HEAD START®

BULLETIN

February 2000 Issue No. 66

U.S. Department of Health and Human Services ★ Administration for Children and Families ★ Administration on Children,Youth and Families

enhancing head start communication

Technology is more than a tool—and

much more than a game. Technology 

is freedom. Without it, our children

will have a hard time in this world.

More than 60 percent of all new jobs in

the U.S. require some technology skills, and

that number will only increase. “Computer

literacy” is as critical to children today as “literacy” was to their parents and grandparents. Recent studies have shown that the

“digital divide” between races and classes in

America continues to grow. Unless Head

Start children and families have access to

computer technology and learn how to use

it, they will find themselves cut off from the

information and economic opportunities

they need to succeed in the 21st century.

Head Start programs must take advantage of available technologies and pass those

advantages on to parents and children. Many

programs around the country are using technology in creative ways, to the benefit of

Head Start families. Computer technology

also helps programs manage program 

information, track child outcomes, and 

document success. Internet access enables

Head Start programs to tap into a wealth of

resources and to share program goals and

achievements with people in their communities

and around the country. In short, everyone

in Head Start can benefit from the use 

of technology.

This issue of the Head Start Bulletin

describes some of the ways that Head Start

programs are making innovative use of 

technology to achieve program goals. All

aspects of the Head Start program—from

management to education, and from health

to family and community partnerships—can

benefit from these powerful electronic tools.

Technology is a priority area of the

Head Start Bureau.You have a responsibility,

as champions of the Head Start vision,

to take advantage of available technology and

to bring it home to Head Start parents 

and children.

Helen H.Taylor is Associate Commissioner of the

Head Start Bureau.

Technology: A Key to the Future

By Helen H.Taylor

Inside this Issue...

Technology 101 3

Head Start Programs

and the World Wide Web 7

Helping Families Become Computer Literate 15

Helen H.Taylor
Technology

2

Contents

Technology 101 3

Technology Vocabulary 6

Head Start Programs and the World Wide Web 7

Web Innovations in the Regions 10

Technology:Transportation into the 21st Century 12

Making Your Web Site Useful 13

Web Accessibility:

Has Bobby Been to Your Web Site? 14

Helping Families Become Computer Literate 15

Neighborhood Networks Work! 16

Distance Learning and the Early Head Start

Community 17

The “HeadsUp” Network 18

HSFIS Update 19

Head Start Materials and Information On Line 20

Resources 22

Advisory Committee on Head Start 

Research and Evaluation 25

1999–2000 National Head Start Fellows 26

The Head Start Bulletin is

published six times a year by the

Head Start Bureau, Administration

on Children, Youth and Families,

Department of Health and Human

Services.

Donna E. Shalala

Secretary

Olivia A. Golden

Assistant Secretary

Administration for Children and

Families

Michael Kharfen

Director

Office of Public Affairs

Patricia Montoya

Commissioner

Administration on Children, Youth

and Families

Helen H.Taylor

Associate Commissioner

Head Start Bureau

The Bulletin is a service of HSB’s

Training and Technical Assistance

Branch. Its purpose is to enhance

communication among the Head

Start Bureau, Head Start programs,

and interested national, regional,

and state organizations and agencies.

JoAn Knight Herren

Chief, T/TA Branch

Head Start Bureau

Jeffrey Fredericks

Managing Editor

Head Start Bulletin

The Head Start Bulletin is

prepared under Contract No. 105-96-

2010 with PaL-Tech, Inc.

Jean Swift

Senior Writer/Editor

Jennifer McDonald

Writer

Head Start Bulletin

T ECHNOLOGY

Issue No. 66

Jeffrey Fredericks, Program Officer in the Head Start Bureau’s Training and Technical

Assistance Branch, was the HSB lead on this issue.
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 3

Technology

Savvy. To be savvy means to 

have know-how, ability, and a

practical grasp on how to handle

something. It would be nice to be

savvy—especially about computers.

Computers can be intimidating,

especially if you’ve never turned one

on, touched a mouse, or surfed that

thing called the Internet. But it is important that we in Head Start help our

staff, our parents, and our children to

become computer literate.

The first step in this process is 

to get a computer. This can be more

complicated than it sounds! There is an

amazing amount of computer lingo 

circling around that can be very 

confusing—have you heard phrases

such as 56K modem, megs of ram,

gigabytes, or Pentium or K62 processors? What does this all mean? (And did

you ever wonder where people came

up with these words?) What you 

probably want to know if you’re just

getting your feet wet in the pool of

technology is: what can I buy that will

do what I need it to do, that won’t be

outdated in two minutes, and that won’t

bankrupt my program?

Well, there are a lot of questions

to consider, and no two Head Start 

programs will have the same answers.

The two key questions are: what do I

need, and what can I afford? Think about

what you want the computer to help

you accomplish. Do you want one 

powerful online computer for your

whole staff, or do you want every staff

member to have access to an online

computer and have her or his own 

e-mail account? Do the computers

need to be able to share information, or

are computers that are independent of

one another OK? Do you want a fast

computer so you don’t have to wait

long for Web pages to load or is that

not a priority? After identifying and 

prioritizing your needs, look at your

budget.What can you afford?

When you’re looking for answers,

a vendor can provide helpful information

on what’s available and offer recommendations on hardware, software, and

service.The challenge is to find one that

is just as interested in making you a 

satisfied customer as they are in making

a quick sale.

Choosing a Vendor and

Getting Help

The following tips will help you to

select a reliable vendor.

• Get referrals from others and

create a list of potential vendors.

Ask questions about technical

knowledge and level of support

provided.

• Check your local Yellow Pages for

display ads of computer vendors.

Display ads are expensive and may

indicate that the vendor is

financially stable.

• Do preliminary phone interviews

of the vendors on your list. Find

out how long the company has

been in business (the longer the

better), what kind of ongoing

support they provide to

customers, and whether their

technicians are certified.

Computer repair certification is

called “A+ Certification.” There

are two major certifications for

installing computer networks:

Novell’s CNE or CNA (Certified

Novell Engineer or Administrator),

and Microsoft’s MCP or MCSE

(Microsoft Certified Professional

or Microsoft Certified Systems

Engineer).To ensure professional

support, your vendor should have

employees with these certifications.

You might want to use essentially

this same process in hiring a consultant

to help you review your computer

needs and determine what system

would work best for you. Once you

have your consultant vendor list 

narrowed down to a few finalists,

schedule appointments with each. Ask

them to visit your program to discuss

your computer needs. Prepare a 

written list of your requirements and

get quotes.

The decision to choose a consultant or vendor should not be based on

cost alone, but on the total package—

recommendations, length of time in

business, level of support provided, staff

qualifications, and your assessment of

how well the people listened and

responded to your needs.

As you talk with your consultant

or vendor about the hardware you

need, you will undoubtedly discuss the

software that is suitable to your Head

Start program as well. When you’re

thinking about this topic, there are

some issues to consider.

Software and 

Licensing Issues

To determine what software your 

program needs, you must consider

what tasks you want the computer to

be able to do. If you already use a 

specific word processing program and

you realize that you also need a spreadsheet program, it probably makes sense

to stick with the same manufacturer

because software programs will 

normally work well together. For 

example, if you already use Microsoft

Word for word processing, you’d 

probably want to buy Microsoft Excel

for your spreadsheet program.

Other factors to consider include:

• Cost.

• Do you need to buy software 

that runs on both Macintosh and

Technology 101

By Bridget Shea and Bernie Lagud
4 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

Windows? Do you need a

“bundled’ package that includes

word processing, spreadsheet,

presentation, and database

software, such as Microsoft Office

or Corel Perfect Office?

• Are you going to use Head Startspecific software?

• Is your staff already familiar with a

particular software program? 

• Is the software manufacturer

reputable?

When you buy a software package, be

sure to purchase enough licenses for

each computer that will have the software. If you are buying it for a standalone computer, you need only one

license, which automatically comes with

the software. But to use it legally on

multiple computers, you must purchase

an additional license for each additional

computer—you can’t just buy one 

copy and load it on every computer 

you have.

Software licenses for networked

computer systems can usually be 

purchased on a “per-seat” or “per-server”

basis, or under a “site license” arrangement. The licensing arrangements 

available for any given software program

are completely at the discretion of 

the manufacturer.

Per-seat licensing means you buy a

license for each computer workstation

that will use the software. If you have

ten workstations on your network,

but only five of your users require a

particular software program, then you

need to buy ten licenses for that 

program under per-seat licensing.

Per server licensing means you buy

a license to install a software program

once on a server, and that license

includes usage by a fixed number of

workstations. The software normally

includes some kind of a monitor that

prevents more than the licensed 

number of workstations to load and

run the software simultaneously.

Site licensing means you buy a

license for your entire organization,

and there is no limit to the number of

workstations that can run the software

simultaneously. Site licensing is normally

expensive and therefore only costeffective for large organizations with

hundreds of workstations that require

the same software.

Computer Networking

Basics

The word “server” gets us onto the

topic of networking computers so they

can talk to each other and share 

information. As Head Start programs

seek to streamline their administrative

workloads, improve information sharing,

and make the most out of available

resources, more and more programs

are turning to computer networks.

What is a computer network? 

A network is two or more computers

connected by some communications

link (e.g., cable or infrared signal) 

in order to share data files, program

files, or hardware devices (e.g.,

printers). In contrast, a computer is a

“stand alone” if it’s not connected 

to any other computers.

The benefit of using a network is

that it allows you to share information

and resources, such as printers, data

files, application programs (e.g., wordprocessing or e-mail software),

expensive hardware devices, or a highspeed data line for Internet or 

wide-area network access. Networking

also makes it easier to schedule regular

backups of critical data files without

having to rely on the individuals who

use and update those files.

