WHSA 2025-26 Community of Practice Fall Launch

🌟 Join a Movement of Head Start Professionals Building Excellence Together

Finally, professional development that fits YOUR schedule. Based on overwhelming participant feedback, we've redesigned ourhighly-rated Communities of Practice to maximize your participation and impact.

Communities of Practice meeting during the 2025-26 WHSA Training Season:

• Health and Nutrition - Share knowledge and best practices for child health, nutrition, food safety, and creating healthy learning environments
• Education and Managers - Collaborate on educational strategies and management practices to improve outcomes and create positive learning environments
• Inclusion and Disabilities - Develop inclusive education practices, early intervention strategies, and support for children with disabilities
• Human Resources and Staff Engagement - Address HR management, recruitment, retention, compensation, and creating positive work environments
• Home Visiting - Share best practices for home visiting programs, building family relationships, and promoting child development
• ERSEA - Improve enrollment processes, reach eligible families, streamline applications, and address attendance challenges
• Family Services - Support families through building parent-child relationships, addressing family needs, and fostering community partnerships
• Coaches - Develop coaching skills, share techniques, and support teachers to improve classroom practices and child outcomes
• Data Management - Improve data collection, analysis, reporting practices, and use data to inform program improvement

CoP registrants are encouraged to participate in as many communities as they would like!

🎯 What Makes This Different?

You told us. WHSA listened. After surveying past participants who rated our facilitators 9.6/10, WHSA discovered that 79% of you faced scheduling barriers with our previous 3-day format.

Our game-changing solution: Spread sessions across 2 weeks, avoiding the dreaded 3:30-5:00 PM conflict zone that kept you away.

📋 What Happens After You Register?

You're in! Here's what to expect:

1. Confirmation - You'll receive your registration confirmation and calendar invites with Zoom links for your selected sessions
2. Welcome Information - WHSA will send you session details and what to expect
3. Easy Access - All sessions are held via Zoom (calendar invites with direct links sent upon registration)
4. Network Building - Connect with your fellow participants during sessions and exchange contact information
5. Resource Sharing - Access to collaborative tools and templates created by your communities

Questions along the way? WHSA is here to help at whsaassist@whsaonline.org

🤝 Why Now? Why Together?

The challenges facing Head Start have never been more complex. Staff shortages, evolving family needs, changing regulations, post-pandemic recovery—these aren't problems any of us can solve in isolation.

Your expertise matters, but it's exponentially more powerful when combined with others. Every challenge you're facing, another professional in Wisconsin has navigated. Every breakthrough you've achieved could transform someone else's program.

This is bigger than professional development—it's about our collective responsibility to Wisconsin's most vulnerable children and families. When we gather, share, and problem-solve together, we don't just improve our individual programs. We elevate the entire Head Start community across our state.

The children and families you serve deserve your best collective effort. They need you to stop working in silos and start leveraging your shared wisdom, resources, and passion.

💡 Your Communities of Practice Experience

More than training. This is your professional family. Connect with peers who share your passion, challenges, and commitment to excellence in early childhood education.

What You'll Gain:

• Collective Wisdom from professionals facing identical challenges across Wisconsin
• Shared Solutions developed and tested by your statewide peer network
• Peer Network that connects you with colleagues facing similar challenges
• Collaborative Resource Bank of tools, templates, and best practices
• Professional Relationships that strengthen Wisconsin's Head Start community

How It Works:

Each Community of Practice meets minimum 4 times throughout the season, with options for additional sessions based on group interest. With a subscription, you can attend any CoP meeting that interests you - join Mental Health AND Family Services AND Data Management all in October, then explore different combinations in December. You could literally attend every community in every gathering period if you want the ultimate professional development experience! You're not just attending sessions—you're joining a movement of Wisconsin Head Start professionals committed to collective excellence and transforming outcomes for the children and families we all serve.

🗓️ 2025-26 Session Calendar

Four Strategic Gathering Periods:

• Fall Launch: October 7-15, 2025
• Winter Deep Dive: December 8-17, 2025
• New Year Momentum: January 27-February 4, 2025
• Spring Implementation: April 8-15, 2025

Each gathering features multiple specialized communities meeting on flexible schedules designed around YOUR availability.

Event Agenda

*CoP registrants are encouraged to participate in as many communities as they would like!
Tuesday, October 7

• Coaches (10:30 AM-12:00PM)
• Mental Health (2:00-3:30 PM)

Wednesday, October 8

• ERSEA (8:30 AM-10:00AM)
• Human Resources & Staff Engagement (10:30 AM-12:00 PM)
• Home Visiting (2:00-3:30 PM)

Thursday, October 9

• Health (To be determined)

Tuesday, October 14

• Family Services (10:30 AM-12:00 PM)
• Inclusion & Disabilities (2:00-3:30 PM)

Wednesday, October 15

• Data Management (8:30-10:00 AM)
• Educational Managers & Specialists (2:00-3:30 PM)

*Schedule is tentative and subject to change. Updates will be posted here and on our social media.

💰 Investment Options That Work for You

🎯 Fall Launch Only: $90

Perfect for exploring Communities of Practice format

• Access to ALL October 7-15 sessions
• Try multiple communities to find your best fit
• Network with professionals in your field

🚀 Full Season Subscription: $320

Maximum value for serious professionals

• Unlimited access to ALL Community meetings (10 per session)
• Special presentations and expert speakers
• Year-round networking and support
• Resource library access
• Participate in as many communities as you want!

🎯 This Community is Perfect For

Head Start professionals who:

• Believe in the power of learning together and sharing wisdom
• Want practical, real-world solutions they can implement immediately
• Value collaborative problem-solving and peer support
• Are passionate about continuous improvement and growth
• Have been looking for flexible professional development that fits their schedule
• Want to build meaningful connections with colleagues across Wisconsin
• Are ready to contribute their own experiences while learning from others

Best suited for those who can participate regularly and are excited about the collaborative learning process. We believe every Head Start professional has valuable insights to share!

🏆 What Past Participants Say

"The peer connections I made transformed not just my practice, but my entire approach to serving families. We're stronger together."

"Finally, professional development that recognizes we're all fighting the same battles and can win them together."

"The collaborative problem-solving approach gave me solutions I never would have found alone. Our collective wisdom is incredible."

Facilitator Rating: 9.6/10 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

🎁 Exclusive Benefits

• Flexible Scheduling designed around YOUR availability
• Multiple Community Access with single subscription
• Expert Facilitators with proven track records
• Peer Network of committed professionals across Wisconsin
• Ongoing Support between sessions
• Resource Sharing platform for tools and templates

🚀 Ready to Transform Your Practice?

Early registration recommended — Communities thrive with engaged, committed participants.

Questions? Contact Wisconsin Head Start Association at whsaassist@whsaonline.org

Register Now and Join Wisconsin's Premier Head Start Professional Learning Community

Your future self will thank you for this investment in your professional growth.