REPORT/RECOMMENDATION TO THE BOARD OF SUPERVISORS
OF SAN BERNARDINO COUNTY
AND RECORD OF ACTION
March 15, 2022
FROM
JACQUELYN GREENE, Director, Preschool Services Department
SUBJECT
Title
Preschool Services Department Policy Council Member Participation in Region 9 National Head Start Association’s 2022 Virtual Early Childhood STEM Institute Conference
End
RECOMMENDATION(S)
Recommendation
Approve related expenses in an amount not to exceed $500 for one Preschool Services Department Policy Council member to participate in the Region 9 Head Start Association’s 2022 Virtual Early Childhood STEM Institute conference, from March 21, 2022 through March 23, 2022.
(Presenter: Jacquelyn Greene, Director, 383-2005)
Body
COUNTY AND CHIEF EXECUTIVE OFFICER GOALS & OBJECTIVES
Provide for the Safety, Health and Social Service Needs of County Residents.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
This item does not impact Discretionary General Funding (Net County Cost). The estimated cost for the Preschool Services Department (PSD) Policy Council member to participate in the Region 9 Head Start Association’s 2022 Virtual Early Childhood STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, Math) Institute conference will not exceed $500, which includes a contingency amount of $48 for any minor unexpected expenses or cost increases. The cost is funded by the United States Department of Health and Human Services, Administration for Children and Families. Adequate appropriation and revenue have been included in PSD’s 2021-22 budget.
|
Expense |
Member Cost |
|
Registration |
$332 |
|
Childcare |
$120 |
|
Contingencies |
$48 |
|
Total |
$500 |
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
The STEM Institute conference is a three-day conference that will focus on educators’ discovery and love of science knowledge, technology innovations, engineering creativity, and math reasoning to nurture young learners and their families. The emphasis will be to strengthen the STEM identity for Head Start teachers, home visitors, family advocates, child care partners, education coordinators, managers, directors, and parents. Participants will learn to engage young children in STEM concepts through hands-on learning and understanding their ability to develop scientific skills. The three-day conference will promote school readiness for Head Start children that will support a smooth transition to elementary school and provide a foundation for further STEM learning. The ability for the PSD Policy Council member to participate in this virtual conference at their residence in an undisturbed environment is vital to their engagement. Per County Code 13.0618, expenses of board, commissions, and committee members (non-employees) on County business shall be paid by the County upon prior Board of Supervisors’ approval.
The PSD Policy Council member participating in the STEM Institute conference will gain a better understanding of STEM education through study, dialogue and conversations with STEM experts about the latest developments in early childhood STEM education research. The conference will feature hands-on Learning Labs workshops, live and pre-recorded education sessions, and STEM sessions for parents at home with children ages 0 - 5. The Policy Council member will share the information learned with fellow parents at assigned school sites, as well as with other Policy Council members.
Region 9 Head Start Association is a professional organization that serves as an advocate for Head Start children, parents, and staff in the states of Arizona, California, Nevada, and Hawaii and the Outer Pacific. The Head Start programs throughout Region 9 have united in common cause to be the voice of support for low-income children ages 0 - 5, and their families. Representing the largest geographic region of Early Head Start and Head Start-served children, the Region 9 Head Start Association serves approximately 130,000 children and their families.
PSD operates the Federal Head Start and Early Head Start programs and the State Preschool program in San Bernardino County. The Federal Head Start Program Regulations mandate the County Board of Supervisors, as a grantee, to establish governing bodies that will share responsibility with the grantee for overseeing the delivery of high quality services to children and families. Those bodies are the PSD Policy Council, which is composed of parents of enrolled children and community members, and the PSD Shared Governance Board, which is composed of a member from the Board of Supervisors; members from other County Departments with expertise in Early Childhood Education and Development, health, and mental health; and other members that reflect the community.
Per the Head Start Performance Standards, Section 1301.3, PSD must establish and maintain a policy council and provide reimbursement for low income members to participate fully in their policy council responsibilities. The PSD Policy Council member was selected to participate in the 2022 Virtual STEM Institute conference at the September 30, 2021 Policy Council Meeting. The PSD Policy Council members are parents with children enrolled in Head Start Programs selected to participate in Head Start conferences as required by PSD Policy Council Bylaws. Under the PSD Policy Council Bylaws, Article VIII - Meetings, reimbursement of child care costs are allowed when a PSD Policy Council member participates in a PSD Policy Council related activity, such as conferences (virtually or in person) and meetings. PSD Policy Council members must certify that their child(ren) were provided childcare on the days they request for reimbursement.
PROCUREMENT
N/A
REVIEW BY OTHERS
This item has been reviewed by County Counsel (Adam Ebright, Deputy County Counsel, 387-5455) on February 17, 2022; Finance (Paul Garcia, Administrative Analyst, 386-8392) on February 22, 2022; and County Finance and Administration (Cheryl Adams, Deputy Executive Officer, 388-0238) on February 22, 2022.