Networks can be configured to

support everything from two computers

sharing a single printer to hundreds of

computers needing to run the same

application programs against a common

database. Networks become more

expensive as the complexity of the 

configuration increases, so it’s important to select the best network solution

for your specific needs.The most common configurations are:

• Peer-to-peer networking—a simple

network in which two or more

computers are connected and

each may share some, all, or none

of its resources with some or all

of the other connected computers

on the network.

• Client-server network—

a network in which one computer

is designated as a “server” to

share its resources with the other

computers (called “workstations”

or “clients”) linked to it.The

server is normally a high-speed,

high-capacity PC. Loading all of

your primary or most expensive

systems onto one server can 

save money, since all of the

workstations can share these

resources.The server is not

normally used as a workstation,

since this may create access

problems for other users on 

the network.

If you decide you need a network,

the type you choose depends on 

several factors:

• How many people in your program regularly use the computers,

and do you expect this number to

grow in the future?

• Is it important to be able to 

share resources like printers or

high-speed data lines in order 

to keep costs down or for any

other reason?

• Do several people in your program currently update separate

copies of the same data, and is it
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 5

Technology

important to consolidate and

share that data to maintain better

data integrity and credibility?

• Are you planning to install clientserver software or any program

that requires a database

management system (DBMS)

program running on a server (e.g.,

Microsoft SQL-Server or Oracle)?

Plan to spend money on network 

support now and in the future.You may

occasionally need to bring in a consultant or network specialist to troubleshoot and fix any major problems

that come up with the network or

server. Depending on the size and complexity of the network you choose, you

may decide to purchase a support plan

if your vendor offers one. In any case,

you must budget for support, because

your computers and your network will

become critical to your way of doing

business once your staff is accustomed

to it.

Plugging In 

and Getting Online

So now you’ve got your computer (or

computers) set up, and you’re ready to

roll. What’s next? These days you can’t

even whisper the word “computer”

without hearing the echo of “Internet,

Internet, Internet.” The Internet is

growing and moving from being solely a

research tool to a community development tool. Head Start programs can use

it to access the newest trends and

research in early childhood and familycentered programming. Connecting to

the Internet is also an excellent way to

retrieve current information from local,

regional, and national sources relevant

to your program.

Programs are finding that technology can improve the efficiency of

everyday chores. E-mail, for example,

can reduce the time and effort it takes

to schedule staff meetings or share

important program information. E-mail

can also improve communication within

your programs, as well as strengthen

communication with other programs in

your local community, the state, and the

region. Finally, sending documents via 

e-mail can reduce dependency on faxing

and lower telephone costs.

How do you get plugged in? 

E-mail accounts are available through an

Internet Service Provider (ISP) such as

AOL or a local company.There are also

numerous ways to obtain free e-mail.

Juno is a popular system for those who

have a modem and do not necessarily

need Internet access. Yahoo, Hotmail,

and other similar free e-mail systems

allow you to access your mail via an

Internet browser.

The cost of Internet access varies

widely, depending on your location and

situation. Most individuals and small

organizations use the slower “dial-up”

method available through your local ISP.

This means that your computer “dials

in” to the ISP each time you want to go

on line. Services usually provided

include e-mail storage and Internet

access for around $20.00 per month.

Medium- to large-sized organizations

usually have a full-time connection to

the Internet available to workstations

through their computer network using

special high-speed, digital phone lines.

The monthly cost and availability of

these lines vary depending on your

local telephone service.

So Now We’re Ready...

Aren’t We?

You have all this wonderful technology

—computers and printers and modems

hooked up, linked up, and “souped-up.”

Are you set? Well, no amount of 

wonderful equipment will help your

organization unless staff receives 

training and buys into using technology

resources on a regular basis. One issue

many organizations face is persuading

staff members to use technology

(although once they do, there’s no going

back!). We all know that sometimes

people need help in forming new 

routines, and there are steps you can

take to encourage staff and parents to

use the computer. For example, one

way to encourage staff to use their 

e-mail accounts is to distribute all

important memos and critical organizational information via e-mail.

If you have a network, staff should

also be trained in using it.The type and

amount of training depend on the level

of expertise and comfort your staff

already has with PCs. You should train

one or more persons (depending on

the size of your office) as a network

administrator who can perform 

occasional administrative tasks, such as

adding and maintaining network user

IDs and passwords, adding workstations

to the network, installing software 

programs, performing backups, and 

so forth.

Technology is amazing and can

improve your program operations in

more ways than you can imagine. Staff

will also find that routine tasks can be

accomplished quickly, and that essential,

up-to-date information is at their 

fingertips. Perhaps most importantly,

though, bringing technology into Head

Start will help to ensure that our 

children and families have the tools they

need to survive and thrive is this

increasingly technology-oriented world.

Bridget Shea is Information Technology

Resource Specialist at the Region VIII QIC,T:

303-369-5959, E: Bridget_Shea@ceo.cudenver.edu. Bernie Lagud is Information

Systems Specialist at the Region IX QIC,T:

925-935-9711, E: blagud@devassoc.com.
E-mail

“the Web”

RAM

Gigabyte

CPU

6 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

Aquick guide to some of those words you

may have wondered about!

Central processing unit (CPU): Also called a

microprocessor. It is the “box” part of your computer, and its engine goes into motion when you

turn your computer on.The CPU does the actual

interpreting of program instructions and processing of data in a computer. The operating system

(such as Windows 98) instructs the CPU on what

tasks to perform.

Diskette (“floppy disk”):A removable disk that

stores data and can be used with PCs. The term

usually refers to a rigid plastic cartridge measuring

3.5 inches square. Some older computers provide

drives for diskettes that are 5.25 inches square

with a flexible housing. These were often called

“floppy disks,” and even though the new type of

diskette is more rigid, many people still call it 

a “floppy.”

E-mail: Electronic mail—an Internet feature that

allows the user to send and receive messages over

the Internet to and from any other e-mail address

in the world.

Gigabyte (“gig” or GB) and megabyte

(“meg” or MB): Units of measurement of computer memory and storage.

Hard drive:Where files and programs are stored

in a standalone computer, as opposed to a

diskette, which is removable and transportable.

Hardware:Any part of the computer that can be

physically touched. Printers, keyboards, monitors,

and the computer itself are all hardware.

Listserv: A program that automatically distributes e-mail to names on a mailing list. Users can

subscribe to a listserv mailing list by sending an email note to a mailing list they learn about; listserv

will automatically add the name and distribute

future e-mail postings to every subscriber.

Modem: Allows the computer to access the

Internet or other computers via telephone lines.

Modems are categorized by speed; for example, a

model with a speed of 28.8 bps can transfer 28.8

kilobytes of data per second. Modems are located

either inside or outside the computer.

Operating system: Manages all the programs,

or applications, in a computer. Microsoft’s Windows

98 and IBM’s OS/2 are operating systems.

Random access memory (RAM): A temporary memory area where programs and files are

loaded while they are being used. To save the

information in RAM, it must be transferred to a

hard drive or diskette.

Search engines:A program that allows a user to

search for specific Web sites on the Internet by

subject.

Software: Programs that allow you to make use

of the computer.There are many kinds of software

available for such activities as word processing,

database management, desktop publishing, and

educational games and experiences.

Uniform resource locator (URL): A Web

site’s address.Any information available online can

be located by its URL. To pull up a specific Web

site, type in the URL; for example, Head Start’s

URL is http://www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb.

All Web site addresses begin with “http://”; for

brevity, it is often omitted in listings of URLs.

World Wide Web (or “the Web”): A network

of computers known as Web servers that holds

information and Web sites.Anyone can access the

Web using Internet browser software (e.g.,

Netscape Navigator or Microsoft Explorer).

Technology Vocabulary
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 7

Technology

The World Wide Web opens up a world of

opportunities for Head Start programs.

Since 1994, Head Start of Lane County,

Oregon, has maintained a Web site, offering information about its program to the Head Start community and to the general public. The Web also

enables program staff and parents to access information and resources that would otherwise be

unavailable to them.

I hope I can convince you that building a

Web site for your local program is neither difficult

nor expensive, and that it is a wonderful way to

collaborate with the entire Head Start community

and to promote Head Start nationwide.

From Modest Beginnings...

Head Start of Lane County’s first Web site, offering

little more than basic information about both

Head Start nationally and our local program, was

hosted at no cost by Eugene Freenet, our local

Internet service provider (ISP).The site was developed in a few days, hand coded in HTML, the 

“language” of the Web, with WordPerfect 5.1 for

MS-DOS, and posted with little or no fanfare.

Within a few weeks, the site was included in the

Lycos, Yahoo!, and the other search engines, and

we began to receive visitors and electronic mail

from outside our organization.

Over the next year we updated and modestly expanded the site, but it never grew beyond

a few dozen documents and a collection of links.

Then late in the 1996–1997 program year,

we decided to establish a full-time connection to

the Internet and to shift to an Internet-standard

electronic mail system. This move allowed us to

dramatically expand our Web site.We envisioned

a site that could be a resource to both Head Start

families and Head Start staff, and could grow to

include much, if not all, of the information the

organization provides to staff and to children 

and families.

Content for the site is created with

Netscape Composer (available for free as part of

Netscape Communicator 4) or with Microsoft

Word 97 or one of the other applications in the

Microsoft Office 97 suite. Some pages—including

our home page—are still hand coded (or at least

hand corrected).We have recently received donations of Adobe Photoshop and Adobe Acrobat

from Gifts in Kind International and look forward

to using them to improve the site.

Last year we redesigned our Web site,

hoping to make it easier to use and maintain.After

much discussion, we chose to integrate some

recent technologies, using frames, JavaScript, and

purchasing a $99 Java navigation applet (an abbreviated application of pre-formatted Web software).

Both our staff and visitors were generally pleased

with the new site, but after many people reported

problems with the applet, we removed it.

We have also developed a Web “portal” for

Head Start of Lane County staff and volunteers.

