Head Start staff began the second half of the school year with two days of training from a variety of partners and managers.

In addition to receiving updates from Head Start Director Stefanie Drew, staff also heard from program specialists and human resources. In addition, four trainers worked with the staff to support and advance their own wellness, the safety of their buildings, inclusivity and allyship with co-workers and clients, and adapting the environment to support all children.

They finished Winter Inservice on January 8 with a day to complete any required online trainings and set up of their environments and lessons for the children’s return.

Reuben Figueroa, Lorain City Schools Executive Director of Safety/Security & LCCAA Head Start Safety Committee member, provided training on building safety and preparing for a violent incident in a school with preschoolers. Figueroa used the ALICE model: Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, Evacuate.

Ava Lucky,Trainer/Consultant for Early Childhood Plus Positive Education Program (PEP) offered all the Head Start staff time to focus on themselves with the Stress Management for Caring Professionals training.

Alexa Nunnari and Katie DeSmith, both of the Ohio Center for Autism and Low Incidence (OCALI) operated by the Educational Service Center of Central Ohio, led classroom staff and home visitors through Adaptations in Action.

The training explained the importance of adaptations to improve all children’s participation and learning. The education staff and managers learned about resources that help in considering what adaptations to consider within daily activities and routines.

Megan Baechle, Executive Director of LGBTQ+ Lorain County, led all Head Start staff in SafeZone training. The workshop is designed to improve awareness of the LGBTQ+ community and how to be an effective ally. It can help individuals identify ways to provide a more safe and inclusive space for those we interact with in our day to day lives.