Organizational Overview
The Georgia Head Start Association, Inc. (GHSA) is a statewide non-profit organization with the mission to provide education, leadership and advocacy that supports Head Start programs’ efforts in delivering high quality comprehensive services to Georgia’ to enhance the capability of local Head Start programs to deliver quality comprehensive services to children and their families. GHSA represents the 31 Head Start and Early Head Start agencies in the state of Georgia that provide these services to over 23,000 low-income preschool children birth through five-years-old and their families. GHSA 2022 Strategic Plan Template
GHSA’s Mission
The mission of the Georgia Head Start Association is to provide education, leadership and advocacy that support Head Start programs’ efforts in delivering high quality comprehensive services to Georgia’s children, families and communities.
GHSA’s Vision
Georgia Head Start Association’s vision is to be a positive voice, a powerful advocate and promoter of quality programs for children, families and communities in Georgia as they prepare for life-long success.
History
In 1964, the Federal Government asked a panel of child development experts to draw up a program to help communities meet the needs of disadvantaged preschool children. The panel report became the blueprint for Project Head Start. Project Head Start, launched as an eight-week summer program by the Office of Economic Opportunity in 1965, was designed to help break the cycle of poverty by providing preschool children of low-income families with a comprehensive program to meet their emotional, social, health, nutritional, and psychological needs. Recruiting children age three to school entry age, Head Start was enthusiastically received by education, child development specialists, community leaders, and parents across the Nation. Head Start serves children and their families each year in urban and rural areas in all 50 States, the District of Columbia, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Territories, including many American Indians and migrant children.
In 1969, Head Start was transferred from the Office of Economic Opportunity to the Office of Child Development in the U.S. Department of Health, Education and Welfare, and has now become the Office of Head Start, within the Administration on Children and Families in the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. Head Start grants are awarded by the Regional Offices of Head Start and the Office of Head Start’s American Indian – Alaska Native and Migrant and Seasonal Program Branches directly to local public agencies, private organizations, and Indian Tribes and school systems for the purpose of operating Head Start programs at the community level.
Although Head Start is thought to be one program by much of the public, Head Start actually consists of two programs: Head Start and Early Head Start. Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood development program primarily serving low-income preschool-age children and their families while Early Head Start was established during the 1994 Reauthorization of Head Start. Early Head Start is a comprehensive early childhood program serving primarily low-income children prenatal to age 3, pregnant women, and their families.
GHSA Board of Directors Strategic Plan
It is imperative that the GHSA Board function at a high level to ensure a clear direction, that supports the Association efforts to successfully navigate the challenges of a changing environment. During the week of March 14-15, 2022 members of the esteem GHSA Board of Directors under the leadership of our Association’s President, Donnis Pace and Executive Officer, Juanita Yancey assembled in Macon, Georgia at Marriott Macon City Center Hotel. The purpose of the meeting was to accomplish one goal to form a Strategic Plan that is reflective of all the active GHSA members. The Executive Officer and the President issued and reviewed online surveys to get an idea about some of the needs and concerns of the Board members and met individually with Head Start Directors. GHSA also contracted with the Georgia Center for Non-Profits in a Board training designed for GHSA to re-set its strategies. Several goals, outcomes, and action steps were derived during the Re-Set Your Strategy Board training. The Board of Directors begin their work by reviewing data to help determine needs to be met and conducted a SWOT Analysis of the Association’s operations. As a result goals, objectives, and action steps were identified in a three (3) year Strategic Plan. GHSA also defined its primary business in the Plan’s Executive Summary- 1. To provide support to all Georgia Head Start Programs; 2. To elevate Program quality; 3. To continue to exist and grow. The Summary also identified Core Team Members of GHSA- 1. GHSA Board of Directors; GHSA Management Team; Executive Officer; Strategic Planning Committee.
The strategic plan was developed to encompass the goals of the Association and satisfy the concerns of the Board of Directors by fulfilling the mission and vision of Georgia Head Start Association.
GHSA CORE VALUES
GEORGIA HEAD START ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