This portal is the “home page” for our staff. It

includes program information and updates,

newsletters, calendars, meeting minutes, forms,

links to useful information both on our own Web

site and elsewhere on the Internet, and a Webbased interface to staff Internet e-mail and several databases. With a few clicks, staff can post news

and calendar items directly to the portal, where

they can be viewed by everyone in the organization.

Policy

The most difficult aspect of building our Web site

was not technical,but political.Once we decided to

expand the site to include a wide variety of information, the question became,“What information is

appropriate to include, and what is not appropriate

for general distribution on the Web?” Although the

Web site enjoys the support of our executive

director, crafting a policy that addresses the concerns of leadership and our board of directors

while not unnecessarily restricting the development of the site has been, and continues to be, a

challenge. Our goal has been to create a policy that

permits an open exchange of information between

Head Start staff and volunteers, parents, and the

public while guaranteeing that nothing published on

the site reflects poorly on either the organization

or the national Head Start program.

The current policy, the fifth draft of which is

now in use, outlines the process by which documents are prepared and approved for publication

Head Start Programs and the World Wide Web

By Tim Rogers
8 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

also to the relevant Program Performance

Standards.All of this information is available at the

click of a button! Since then, we have posted everything from Policy Council by-laws to job openings

and descriptions to community resources.

We have also found that the Web site can be

a powerful tool for collaboration within the larger

Head Start community. By working together and

sharing what we can, each Head Start program can

better focus on those aspects of its community

that most need attention. Head Start programs

should be willing, even eager, to work together,

seeing one another not as competitors but as collaborators and teammates in a common project. It

is our duty not only to help our program succeed,

but to help every Head Start program serve the

children and families in its area. Everything that

one Head Start program produces—every policy,

every presentation, every handout and every manual—can be made available to any other Head

Start program, or to anyone else who might be

interested, through a Web site.

Another important benefit of a Web site is

the education it provides to the general public

about Head Start. In the five years that our 

organization has offered a Web site in one form or

another we have received dozens of e-mail 

messages from people—students, parents, and the

curious—from across the country, asking for more

information about something that they read on

our site.Thousands and thousands more have simply visited the site.

Recommendations for

Building Your Own Web Site

1. Start Small. If you or your organization 

has an Internet connection, your Internet

Service Provider (ISP) almost certainly

offers space for a small Web site at no

additional cost.Ask how to use it.

2. Use the tools you already have. While

outstanding tools for creating and

maintaining Web sites have become 

available in the past few years, you don’t

need them. Software that is either already

installed on your computer or available for

free through the Internet is more than good

on the Web site. It

defines topics that

either are prohibited

or require permission from leadership

or the individuals

involved. In brief, it

allows the executive

director to delegate

daily responsibility

for the Web site to a

“Webmaster” (think

“postmaster”) responsible to her and

to the board of directors. No material may

be posted on the

Web site except by

the Webmaster. The

Webmaster reviews

all material before it

is posted and is

responsible for ensuring that no material

deemed inappropriate by the Web site

policy (e.g., political

or copyrighted materials, confidential information)

is posted to the Web site.

The Webmaster also works with the Web

Site Design Team, composed of interested staff

members and parents, to develop the overall

appearance and structure of the Web site. The

group, working with others in the organization,

also finds or develops the content of the site, subject to the Web site policy.

Benefits

Head Start of Lane County originally developed its

Web site to help us to communicate better with

our staff, volunteers, families, and community. And

we believe that it has. Several years ago, for example, we revised and updated our Policy and

Procedure Manual and, instead of creating paper

manuals, posted it on our Web site.This allowed us

to index and cross-reference each policy not only

to all other related policies and work plans, but
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 9

Technology

enough. If you use Microsoft Internet

Explorer, try FrontPage Express. If you use

Netscape Communicator, try Composer.

Or try the “Save as HTML” option under

“File” in Microsoft Word 97 and most other

recent word processors. Once saved 

in HTML, the document is ready 

to be posted on the Web.

3. Collaborate. Work with others inside 

your organization, in your community and,

using the Internet, across the nation. If any

of your staff members have made their own

Web sites, ask them to help. Consider

working with other non-profit organizations

in your area. One may be willing to help you

develop or maintain a Web site in return for

your help in some other area. Commercial

Web site design firms may be willing to

donate their expertise. Likewise, local

college students—and maybe even high

school students—may have expertise to

contribute.And other Head Start programs

should certainly be willing to help.

Tim Rogers (trogers@head-start.lane.or.us) is the 

network administrator at Head Start of Lane County. He

provides comprehensive computer and network training

and support for 200 staff and volunteers at 20 sites and

four networks throughout Lane County, Oregon. He is

also the primary architect of Head Start of Lane County’s

Web site: www.head-start.lane.or.us/.

Resources

Head Start of Lane County has a number of

resources available on its Web site, including:

• Head Start and the Internet, which

familiarizes program administrators and other

leadership staff with some of the possibilities

and pitfalls of an Internet-based network, and

provides computer support staff with a sort of

road map to implementing such a network.

• Connecting People, which explores 

how the Head Start community could use

the Internet to improve collaboration —

both inside and outside each program —

as well as some of the issues raised by these

technologies.

• Computer and Network Information,

which provides detailed information about

Head Start of Lane County’s computer and

network systems, as well as our future plans.

There are, of course, hundreds of books 

and thousands of Internet resources on this

subject available today. These are just 

two examples:

A Beginner’s Guide to HTML 

www.ncsa.uiuc.edu/General/Internet/WW

W/HTMLPrimer.html. This is a primer for

producing documents in HTML.The guide is

intended to be an introduction to using

HTML and creating files for the Web.

Links are provided to additional information.

An Interactive Tutorial 

for Beginners

www.davesite.com/Webstation/html. This

tutorial is for those who are serious about

learning HTML, so they can have their own

home page and maybe eventually their own

Web site. It is not for HTML experts, but

they might have fun and learn something

new anyway! You need not have any prior

experience in HTML, but it assumes you

know how to do basic things with your computer, such as word processing.

Additional resources are listed on p. 23 in the

Resources section of this Bulletin.
10 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

Many Head Start programs around

the country are developing Web

sites to heighten communication

within their programs, within their communities, and with the general public.Though these

sites vary widely in their content, focus, and

purpose, each program has achieved a comprehensive, user-friendly site that will represent the good work they do with children and

families. The process that each program went

through to get to this point also varies.The following highlights will give you insight into the

ways that your program can initiate a Web site

and move into the technical age.

Upper East Tennessee Head Start 

Kingsport,Tennessee

www.uppereasttnhs.com

The Upper East Tennessee Head Start decided to develop a Web site over two

years ago when staff realized the need for more information about the good work

that Head Start does. Upper East collaborated with a small up-and-coming firm

that was looking to get into the Web business. This company agreed to provide

Upper East with a free Web site for one year as a test market for 

its services. Recently, Upper East has contracted with a Web expert, Bud Creech,

who maintains and develops the Web site through in-kind contributions.The Head

Start program has found this arrangement very effective because Bud has the time

necessary to keep the Web site current, one of the program’s main concerns.

When Upper East started thinking about developing this site, it was guided

by the Program Performance Standards. Originally, the content centered around

the seven component areas. Since then it has been revised to reflect the revised

Standards, focusing on Program Design and Management, Family and Community

Partnerships, and Early Childhood Development and Health Services.

Upper East has found having a Web site to be very useful. It has received

feedback from across the region and the country, and the site has been an effective marketing tool at the local level. Upper East plans to update it often and make

it as user-friendly as possible.

For more information, contact Steve Courtner, Upper East Tennessee Head Start Director, at

T: 423-246-6180.

Web Innovations in the Regions
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 11

Technology

Sacramento Employment

and Training Agency 

(SETA) Head Start

Sacramento, California

http://headstart.seta.net/

When SETA was trying to think about

new and effective ways to increase 

public awareness about its services,

staff began to develop the idea of creating a Web site. Since no one on staff

felt comfortable or had enough time to

devote to this project, SETA decided to

hire an outside consultant to develop

and maintain the site. Head Start staff

writes the content for the page, each

member focusing on her or his area of

expertise, and they give the text to the

consultant to post. Denise Lee,

Program Officer at SETA, feels that it is

very important to have a person in

charge of this project who can keep

the information up-to-date. This is

especially important when you’re talking about time-sensitive

issues such as job openings.

SETA really wanted to

highlight the innovative services that it provides to the

local community, to help

open avenues of collaboration with local agencies and

child care. SETA markets its

site heavily, including the

Web address on all of its flyers, posters,

publications, and handouts

that they provide to the

community. Lee recommends that, when you’re

developing a site, you try to

highlight the uniqueness of your program and community to set yourself

apart.And again, it is important to have

someone in charge of the project who

can devote the time that is necessary

to keep the site current and useful.

For more information, contact Denise Lee,

Program Officer at SETA, at T: 916-263-

3916, E: denise@headstart.seta.net .

Economic Opportunity

Corporation of Greater 

St. Joseph

St. Joseph, Missouri

www.eoccaa.org/

A little over three years ago the

Economic Opportunity Corporation

(EOC) Head Start of Greater St.Joseph,

Missouri, decided to develop a Web site

to provide information on Head Start

and their program in a new way.

Even though EOC had a general

idea of what to feature on its site, it 

was still a challenge to nail down the

particulars. It took many meetings and

much deliberation for EOC to choose

its site’s content. For this reason, Jeff

Carolus, EOC’s information systems

manager, recommends sitting down and

thinking about content first: who you’re

trying to reach, what information you

want people to have, and what aspects

of your program you want to highlight.

Once EOC decided on the 

content, the transition to the Web

proved to be relatively smooth. EOC

already had the technology to create 

a site and Jeff was available to develop

it. This meant limited set-up costs,

so the site was a cost-effective project

for EOC.

