure teachers have consistent planning time.

5. Include Staff families, have a Staff family Weekend. Can try BBQ, Kickball tournament between centers, a trivia/game night, or a potluck.

1. HNC, HS 2. HNC, HS 3. HNC, HS 4. CDC,

Director 5. FCPC, HNC

1. Bi-monthly 2. On-going 3. One training day during PY 19-20 4. On-going 5. Summer kick-

off, on-going

18

HEA

LTH

AN

D N

UTR

ITIO

N

FINDING SUGGESTED RECOMMENDATION RESPONSIBLE PARTY

TIMELINE

The program is struggling to promote/provide healthy alternatives and activities for our children and families in our community.

During our conversation, participated included various ideas in order to accomplish this. Ideas include: 1. Have families to contribute to a “Healthy

Cookbook” to send home. Make recipes Basic, Simple and Healthy. Give parents ideas of how to eat healthier. Suggest pre-cooking, pre-slicing, portioning food out.

2. Attach WIC eligibility forms to the newsletter. Letting parents know that WIC can provide services to people from other counties. If it is easier for a Williamson Co family to go to Jackson Co, they can go to JCHD for appointments.

3. Possibly having a Health/Nutrition workshop for families. Partnering with U of I extension concerning how to stretch your food stamp dollars. Offer parents a “cooking class” throughout the year. Example - winter do soups, summer do BBQ etc.

4. At parent meetings do a recipe and then give the food to take home and try.

5. At end of year do a recipe per classroom and have parents come in and make recipe with the classroom and then get the recipe to go home.

1. Director, HNC 2. FCPC, HNC 3. FCPC, HNC, HS 4. HNC, FCPC, HS 5. HNC, CDC

1. Spring 2020 2. Tri-monthly 3. Possibly

implementing in Fall 2019

4. March 2020 5. Spring 2020

19

CONCLUSIONS

The Self-Assessment process provides the program with valuable insight and information about

its strengths and weaknesses and is a critical tool in continuous quality improvement.

Information from the Self-Assessment is utilized each year in program planning and in grant

preparation. During the 2018-19 program year, SIU Carbondale Head Start implemented a

number of program planning decisions based on the 2017-18 Self-Assessment results.

Since last year’s Self-Assessment, measures have been put in place to support staff to increase

retention and staff morale. Data indicate a resulting increase in staff retention, with no

teaching staff turnover since the beginning of the program year. The program still struggles,

however, to fill teaching and transportation positions from a dwindling pool of applicants.

Despite marked efforts to support staff to reduce stress, the finding that staff experience a

great deal of stress emerged again in this year’s review. A need for more robust family

engagement was also a finding in last year’s Self-Assessment and is a finding in the current

year. The Family and Community Partnerships service area lacked a steady leader for nine

months, with the manager position open from December 2017 until it was filled in an interim

capacity in September 2018. Three overarching conclusions can be made when synthesizing

the findings from the current Self-Assessment, and these findings will guide planning for the

next grant cycle.

1. Staff Stress. Although many measures have been put in place to support employees and

reduce stress, such as wellness programming, training, and additional staff to support

teachers in the classroom, staff stress remains a finding this year. All service areas

found that staff were demonstrating signs of stress that impact job satisfaction and

outcomes. The PDM area found that low compensation contributed to a level of

personal stress. Recommendations were made to provide more focused and personal

professional development opportunities to support staff in money management.

The Early Childhood Development team determined that teacher stress is high due to

challenging behaviors, workload, and limited ability of ECD staff to provide the

necessary support. A number of suggestions were made to help support staff that will

be implemented in the next program year.

The Health and Nutrition team found that although the program provided multiple

initiatives in the current year such as a wellness challenge and a couch to 5K, staff

persistence and motivation to stay engaged in these activities was low. In order to

provide effective support for mental and physical health in the upcoming year,

recommendations were made to monthly recognition of staff health accomplishments

with a point system, providing more relaxation activities, and include families of

employees in social events.

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2. Child Attendance. Although the program is in the process of implementing Conscious

Discipline to address social emotional issues with children in the classroom, it is difficult

to impact outcomes when a large number of children are chronically absent and late. A

majority of the program’s children meet the definition of chronically absent as

determined by Head Start Program Performance Standards, and this can be linked to

low parent engagement and knowledge of the importance of attendance in pre-school.

Attendance impacts all service areas. For example, when a child is absent, he or she

may miss on-site dental exams, making it difficult to meet the 90-day deadline

requirement, which was a finding in the Health and Nutrition service area.

In order for attendance to improve, it is critical for Family and Community Workers and

Teachers to develop authentic and caring relationships with the families they serve. The

Family and Community Partnerships team recommended additional training in

Relationship Based Competencies and Conscious Discipline. In PY 19-20, the program

will implement a number of recommendations made during Self-Assessment including

developing an attendance improvement plan, sharing the importance of attendance,

rewarding good attendance, and communicating with parents about the status of their

child’s attendance.

3. Family Engagement. Declining parent engagement remains a significant problem. A lack

of family engagement impacts the education and health of children, thereby impacting

program outcomes. The program must reconsider how it defines parent engagement

and identify other methods for tracking besides physical classroom presence.

Attendance at parent meetings declines each year, so the Family and Community

Partnerships team recommended reconceptualizing the parent meeting, which has not

changed much in structure in a number of years, and provide opportunities for parents

to participate electronically. The program must also implement creative ways to engage

parents given their interests and schedules. A number of recommendations were made

that included hosting events that involve the children instead of sending the children to

childcare and moving parent meetings closer to the heart of the community. A majority

of the program’s centers are located on the edge of the city limits, making it difficult for

parents to travel to and from their child’s center.