Final Thoughts
The initiative staff was able to stay with the project for approximately the first six months of implementation. Staff members from Head Start and the centers were working toward an understanding of each other’s programs and how best to integrate the two.
Recommendations to the Steering Committee from the initiative staff included:
Thank You
It is especially important to thank Mary Jo, Gwynne, Mary and Anne, the child care center directors. Without their sense of adventure, and willingness to “ride the bicycle while building it” this initiative would never have been possible.
Recommendations to the Steering Committee from the initiative staff included:
- Keep the Steering Committee and the Implementation Team working at least through the second year. As issues come up in the implementation, this will allow a broader group than just Head Start staff to solve them. In this way multiple perspectives can be heard and considered. In researching partnerships across the country, the project director found that problems in partnerships came up when Head Start only considered its own needs in making decisions. Within Head Start this also allows the grantee and delegate to make decisions together so there is support for new ways of doing things.
- Keep the approach that, using consensus, the group can work out any issue. The answer might not be perfect for anyone, but acceptable to everyone.
Thank You
It is especially important to thank Mary Jo, Gwynne, Mary and Anne, the child care center directors. Without their sense of adventure, and willingness to “ride the bicycle while building it” this initiative would never have been possible.