That isn’t to say that EOC didn’t

need some guidance along the way.

Once Jeff started developing the site,

he found a lot of information available

on the World Wide Web.

Jeff continues to maintain the 

site today, and says that the biggest 

challenge is finding the time to make

changes and updates. It is important, he

says, to think about what information

the broader community will need and

continually update the site as requests

for more information come in.

For more information, contact Jeff Carolus,

Information Systems Manager, at T: 816-

233-8281, E: jeff@eoccaa.org.
12 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

We are moving from a period

of rapid change into a period

of radical change. Computers

now exhibit the rudiments of human

intelligence. Information is transmitted

around the globe in seconds. We 

are surrounded by rapidly evolving

technologies, and we can’t keep running

faster. Today that’s a strategy of diminishing returns. So is working harder.

What are the skills, knowledge,

and experiences children in Head Start

need to be prepared to take their

places in a world facing this magnitude

of change? How can technology help to

ensure that today’s education will help

children meet the requirements of the

21st century?

We need to work “smarter” by

helping teachers use technology as a

tool. How can we do this? By offering

training and support to teachers that

assists them in:

• Selecting software that reflects

educational goals;

• Using software that provides

open-ended activities and

problem-solving experiences;

• Linking computer activities with

hands-on classroom materials; and 

• Using the computer as a tool for

their own work.

Let’s look at the history of computers

in Head Start.

Milestones: Personal

Computer Use in Head Start

1981—IBM Corporation Personal

Computer introduced.

1983—National Head Start Association

Conference includes an exhibit with

administrative and child-tracking software applications running on IBM

Personal Computers. During the

remainder of the 1980s, several more

developers create Head Start-specific

software to meet the Program Information Requirements (PIR) and other

management and administrative needs.

1984—Head Start Task Force convenes

to explore classroom use of computers with young children. Due to the

lack of appropriate software applications for young children, the task force

invokes a moratorium on purchasing

classroom computers with Head Start

funds.

1986—Head Start Bureau and the IBM

and MOBIUS Corporations begin discussions on revisiting the moratorium

on Head Start use of computers in

classrooms.

1987—Head Start and IBM establish a

partnership to explore issues around

classroom computer use. MOBIUS

coordinates a three-year formative

evaluation of nine grantees, a

University of Maryland lab school, and

a California state-funded preschool

program. The research includes a

review of over 120 software programs

and data collection in more than 60

early childhood classrooms nationally.

1990—The Head Start Bureau lifts the

classroom computer moratorium, citing results of the Head Start/IBM

Partnership Project. Head Start programs with an interest in technology

can now acquire computers and software for classroom use. A report of

the research, Computers in Head Start

Classrooms (published by MOBIUS),

and the official memorandum are distributed to every Head Start grantee.

1993—NAEYC convenes a Technology

Panel to consider issues related to the

use of computers with young children

and to develop a position statement

concerning appropriate use of technology in early childhood education.

1994—The Head Start Bureau requests

that MOBIUS update the original

research and publish copies of 

the revised Computers in Head 

Start Classrooms.

1996—NAEYC publishes its position

statement on technology and young

children, providing broad principles

for software selection and appropriate use.

1996—ACF joins the Department of

Education and issues Performance

Standards that apply to Head Start and

Title I programs throughout the U.S.

1997—Region IV Technical Assistance

Center sponsors a regional conference focused on technology use in

Head Start programs.

1997—Nike Corporation partners with

the National Head Start Association

to establish the Start Line technology

grant program to support classroom

computer use in Head Start.

1998—National Head Start Association

sponsors the first Technology

Conference for Head Start programs

nationally.

1999—Second National Head Start

Association Technology Conference

held in suburban Washington, D.C.

Head Start recognizes that technological literacy is becoming the standard in

our country. Head Start has an important role in preparing children for a lifetime of computer use, which is just as

essential today as teaching them the

basics of literacy and numeracy. You 

are encouraged to take advantage of

technology in supporting children and

families in your Head Start program.

Suzanne Thouvenelle is a faculty associate of

the Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore,

MD, and a founding partner of MOBIUS

Corporation, a software publishing company

in Alexandria,VA. She was a member of the

1993 NAEYC Technology Panel and has

extensive experience developing computerbased curriculum for early childhood educators and young children.

Technology: Transportation into the 21st Century

By Suzanne Thouvenelle
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 13

Technology

Web sites abound and meet a

variety of needs.They provide

an effective vehicle to present

a consistent message about services

and programs. Web publication saves

printing costs, and referring students

and other callers to the Web site can

reduce staff time answering common

program questions. But the key question

remains: how useful does your audience

find the information provided?

“Web usability”—lingo used to

define what makes a Web page useful—

provides some common answers for

content development on the Web. Of

primary importance, content needs to

be relevant,timely,and credible.Graphics

can assist in providing information or in

navigating the site. Testing your Web

pages on your audience can provide

feedback for improvement.

Content

To be useful to an Internet audience, a

Web site must deliver entertainment 

or knowledge or improve the way its

audience accomplishes some important

task. The members of your audience

need to quickly find what they’re looking for and do what they want to do.

Using common news-oriented

writing skills can enhance content

developed for the Web.Answer the key

questions first and write concisely.

Identify key items by:

• Highlighting words

• Using meaningful subheadings

• Bulleting lists

• Dating materials and providing

links to other Web pages that may

be of interest to your audience.

Often the materials made available on

Web sites by government agencies cannot be rewritten for a Web audience.

Policy or audit procedure documents,

for example, are written to educate an

audience about an activity.These documents follow different writing styles, but

stylistic aids can still be employed 

within them to help the audience find

key items.

Graphics

A picture is worth a thousand words,

but only if used wisely. Graphics can

provide valuable information about the

material in quickly accessible ways and

can help your audience find where they

want to go. Poor use of images, however, can be a hindrance. Web pages that

dazzle the viewer can be distracting and

can hide important information. Also,

over-reliance on images may turn an

audience away because each image in a

page will increase the time it takes 

to load.

Feedback

Usability testing, a process for getting

feedback from your audience on your

Web materials, provides input for Web

page design and content. A variety of

methods, varying from simple to complex, are available to test the usefulness

of materials.

Given the opportunity, your audience will provide feedback about the

materials presented. If they cannot find

the information they want, they will tell

you. A feedback mechanism can be as

simple as an e-mail address.

The host computer for your Web

page can provide a log of audience

activity. Web log analysis through 

commercial off-the-shelf products

yields information about the members

of your audience and the information

they want. The analysis can identify

which pages are accessed most or least

frequently, track the number of pages

your audience views before leaving the

site, and identify the type of Internet

accounts your audience is using.

Other methods of testing include

observing a representative group of 

volunteers navigating through the 

materials, conducting a treasure hunt of

your materials with a representative

group, and surveying your customers.

At the time this article was written,

Margreta Silverstone was a Public Affairs

Specialist in ACF’s Office of Public 

Affairs.This article first appeared in Child

Support Report, August 1998.

Making Your Web Site Useful

By Margreta Silverstone

In designing your Web site:

• Only use graphics critical 

to content

• Limit images used solely 

for visual appeal

• Keep the total size of all

images on a page to less

than 30K

• Use graphic bullets 

purposefully

• Supply alternate text for 

graphic navigation buttons.
14 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

T he Web is growing as an 

important learning tool, but 

currently it is not accessible to

everybody, and this is especially true for

persons with disabilities. That’s why

Bobby is here to help.

Bobby is a tool that can help

make your Web site accessible to the

largest number of people possible,

including persons with disabilities.

Bobby points out barriers to information;

for example, people who are blind 

cannot access information that is 

provided solely by visual images such as

graphics, and deaf people cannot access

information portrayed through audio

files that do not have captions.

Bobby uses the World Wide Web

Consortium’s Web Content Accessibility

Guidelines to judge if a particular Web

page is accessible to people with 

disabilities. Some examples of these

guidelines include providing text 

transcriptions of audio files, ensuring

that documents are clear and simple,

creating a consistent style between

pages, and providing clear navigation

mechanisms.

In addition, Bobby looks for a

Web site’s compatibility with various

browsers and HTML 4.0, and for slow

load times. Once you have asked Bobby

to analyze your Web site, you will be

provided with a report on the accessibility of your site, outlining problems

that affect the ability of people with 

disabilities to use the page.Also, you will

receive an annotated version of the

Web page with markers pointing out

the particular points that have a problem

with disability access or browser 

compatibility.An access problem makes

it hard for a person with a disability to

access a page’s information. A Web site

will only be approved if it has no accessibility problems.

There are two versions of Bobby.

One is an on-line tool that analyzes

individual Web pages posted on the

Internet. The second is the Bobby

Application that is run on your personal computer to check the Web sites on

it.The Application can check entire sites

and is much more efficient for largescale accessibility testing. It is also easier to fix any accessibility problems

before a site has been posted.

Once your Web site has received

Bobby’s approval, you can post the

“Bobby Approved” icon on your site.

This icon identifies the site as a model

accessible Web site. It also raises

awareness of disability issues and

encourages others to look into Bobby

and its applications. It can be downloaded from the Bobby Web page.

The Bobby assessment tool is

having a large impact. It is currently

being used by people all around the

world to test more than three million

Web pages each month.

Bobby was created by the Center

for Applied Special Technology (CAST),

a not-for-profit organization founded to

expand opportunities for people with

disabilities through computer technology. CAST is involved in both product

development and applied research

towards this end, with Bobby being only

a small part of its work.

To find out more about Bobby

you can visit CAST’s Web site at

www.cast.org/bobby/. Here you will find

links to information on CAST, a detailed

description of Bobby, and instructions

on how to use this important tool.

For more information, contact Michael

Cooper at CAST at T: 978-531-8555 or visit

CAST’s Web site at www.cast.org.

