Pre-Conference Info

Please see below for details on the sessions being offered during our Pre-Conference on October 14, 2025. Kindly note that Pre-Conference registration is separate from Full Conference registration, and you must be registered specifically for the Pre-Conference to attend these sessions.

(1) RISE into Action: Reimagine, Reaffirm, and Renew

October 14, 2025 | 9:00-4:30 PM |Members $275 per person / Non-Members $300 per person

Facilitators: Cynthia Yao, CEO/Founder, RISE Partners LLC.

Participants are invited to step into a space of renewal, strategy, and innovative action.

This Pre-Conference is an interactive and thought-provoking experience designed specifically for Head Start leaders, managers, staff, and Policy Council members navigating this pivotal moment in early childhood education.

Led by RISE Partners—a team of seasoned experts and former federal leaders with deep experience in Head Start policy, oversight, and systems change—this dynamic session will bridge the Administration’s newest priorities with the realities of your daily work.

What to Expect:

• Interactive, high-impact sessions that weave together:
• Full enrollment & child health/safety
• Affirming family engagement, parent voice and choice
• Community partnerships and collective impact
• Sustainable funding and braided resource models

Federal Insights: Understand how changes at the Office of Head Start and within broader systems may impact your program—and how to lead through them with a variety of tools and resources.

Connections to the Head Start Act and Performance Standards: Practical and cross-cutting strategies as well as examples that reinforce compliance while supporting innovation.

Best practices and courageous ideas: Learn how programs across the country are adapting, evolving, and thriving—even amidst change.

Who Should Attend:
This pre-conference is ideal for executive directors, program directors and managers, fiscal staff, governing bodies, Policy Council members, Head Start/Early Head Start staff and anyone looking to ground their work in Head Start values while responding strategically to what lies ahead.

Let’s Rise Together!

In a time of transformation, this pre-conference session offers participants the opportunity to reaffirm their purpose, reimagine their program’s impact, and rise as leaders in the Head Start community.

(2) From Case Management to Care Management: Genuine Family Connections from Recruitment to Transition

October 14, 2025 | 9:00-4:30 PM |Members $275 per person / Non-Members $300 per person

Facilitator: Dr. Desiree Del Zio

Description:  

This transformative Head Start training explores the evolution from traditional case management to a holistic care management approach that centers on authentic, enduring relationships with families. Participants will examine how every touchpoint—from the first conversation during recruitment to the final step at transition—can be a moment of connection, trust-building, and empowerment. Rooted in the belief that Head Start is not just a service, but a lifeline, this session illuminates how intentional, heart-centered work can change the trajectory of a family’s future. Through storytelling, reflection, and strategy, attendees will learn how to disrupt generational cycles of poverty and foster lasting outcomes by engaging families as true partners in their journey toward well-being and success.

Goal:  

To equip Head Start staff and leaders with the mindset, strategies, and relational tools to shift from transactional case management to transformational care management that fosters trust, empowerment, and long-term family well-being.

Objectives: 

• Redefine Family Engagement Across the Continuum of Services
  • Examine how each stage—recruitment, enrollment, participation, and transition—can serve as a meaningful opportunity for connection.
  • Identify specific practices that support relational trust and cultural responsiveness at every touchpoint.
• Strengthen Skills in Relational and Reflective Practice
  • Engage in storytelling and reflection to deepen self-awareness and empathy in family partnerships.
  • Practice strategies that prioritize presence, listening, and co-creation of goals with families.
• Apply Holistic, Fair-Centered Care Management Strategies
  • Explore frameworks that address generational poverty and build protective factors.
  • Design actionable steps to integrate care coordination, advocacy, and wellness supports into ongoing family services.

(3) Rooted in Wellness: A BeWell Certification Experience, Strategies and Tools for classroom, staff, and family Success

October 14, 2025 | 9:00-4:30 PM |Members $275 per person / Non-Members $300 per person

Facilitators: Delia Vicente, Magdalena Pereyra, Jamie Dix

Are Head Start professionals ready to transform how they support mental health and manage challenging behaviors? The BeWell Curriculum Certification Workshop offers a powerful, interactive experience designed to uplift, inspire, and equip participants with practical tools for both classroom and home visit settings.

Developed by Jamie Dix, Master Coach and Founder of Children’s Life Coaching, and Delia Vicente, Executive Director, Researcher, and Educator at UCLA, the BeWell Curriculum introduces a fresh, empowering approach to wellness—for children, families, and staff. Special certification pricing is available exclusively for conference participants.

What You’ll Gain:

• Proven strategies to navigate today’s unique challenges in Head Start programs
• Tools to support mental health and emotional resilience
• Activities to energize your classroom or home visits
• Techniques to foster a positive, empowered mindset
• Relaxation, gentle movement, and mindfulness practices
• Life coaching insights to boost well-being at work and at home