Web Accessibility: 

Has Bobby Been to Your Web Site?

CAST created Bobby, a Webbased program, to address the

following objectives:

• To encourage the implementation

of the Unified Web Accessibility

Guidelines by providing a simple

tool for Web designers;

• To raise awareness about disability access on the Web; and

• To provide a model of universal

design and to illustrate its principles on the Web.
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 15

Technology

I

n a remote area in Minnesota lies

Northwest Head Start. This rural

Head Start program in Badger,

Minnesota, serves 300 children and 

families through locally designed combination program options. It also faces

the same challenges of most rural Head

Start programs—accessing resources

and creating a strong communication

system for its staff and families.

Mark Carlson, Head Start

Director, sees technology and the

Internet as a perfect way to close gaps

within the 6,500 square miles his program covers.About six years

ago, Northwest Head Start

decided to equip each of its

home visitors with a personal

notebook computer to take

into homes and work with

children and parents. These

computers allow teachers to

provide children with developmentally appropriate

activities while also sparking their interest in computers and how they work.

And while this time is not used as oneon-one training for parents, they too

can become familiar with the way that

computers work, how they feel, and

basic ways to manipulate common

operating systems as they work with

their children. With this exposure in a

non-threatening environment, parents

and children can feel comfortable with

technology and learn to appreciate its

uses and benefits.

Families’ access to the world of

technology was expanded three years

ago when Northwest Head Start developed its Web site and home visitors

began plugging into the Internet in 

parents’ homes.This is possible through

a unique agreement developed between

Northwest and its local telephone

company that allows home visitors to

dial into the Internet from any location

in their area under one Head Start

account. Both staff and parents can

sometimes feel very isolated in their

communities, and this connection to

the Internet gives them the chance 

to feel connected to the broader 

community while learning invaluable

Internet skills.

This is, in fact, one of the primary

goals of the site. In thinking about its

purpose, Northwest decided to focus

its content on ways to improve working

with children and families in their local

community. Carlson wants to help 

eliminate the view that there is 

an insurmountable gap between 

low-income families and the world of

technology. “Our families may not have

a $2,000 computer in their home,”

states Carlson, “but if they did, they

would feel comfortable with it.”

Northwest Head Start’s families do not

feel that the world of technology is a

foreign land outside of their reach—

they do not have that sense of being

“left out.” It is this basic feeling of competence that Carlson wants to foster.

In addition to its Web site and its

work during home visits, Northwest

offers technology training and referrals

to parents. Through a cooperative

agreement with community education

agencies in the area, computer classes

are available to Head Start parents.

Northwest also works with volunteers

to provide basic computer training.

Carlson has found that parents are very

interested in this type of training—he

can tell by all the calls that he receives

asking for help loading a program or

using an older computer! 

Many of these calls come from

parents of special-needs children.

Northwest has given about 15 families

with special-needs children older 

computers to use in their homes.

Northwest sends out a computer 

technician, usually Carlson, who sets up

the computer and shows parents how

to use it and how to solve common computer problems. He also gets

them online so they can research their

child’s disability and resources available

in their community.There are also many

Internet “chat” groups formed around

specific conditions, so that

families can “talk” with other

families facing the same issues.

In the future, Carlson

hopes to have every family

hooked up to the Internet with

e-mail capabilities. “Today

phone lines are a almost a

given,” he said,“and one day so

will Internet connections.” It is

this type of forward thinking that is

moving his community into the technological era smoothly.

Technology is the buzzword of

this decade—and for good reason. It is

a tool that allows people to work and

make connections in ways that were

never possible before. Northwest Head

Start uses this tool to improve its services to children and families to

improve children’s education, to help

staff and parents connect with the

broader community, and to help families

move into the 21st century. But 

as Carlson is quick to point out, it is 

not and will never be a replacement for

the important hands-on work of Head

Start programs.

For more information, contact Mark Carlson,

Northwest Head Start Director, at T: 218-

528-3227 or E: mcarlson@nwcaa.org. Visit

the Northwest Head Start Web site at

www.rrv.net/nwheadstart.

Technology

Helping Families Become Computer Literate

“Don’t ever think anything is

impossible; don’t ever close

doors on possibilities.” 

—Mark Carlson, Director,

Northwest Community Action Inc. Head Start
16 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

I

n an age where more than half of all new jobs

require some technology skills, low-income

neighborhoods are mobilizing to make sure

residents get the skills they need to earn a living.

Neighborhood Networks in communities across

the country are increasing resident self-sufficiency,

expanding job opportunities, and creating life-long

learning communities.

What Is a Neighborhood Network?

Neighborhood Networks, an initiative of the U.S.

Department of Housing and Urban Development

(HUD), brings together a variety of public and 

private organizations and community residents 

to create computerized learning centers tailored

to meet the needs of community residents.

A Neighborhood Network Center (NNC) 

can provide:

• Computer literacy and job training skills

• Access to job data banks

• A variety of early childhood programs

• Adult education opportunities

• Personal, motivational, and 

job-training software

• A means for developing micro-enterprises,

such as data entry

• Connections to people and resources 

in the community

HUD has launched 490 NNCs over the past four

years, and some 760 more are planned. The 

program has been so successful that the U.S.

Department of Education hopes to create 600

similar centers in the next few years.

How Can I Get a Neighborhood

Network Started in My

Community?

Neighborhood Networks outlines a five-step

process for establishing an NNC:

• Form an NNC Steering Committee including residents and selected members of the

broader community, and decide upon a governance structure.

• Identify the needs, goals, and interests of

neighborhood residents, take an inventory of

community institutions that could be NNC

partners, and build partnerships.

• Design programs to match the needs, goals,

and interests of neighborhood residents and

the resources available from existing

community institutions.

• Develop a business plan that maps out the

NNC’s operational and financial

assumptions, so that interested parties and

contributors can “buy into” the effort.

Neighborhood Networks is not a grant program,

so local support is vital.To ensure the success of

an NNC, local businesses, government, educational

institutions, private foundations, and other community organizations need to donate computers

and software and provide capital funding.

While the HUD-sponsored program is

aimed specifically at HUD-assisted or HUDinsured housing, a multitude of resources, “how

to” guides, newsletters, and information are 

available on the Neighborhood Networks Web

site, www.NeighborhoodNetworks.org. These

resources are useful to anyone thinking about

developing a similar kind of community learning

initiative.

For additional information, or to find a Neighborhood

Network Center near you, call the Neighborhood

Networks Information Center at 1-888-312-2743.

Neighborhood Networks Work!
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 17

Technology

As the Early Head Start learning

community continues to grow

dramatically in numbers and

locations, distance education has

become a key component of the development and service elements of the

Early Head Start mission. Distance

learning helps staff reach out to a

broader community and brings multidisciplinary expertise to EHS programs.

The Early Head Start National

Resource Center (EHS NRC) has developed a menu of T/TA opportunities that

uses distance learning technologies.

These opportunities will be expanded as

EHS programs acquire the capacity to

make cost-effective use of increasingly

sophisticated technologies for training

staff and improving program quality.

Television Broadcast Series

The EHS NRC’s 1999 Infant and Toddler

Distance Learning Series launched its

Television Broadcast Series in May 1999.

This initiative reflects the developing

collaboration between EHS NRC and

RISE (Resources and Instruction for

Staff Excellence, Inc.), using the NHSA

Heads Up! Network to connect EHS

sites to the broadcasts.

The first two programs explored

process and curriculum for home visiting initiatives:

• “Effective Home Visiting,

Part I” focused on the use of

relation-based intervention in

home visitation, explored parentchild interactive techniques, and

discussed strategies for nurturing

the nurturer.

• “Effective Home Visiting,

Part II” addressed effective

home visiting with pregnant

women, explored curriculum

approaches to home visiting, and

examined parent-infant mental

health strategies.

The next three programs addressed

developmentally appropriate curriculum

through the eyes and needs of the child

and the community. The Head Start

Program Performance Standards’ definition of curriculum and requirements

underscores the content and recommended strategies.

• “What Curriculum Means 

to Infants and Toddlers”

discussed how curriculum relates

to the care of infants, what we

know about how and what infants

are learning, what we know 

about how infants learn best 

from research, and the infant’s

role in the process of learning.

• “Developing Curriculum

Plans for Infants and

Toddlers” examined the 

caregiver’s role as the facilitator 

of learning, the use of infant’s curriculum in planning, the application

of observation in planning, and the

practice of keeping a curriculum

journal to support appropriate

programming.

• “Curriculum in Action”

shared experiences in curriculum

development, discussed specific

challenges and successes,

explored a development process

for designing infant toddler

curriculum, and featured lessons

learned from two established

Early Head Start programs.

The programs, broadcast between May

and September 1999, provided 90 

minutes of information designed to 

support Early Head Start program and

staff development. Through a relationship with the Council for Early

Childhood Professional Recognition,

EHS NRC offered CDA clock-hour

credits for those Early Head Start staff

working toward their Infant Toddler

Credential.

Audio-Conference Series

The Audio-Conference Series, held

from July through September 1999,

promoted peer learning through 

conference calls.

• “Program Directors: Sharing

Our Strengths” described the

experiences of established program EHS directors and factors

that contributed to the success of

their programs, specifically during

the implementation year.

• “Together, How We Grow”

discussed why and how quality

assurance measures become

essential components of 

successful collaborations with 

EHS partnering agencies.

• “Getting Together with

Parent and Child” explored 

the characteristics of quality

socialization experiences for 

children, parents, and the staff 

of EHS programs.

As technology makes possible new

approaches to the teaching and learning

process, the Early Head Start National

Resource Center is stepping forward 

to meet the challenge. The EHS NRC

will continue these distance learning

events in 2000 as part of its commitment to continuous improvement 

in the quality of services provided to

pregnant women, infants, toddlers, and

their families.

Mary M. LaManitia served as Assistant

Director at the EHS NLR. Stefanie 

Powers is Senior Program Assistant 

at the EHS NLR, T: 202-638-1144,

E:s.powers@zerotothree.org. For more information on the video and audio 1999 Infant

and Toddler Distance Learning Series,contact

Everette Shupe at e.shupe@zerotothree.org.

Distance Learning and the 

Early Head Start Community

By Mary M. LaMantia and Stefanie Powers
18 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

Q: What is the HeadsUp!Network?

A: The HeadsUp! Network, presented by the National Head

Start Association, is a satellite

television network exclusively

dedicated to the training needs

of the Head Start and early

childhood professionals and

parents.The HeadsUp! Network

was established to:

• Create opportunities 

for consistent, shared

learning experiences;

• Connect programs with

Head Start Bureau staff 

and national experts on a

regular basis;

• Provide the latest information relevant to the quality

growth of programs; and

• Inform about outside

events affecting Head Start

programs, families, and

communities.

The HeadsUp! Network provides cost-effective training and

professional development to

Head Start and early childhood

centers across America and its

territories. Courses cover such

topics as program management,

health, special needs, infant/toddler development, and parenting

issues. Teachers and education

coordinators can learn how to

guide early literacy skills,

strengthen parent relationships,

create active learning environments, and much more.

Q: How much does it cost?

A: A subscription to the HeadsUp!Network costs $50 a month,

plus a one-time installation fee

(from $40 to $300 per site).

Where else can you get premium, hour-long training for only

$4.16 a session?

Q: Where is it available?

A: You can receive training right in your center. Once connected,

simply tune in to “903” the

HeadsUp! channel.

Q: What equipment is required formy center?

A: All you need is a television largeenough to accommodate the

staff viewing the programs. For

20-40 viewers, a 30-inch screen

is recommended. You receive

the satellite dish system free of

charge with your subscription.

This system enables you to tune

in to the broadcasts.

Q: When is the training held?

A: Training is broadcast 12 hours amonth — approximately three

hours a week, in the afternoons

and evenings.

Q: Where is the training taped?

A: Most of the training you’ll seewas conducted at the HeadsUp!

studio or at programs across

the country. One hour a month

is dedicated to bringing you the

latest early childhood news and

information. This is a live call-in

show that gives you the opportunity to speak to the guests,

audience, and other viewers

nationwide.

Q: How does HeadsUp! benefitstaff and parents?

A: The HeadsUp! Network offersthe chance to receive highquality, inexpensive training year

round. This is one step to help

ensure the highest quality education for your children by

preparing staff and parents to

meet their needs.

Q: Can I receive continuing education (CEU) and other credit(s)?

A: Yes. HeadsUp! Training is CEUapproved for a minimum of four

hours per series. There is an

additional fee for CEUs.You can

also earn credit toward your

CDA. In Winter 2000, college

credit curriculum will be added.

If you have any questions or to subscribe to

the HeadsUp! Network, call (800) GETHUTV (438-4888) or visit the Web site at

www.heads-up.org.

The HeadsUp! Network
HSFIS, the Head Start Family

Information System, is a fully

automated, standardized software package designed by Head Start

for Head Start. It supports a case management information system approach

to needs assessment and service delivery.

Information in the HSFIS system

can help Head Start programs determine eligibility for enrollment, identify

family service needs, provide programlevel demographic statistics, and track

delivery of services to Head Start families.

HSFIS is also intended to assist Head

Start programs in meeting local and 

federal reporting requirements.

HSFIS is available free of charge

to Head Start programs. The software

can be downloaded from the Cleverex

technical assistance Web site (www.cleverex.com).To receive software updates,

training and technical assistance, and to

be placed on a special HSFIS mailing list,

programs should notify their Regional

Office or Quality Improvement Center

(QIC) HSFIS liaison as soon as they

become HSFIS users.

The Web site also includes:

• Online training conference

registration;

• Online problem/idea report log

for HSFIS users; HSFIS

software/report downloads; and

• A discussion group addressing

such topics as current HSFIS use,

HSFIS 4.0 proposed features,

Migrant Head Start, Early Head

Start, Crystal Reports, and the 

PIR module.

Training and 

Technical Support

More than 1100 Head Start agencies

are currently implementing HSFIS.

Cleverex is conducting HSFIS software

training at its facility in Rockville,

Maryland, through March 2000. For

more information about the training

sessions available, call 301-738-1122 or

visit the Web site.

Each Regional Office and Quality

Improvement Center has a designated

HSFIS liaison to assist programs in

obtaining automation funding and 

technical support. For more technical

information about HSFIS, please contact

the HSFIS Technical Support Center 

at HSFIS@cleverex.com or call 301-

738-1122.

Feedback from HSFIS users has

been essential to its growth and development. Information and ideas are 

regularly solicited from program users,

regional and central office federal staff,

Quality Improvement Center staff, and

contractors. The many comments and

suggestions received over the past

seven years have given us a greater

understanding of your needs, and 

HSFIS continues to refine and enhance

the software and technical support 

and training.

Support is currently being provided

to HSFIS users in a variety of ways,

including user group conference calls

with CTI/Cleverex technical support

staff; regional cluster training and 

discussion groups; on-site training;Web

sites and listserves; and broadcasts on

the Heads Up! Network.

Future plans

A number of initiatives for providing

training and technical support for HSFIS

users are in the works.These include:

• Creating an on-line tutorial;

• Using video conferencing technology to conduct simultaneous

training sessions;

• Developing videotapes 

with lessons on automation/

HSFIS issues;

• Establishing a “HSFIS University”

conference dedicated to HSFIS

and automation issues;

• Making automation part of 

the grantee T&TA plan;

• Conducting training on automation for program specialists at

Regional Offices, including its

effects on funding, staffing, and

other issues;

• Developing clearly defined data

for grantees to use in developing

data collection and reporting 

procedures;

• Providing training for on-site

review teams regarding technology and the use of HSFIS to 

generate data necessary for 

the review process; and

• Developing HSFIS reports that 

are more management focused

(e.g., aggregate rather than

individual data).

HSFIS has grown tremendously over

the past seven years, both in functionality and comprehension. We encourage

you to continue to apprise us of

changes in your use of the software —

as you grow, we grow.Together, we will

meet the challenges ahead.

Paolo Angulo is Training and Technical

Assistance Team Leader at Cleverex,T: 301-

738-1122, E: paolo@cleverex.com.

National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 19

Technology

HSFIS Update

by Paolo Angulo
20 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

Did you know there is an online

source for Head Start publications and materials? It’s the Web

site http://www.hskids-tmsc.org, developed by the Head Start Publications

Management Center (HSPMC). It was

launched in April 1999 and is one more

avenue for HSPMC to provide vital materials and information to local programs

and the wider Head Start community.

HOW CAN YOU USE 

THE WEB SITE?

Access Information

The HSPMC Web site gives you access

to a wealth of resources and has many

user-friendly features. HSPMC’s objective was to keep the site as straightforward as possible. When local programs

see how easy it is to use, they expect

that more and more grantees will want

to visit them on-line.

The information on the site is organized under five sections: 1) Publications,

2) Conferences, 3) Partnership and

Collaboration, 4) Recruitment and

Awareness, and 5) Information Center.

A map gives an overview of the Web

site so you can see where to locate specific information.You can also search by

“keyword” or subject. (Search for 

“parent involvement,” for example, and

you will find many materials referenced,

including an Information Memorandum

on parent involvement, Head Start

Bulletin, and the Resource Guides.) 

Other user-friendly features of

the site include a text-only option that

allows it to be viewed with some of the

earlier versions of Internet browsers.

The site is also accessible to people

with disabilities. It has received the

“BOBBY” rating, given by the Center for

Applied Special Technology (CAST), to

recognize Web sites that are compatible

with enhancement software used by

disabled persons to access technology.

Join Discussion Groups 

The electronic forums on the HSPMC

Web site give you an opportunity to

join discussion groups with Head Start

colleagues. You can participate in

forums on Early Head Start, Health and

Disabilities, Technology, Family and

Community Partnerships, or other topics.

How you decide to participate is up to

you. You can share ideas, pose questions, discover colleagues with similar

interests, or gain insight from the viewpoints expressed.

Download Materials

You can download material from the

site in various formats, including full text

(for faster printing of documents without graphics), and Portable Document

Format (PDF), which preserves a document’s original graphics and page layout.

Order Online

The HSPMC site gives you access to the

Catalog of Head Start Materials and

makes it easy to order any catalog

materials online. Since the launch of the

site in April, online orders from Head

Start programs have grown steadily

from 55 in the first month to now 

more than 200 per month. “The online

catalog allows you to select what you

need from more than 130 Head Start

publications, videos, materials, and 

training guides,” says Rita Fravel,

HSPMC Internet specialist,“and you can

browse the materials available alphabetically or by subject. Plus, if there is

something you can’t locate or you have

a question, you can send an E-mail 

message via askus@hskids-tmsc.org

and an HSPMC staff person will assist.”

Head Start Materials and Information Online

By Anita Prince and Paula Ralph

What will you find on

the HSPMC Web site?

The Web site gives you

online access to the:

• Catalog of Head 

Start Materials,

• Head Start certificates,

• Partnership and

Collaboration Resources,

• Recruitment and

Awareness Materials,

• Several Training Guides 

• And many other 

valuable services.
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 21

Technology

See us at an upcoming 

conference!

See the Web site for a schedule of 

conferences where HSPMC will be

exhibiting throughout the year. We 

participate in approximately twenty

conferences nationwide each year as

part of our efforts to serve Head Start

programs and to educate communities

about Head Start.

We want your feedback

We are continually updating and refining

the content of the Web site. Significant

enhancements to its search capabilities

and the online catalog are already

underway. But we want to hear how

you think we can make it more useful

to you.Visit the HSPMC Web site today

and often—add us to your bookmarks

and create a link to the HSPMC Web

site from your own Web page.We also

want to hear from you! Please send

your comments to our Webmistress at:

\i\fs24 Webmistress@hskids-tmsc.org.

Anita Prince is Senior Marketing Director and

Paula Ralph is Writer and Publisher Specialist

at the Head Start Publications Management

Center. For more information, contact the

HSPMC at T: 202/737-1030, F: 202/737-

1151,Web site: http://www.hskids-tmsc.org.

WHAT TOOLS WILL

YOU FIND ONLINE 

TO ENHANCE 

YOUR PROGRAM?

Recruitment and Awareness

Visit the HSPMC site for recruitment

and awareness materials, such as a

preschool to kindergarten transition

guide, a tip sheet on recruiting, and public information sheets on Early Head

Start and the CDA credential. In addition, you’ll find downloadable text versions of the Give Your Child A Head Start

and Nurturing the Promise brochures.

Partnership and Collaboration

Links from the HSPMC site will guide

you to a listing of Head Start State

Collaboration Office Directors; to a

directory of grantees on the Head Start

Bureau Website; to Head Start’s Training

and Technical Assistance Network; and

to many other Head Start partners and

family and child care organizations.

Online Resources

HSPMC’s team of information professionals has created online Resource

Guides, Internet Pathfinders, and Tool Kits

which contain valuable information for

you, whether you are a Head Start

director or a program coordinator.

There are Resource Guides on parent

involvement, meeting techniques, and

other topics. Also, there are four tool

kits on Early Head Start, conflict management, transportation, and mental

health.

Look what you’ll find at

www.hskids-tmsc.org

• An Online Catalog of Head 

Start Materials

• Selected Head Start Bulletins

• Full text of all Information

Memorandums (1995-1998)

• Links to the Head Start Bureau

for the Directory of Head Start

Grantees and the Training and

Technical Assistance Network

• Nurturing the Promise and 

Give Your Child a Head Start

brochures (text versions)

• Tool Kits and Resource Guides

on various topics Links to key

national organizations

...and much more!

3 Easy Steps for 

Ordering Online:

1) Browse the online catalog 

for the publications you want 

to order.

2) Complete the online order 

form, entering catalog numbers

for all items.

3) Click on SUBMIT. (Your order

is delivered instantly to the

HSPMC Distribution Center.)
22 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

The Web site for the Early Head

Start National Resource Center

(www.ehsnrc.org) was developed

in 1996 to provide immediate access to

important information and critical

resources. Its main features include:

• EHS Grantees: Provides contact

information for EHS programs

throughout the United States.

• EHS Program Support

Network: Provides contact

information for the Training and

Technical Assistance providers in

the 28 regionally based Quality

Improvement Centers around 

the country.

• EHS NRC Current Events and

Calendar: Includes information

on training events, distance

learning opportunities, resource

documents, listservs, and more.

• Resources: Contains full-text

articles, annotated multi-media

resources, and research abstracts,

and is organized according to 

the Head Start Performance

Standards. Describes and links 

to over 35 related Web sites.

• Information Alert: Provides

vital information to the EHS

community, such as job

opportunities, funding

announcements, and consumer

product safety recalls.

• Bulletin Boards: Facilitate

discussion among members of the

EHS community.There are five

bulletin boards, or discussion

groups, on key areas of interest:

Director’s Board, Delivering EHS

Services through Home Visiting,

Training Tips and Strategies, Using

Reflective Supervision, and

EHS/Child Care Partnerships.

In addition, the Web site contains background information about Head Start,

the EHS initiative, and the national evaluation of Early Head Start. Programs

are encouraged to visit the site at

www.ehsnrc.org to experience this

valuable, dynamic resource.

Early Head Start Web Site

RESOURCES

HSFIS 4.0 is Here!

HSFIS, the Head Start Family

Information System, provides Head

Start programs with free software to

meet program information management needs.Version 4.0 was released in

November 1999 and includes the following new features:

• PIR Highlights are incorporated

throughout the software.

• Custom Report Writer users

to create their own reports inside

the HSFIS software. For the experienced user, Crystal Reports will

still be a viable way to create

more detailed customized

reports.

• Re-engineered Intake Forms

for even easier use.

• Improved Letter/Labels

Module tracks letters 

previously sent.

• Powerful New Family

Browser has expended search

criteria and enables users to

add/retrieve data on any form

without switching modules.

• New Center Browser centralizes all center/class/caseload/

group-related functions in one

location, making it easier to use

the system.

• Custom Immunization

Schedule for tracking

state/regional specific vaccines.

• CD-ROM Distribution to

reduce file corruption and allow

easier/quicker software installation.

Minimum requirements to use HSFIS

4.0 are: (1) Windows 95/98/NT; (2)

Pentium 133 MHZ; and (3) 32 MB

RAM. The software is free to Head

Start programs. For more information,

visit the Web site at

www.cleverex.com, or contact the

HSFIS Technical Assistance Center at

301-738-1122.
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 23

Technology

The following is a list of some of

the many Web sites available

with information that may be

useful to Head Start programs.

Head Start-specific sites:

Head Start Bureau Home Page

http://www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb/

Head Start Publications 

Management Center

http://www.hskids-tmsc.org/index.htm

National Head Start Association

http://www.nhsa.org/

Head Start- Johnson & Johnson

Management Fellows Program 

at UCLA

http://www.anderson.ucla.edu/community/headstart/

Early Head Start National 

Resource Center

http://www.ehsnrc.org/nrc.htm

Commissioner’s Office of Research

and Evaluation 

http://www2.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsb

/CORE

Education:

Center for Career Development 

in Early Care and Education at

Wheelock College

http://ericps.crc.uiuc.edu/ccdece/

ccdece.html

Center for Early Childhood Leadership

http://nlu.nl.edu/cecl/

Council for Early Childhood

Professional Recognition

http://www.cdacouncil.org/index.html

ERIC Clearinghouse on Elementary

and Early Childhood Education

http://ericeece.org/index.html

ERIC Educational Resources

Information Center

http://www.ed.gov/prog_info/ERIC/

ERIC Clearinghouse on 

Assessment and Education

http://www.cua.edu/www/eric_ae/

High/Scope Educational 

Research Foundation

http://www.highscope.org/

National Association for the 

Education of Young Children

http://www.naeyc.org/

National Center for Family Literacy

http://www.famlit.org/index.html

National Institute on Early Childhood

Development and Education

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OERI/ECI/

U.S. Department of 

Education Publications

http://wwwed.gov/pubs/index.html

RESOURCES

Webliography for Head Start

Technology:

http://www.computers.com 

• This site has endless information

about every kind of hardware product

with helpful reviews in layman's terms.

It also has a very basic intro to 

setting up a small network in the 

networking section.

http://www.isp.com 

• This is a useful site for shopping

around for an ISP. It has an extensive

database of local, regional and national

Internet Service Providers with lots of

information to help people make an

informed choice when choosing a 

service provider.

http://www.zdnet.com/smallbusiness 

• This site provides useful information

for those pondering a network,

as well as lots of links to other 

relevant resources.

http://www.techweb.com/encyclopedia

• This is an indispensable site for

learning computer terminology; a

searchable database allows you to

look up unfamiliar technology terms.
24 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

Health:

American Academy of Pediatrics

http://www.aap.org

American Public Health Association

http://www.apha.org/index.html

Healthfinder (DHHS)

http://www.healthfinder.gov/default.htm

National Center for Education in

Maternal and Child Health (NCEMCH)

http://www.ncemch.org

National Clearinghouse on 

Child Abuse and Neglect

http://www.calib.com/nccanch/

National Safe Kids Campaign

http:///www.safekids.org

Substance Abuse and Mental 

Health Services Administration

http://www.samhsa.gov

Child Care:

Child Care Bureau

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/ccb/

Child Care Action Campaign

http://www.usakids.org/sites/ccac.html

National Child Care Association

\par http://www.nccanet.org

National Child Care 

Information Center

http://nccic.org/

National Network for Child Care

http://www.nncc.org

Advocacy/Children’s Issues:

Annie E. Casey Foundation

http://www.aecf.org/

Child Trends, Inc.

http://www.childtrends.org/

Child Welfare League of America

http://www.cwla.org/

Children’s Bureau

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/cb

Children’s Defense Fund

http://www.childrensdefense.org/

Future of Children

http://www.futureofchildren.org/

National Center for 

Children in Poverty

http://cpmcnet.columbia.edu/dept/nccp/

Together We Can 

(collaboration/leadership)

http://www.togetherwecan.org/

Welfare Information Network 

(Finance Project)

http://www.welfareinfo.org/

Families:

Administration for 

Children and Families

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/

ACYF Research,

Demonstration and Evaluation

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/rde

Families and Work Institute

http://www.familiesandworkinst.org/

Fathernet

http://www.cyfc.umn.edu/Fathernet/ 

National Center on 

Fathers and Families

http://www.ncoff.gse.upenn.edu/

National Clearinghouse 

on Families and Youth

http://www.ncfy.com

National Fathers Network

http://www.fathersnetwork.org/

mn/index1.html

NPIN: National Parent 

Information Center

http://npin.org/

WestEd/Center for 

Child and Family Studies

http://www.wested.org/ccfs/

Zero to Three: National Center 

for Infants,Toddlers and Families

http://www.zerotothree.org/

Disabilities:

Administration on 

Developmental Disabilities

http://www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/add/

Division for Early Childhood of the

Council for Exceptional Children

http://www.dec-sped.org/

ERIC Clearinghouse on 

Disabilities and Gifted Education

http://ericec.org/

Federal Resource Center 

for Special Education

http://www.dssc.org/frc/

National Information Center for

Children and Youth with Disabilities

(NICHCY)

http://www.nichcy.org/

Office of Special Education Programs

http://www.ed.gov/offices/OSERS/

OSEP/index.html

National Early Childhood Technical

Assistance System (NECTAS)

http://www.nectas.unc.edu

Compiled by Barbara Weedman, National

Head Start Training and Technical Assistance

Resource Center/Pal-Tech, Inc.

http://www.pal-tech.com 

RESOURCES
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 25

Technology

As increasing attention focuses

on outcomes and accountability

for Federal resources, Head

Start has been challenged to document

its effectiveness in new ways. In responding to this challenge, Secretary Shalala

signed a charter on March 23, 1999,

establishing the Advisory Committee on

Head Start Research and Evaluation.

An independent panel of experts

was convened to review and make 

recommendations on the design for a

national study on the impact of Head

Start, and to monitor and apprise the

Secretary on the progress of subsequent research and its impact on Head

Start programs.

Evaluating Head Start: A

Recommended Framework

The Advisory Committee held a series

of meetings in 1999 to fulfill the first

phase of its charge.A report was issued

in November 1999 summarizing the

deliberations of the committee and 

setting forth its recommendations for 

a study or series of studies that provide

a national analysis of the impact of 

Head Start.

Head Start’s reauthorization in

1998 provides specific guidance about

how Congress envisions this research.

For example, the legislation calls for

research that uses rigorous methodological designs and techniques (based

on the recommendations of the advisory

group), including longitudinal designs,

control groups, nationally recognized

standardized measures, and random

selection and assignment, as appropriate. The legislation also states that the

research shall include comparison of

individuals who participate in Head

Start programs with control groups

(including those who participate in

other early childhood programs and

those who do not participate in any

other early childhood program).

Outcomes are to be measured at three

points in time: (1) on the dates participants leave Head Start programs; (2) at

the end of kindergarten; and (3) at the

end of first grade.

The Advisory Committee concluded that a study or set of studies on

the impact of Head Start must address

two key questions: (1) What difference

does Head Start make in the development of the nation’s lowest-income

children?; and (2) Under what circumstances does Head Start work best, and

for what children?

In addition, the committee

believed strongly that the research

design must be both credible—providing

scientifically convincing and persuasive

evidence to Congress,the research community, program staff, and parents—and

feasible—capable of being implemented

in the real world by researchers working

in close partnership with Head 

Start programs.

The 1998 Head Start reauthorizing

legislation requires a report by 2003.

Because the law and the committee

support the follow-up of children

through at least the end of first grade,

the committee estimated that new

research reports would be available in

approximately 2006. However, reports

from studies currently underway will

provide policy makers with useful, evaluative information by 2003.

Next Steps

The Advisory Committee on Head

Start Research and Evaluation believes

that the framework outlined in its

report represents the best strategy 

for evaluating the impact of Head 

Start on children.At the same time, the

committee believes that several key

next steps are critical to translating this

strategy into a credible, powerful, and

feasible study or set of studies. In particular, the committee urges Secretary

Shalala, the research community, and

the Head Start community to commit

to the following steps:

• Demonstrate clear leadership and

commitment to the rigorous

evaluation of Head Start, at all

levels of the Department of

Health and Human Services and

the Head Start community;

• Ensure true partnership between

researchers and the Head Start

community, and involve the Head

Start community from the earliest

phases of the design;

• Conduct an initial feasibility study

or set of activities to collect

additional information that is

essential to the detailed planning

and refinement of the design; and 

• Pay close attention to the ongoing

implementation of the research,

including ensuring several

opportunities to review the design

and modify it where appropriate.

The committee hopes that a rigorous, credible, and feasible evaluation

of the impact of Head Start on the

school readiness of low-income children across the country will contribute

to the nation’s ability to achieve its

goals of providing high quality care and

education and enhancing opportunities

for all children. The committee has

attempted to design a framework that,

in conjunction with the rich and active

research agenda currently underway,

will assist policy makers and the

Congress to ensure that the goals of

the Head Start program are fully

accomplished and will help early childhood professionals, in Head Start and

other programs, to learn more about

how to improve their efforts to

enhance results for children.

The full report of the Advisory Committee on

Head Start Research and Evaluation is available at www.acf.dhhs.gov/programs/hsreac

Advisory Committee on Head Start 

Research and Evaluation 
26 Technology ▼ National Head Start Bulletin

Technology

1999–2000 National Head Start Fellows

Susan Andersen is an early childhood

consultant and program manager for

multiple state and federal early childhood programs in Des Moines, Iowa. She

has direct responsibility for awarding

$6.5 million in grants to local education

agencies and regional agencies. She manages fiscal reports, legislative reports,

and grants management functions. Susan’s placement is in the

Education Services Branch, Head Start Bureau.

Yasmine Daniel is a special projects

liaison for the Drake University Head

Start program in Des Moines, Iowa. She

represents the University on community

boards, committees, and task forces in an

effort to build collaborative relationships

with the community by exchanging information and services. She develops and

produces informational and promotional materials to inform

clients, community agencies, and other government entities

of the importance of Head Start. Yasmine’s placement is in the

Family and Community Partnerships Branch, Head Start Bureau.

Kathryn Fernandez is an education

director at the Orleans Community

Action Committee in Albion, New York.

She directs the Head Start program, child

care resource and referral program,

Community Kids Place day care, Eastern

Community Center preschool program

and the grantee training program for

staff. Kathryn’s placement is in the Training and Technical

Assistance Branch, Head Start Bureau.

Kimberly Frank is the program manager of the Child Care Link for the South

Central District Health Department in

Twin Falls, Idaho. She coordinates the

resource and referral program that

serves eight counties. She is an active

member of the South Central Head Start

Advisory Board, the Child Care Task

Force of Magic Valley, the Idaho Children’s alliance, and the

National Association of Child Care Resource and Referral

agencies. Kimberly’s placement is in the Program Support

Division, Child Care Bureau.

Khari Garvin is a Temporary Assistance

for Needy Families (TANF) advocate for

the St. Louis Community College in St.

Louis, Missouri. He implements a program working to increase retention rates

and academic success of students who

are TANF participants. Khari is a George

Washington Carver House Board

Member. Khari’s placement is in the Office of Educational

Research & Improvement, Department of Education.

Juan Gordon is a senior accountant at

the Friends of Children of Mississippi,

Inc., a Head Start agency located in

Jackson, Mississippi. Juan assists in organizing and directing all fiscal management

activities of a $12 million federal grant.

He coordinates and facilitates meetings

in 15 Mississippi counties to address

agency and community needs in the fields of education, child

care, healthcare, community development, economic development, local government, and public policy. Juan’s placement

is in the Program Management and Operations Branch, Head

Start Bureau.

Gail Joseph is a head teacher and trainer for an Early Education Assistance

Program (ECEAP) classroom at the

University of Washington in Seattle,

Washington. She provides training to

Head Start and ECEAP teachers and

helps them develop strategies for teaching children with special needs. She develops and implements curricula in which the program’s individual education goals and objectives are embedded into

developmentally appropriate activities. Gail’s placement is in

the Commissioner’s Office on Research and Evaluation.
National Head Start Bulletin ▼ Technology 27

Technology

Regina Lockett is a program assistant

and a public education and legislative

advocate with the Children’s Defense

Fund in Washington, D.C. She is responsible for assisting the coordinator of the

Judges Leadership Council in recruiting

and mobilizing members of the judiciary

to participate in the advocacy initiative.

She tracks juvenile justice legislation, drafts position papers

and activates networks to mobilize against congressional

action on misguided legislation. Regina’s placement is in 

the Office of the Commissioner, Administration on Children,Youth

and Families.

Frances Moore is a Head Start

Director at the Pueblo of Laguna,

Department of Education in Laguna, New

Mexico, where she manages a $1.2 million

dollar budget. Under her management,

the program went from a severely deficient status to an exemplary status within two years. She is responsible for all

planning and reporting as well as conducting community

assessments. She developed and wrote the grant application

for expanding program funding, as well as the grant application for Early Head Start that was funded in September 1998.

Frances’ placement is in the Immediate Office of the Program

Operations Division, Head Start Bureau.

Deitra Nealy-Shane is an education

specialist for the KCMC Child

Development Corporation. She works

with a team of specialists and center staff

to develop individualized training plans

for each of the agency’s six full-day community child care centers.The team provides ongoing program analysis and evaluation using on-site observations, monthly reports, site visits,

team meetings, and the Child Plus database program. The

team is responsible for monitoring Head Start Performance

Standards compliance. She is the primary team member

responsible for designing the format for classroom staff

workshops and determining training content and materials.

Deitra’s placement is in the Immediate Office of the Program

Support Division, Head Start Bureau.

Susan Wilson is the lead planning analyst for the Child Care Team within the

Department of Social Services in

Connecticut. She designs and implements

the state child care programs, and builds

partnerships with other state and community agencies to develop strategic

plans for child care in Connecticut. She

wrote the state’s Head Start-State Collaboration proposal

and served as interim staff for nine months. Susan actively

represents the agency on interagency collaborations including Head Start, family support, Healthy Child Care

Connecticut, and the Map to Inclusive Child Care initiatives.

She is the lead staff person for the design and implementation

of the state’s $40 million school readiness program for threeand four-year-olds, jointly managed by the Department of

Education. Susan’s placement is in the Immediate Office of the

Program Support Division, Head Start Bureau.

For more information on the National Head Start Fellowship

Program, contact Donnell Savage-Hounsell, Program Officer in

the Head Start Bureau's Training and Technical Assistance

Branch, at T: 202-205-8420, or by 

e-mail at dsavage@acf.dhhs.gov.
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Head Start Bulletin • 330 C Street, S.W. • Washington, DC 20447

U.S. Department of

Health and Human Services

ACF/ACYF/HSB

Washington, DC 20201

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on events and new initiatives you’ve been involved in, and

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sure to include the following:

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(or at what event)

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