A weekly communication source for keeping you updated on the latest local/state/federal HS/EHS information |
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WESTERN EGYPTIAN HEAD START HOSTS "MARCH DAD-NESS" FATHERHOOD INITIATIVE EVENT |
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Western Egyptian Head Start Program in Steeleville invited
children to bring a special male figure in their lives to participate in various activities, such as basketball, chalk drawing, hula hoops and playground time. It brought families together for a day of outdoor activities and connection while celebrating positive male influences in children's lives.
Members of the Sparta High School Bulldog Boys Basketball Team stopped by which was very special because they are former Head Start students! They shared their personal stories and future aspirations and goals. For example, senior DeQuan Woods spoke about his plans to join the Air Force following graduation. Fellow senior Grant Allard encouraged students to pursue their dreams, recalling his own time in their seats as a young child. Allard has been accepted to the U.S. Military Academy at West Point and will attend after graduating this spring.
Program officials recognized the players and their families as alumni of Head Start, highlighting their academic and athletic achievements since leaving the program. |
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2026 LEOTA BROWN MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP RECIPIENT - Angela Casteel, ERSEA Manager at SAL Community Services Early Head Start |
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Angela Casteel is a dedicated leader and advocate with 26 years of experience in human services and early childhood education. Currently a graduate student pursuing a Master’s degree in Human Services at Purdue Global University, Angela serves as the ERSEA Manager and Child Care Program Administrator at SAL Community Services Early Head Start in Moline. Throughout her career, she has built a "bottom-up" understanding of the field, moving from direct casework to high-level administration with a focus on equity, compliance, and family stability.
As ERSEA Manager, Angela oversees eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment and attendance, ensuring that programs reach the most vulnerable populations while maintaining strict adherence to Head Start Performance Standards. Her supervisor describes her as a leader who "manages complex compliance without ever losing sight of the families behind the data." Angela is widely respected by colleagues of over 20 years for her ability to balance deep policy knowledge with genuine empathy.
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| Angela Casteel, pictured with Lauri Morrison-Frichtl, was honored at last month's IHSA Recognition Luncheon. |
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Angela’s pursuit of advanced education is a testament to her commitment to professional growth and systemic improvement. By merging her decades of hands-on experience with master’s-level training in ethics and leadership, she aims to influence program development and advocate for policies that promote self-sufficiency for all families. This scholarship serves as an investment in Angela’s academic success and her lifelong mission to strengthen the Head Start community. Congratulations to Angela Casteel, ERSEA Manager at SAL Community Services Early Head Start in Moline as the Illinois Head Start Associations’ 2026 Leota Brown Scholarship Winner! |
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HB4791 IS PASSED BY THE HOUSE & NOW ONTO THE SENATE |
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Good news! HB4791 has passed the Illinois House with a unanimous 106 to 0 vote.
This bill makes Head Start/Early Head Start (HS/EHS) programs eligible for Smart Start Workforce Grants (SSWG) as funding becomes available. It also allows Illinois child care partners to participate in SSWG and to partner with HS/EHS while ensuring current recipients are not negatively affected. We wanted to see to it that current SSWG recipients remain whole. There was also progress on SB2984. Amendment 2 strengthens Head Start representation on the Illinois Early Learning Council by including a statewide Head Start advocacy organization and the State Director of Head Start Collaboration in the appointment structure. |
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IN THE MEDIA: How the Administration's Immigration Policies are Harming Our Children |
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KEEP COLLECTING & SHARING: How ICE is Affecting our Head Start Community |
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ICE activity continues to take place all over Illinois. Your stories and observations matter. Take a moment to share interactions and narratives so IHSA can ensure that the needs of our families and staff are represented and supported. No need to share any names, personal identifiers, or locations that could put anyone at risk. Stories can be shared anonymously or with limited details. |
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TRACKING LOVED ONES IN ICE CUSTODY |
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Human RIghts Watch has launched a Google Chrome browser extension created to help family members, friends, attorneys, and advocates find and track clients and loved ones in immigration detention.
The Immigration Client Locator provides automatic updates on the status and location of detained adults as they are moved through immigration detention facilities. The information is saved locally to the user’s computer and not shared with anyone else. |
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EATING WITH THE SEASONS: Smarter Menu Planning for Health, Variety, & Budget |
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Tuesday, April 28, 2026 at 1:00PM Central. Is your menu stuck on repeat? It’s time to let the calendar do the heavy lifting.
Join Food & Supply Source for their upcoming live webinar. They are stripping away the complexity of seasonal eating and showing childcare and therapeutic providers how to serve fresher, more nutritious meals while keeping a firm grip on the bottom line. |
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A THANK YOU FROM ONE OF OUR PARTNERS: Clean Air Dynamics |
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"What a great time!" That's what Raleigh Guice, President of Clean Air Dynamics, had to say after joining us at the 48th Annual IHSA Conference. Clean Air Dynamics offers medical-grade air disinfection solutions for learning environments. If you didn't get a chance to connect with them in March, here are three ways to start the conversation: |
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HUDDLE with IHSA: Wednesday, April 22 at 4:00PM |
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Join IHSA Executive Director Lauri Morrison-Frichtl and your Illinois Head Start community for a weekly 30-minute check-in. This space is for everyone and anyone to ask questions and to learn the latest on what's going on. See you this afternoon! |
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FREE INFORMATIONAL SESSION: Smarter Tools for Head Start |
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Is your team looking to... - Streamline workloads?
- Draw insights from program data?
- Strengthen compliance & outcomes?
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| Monday, April 27, 2026 at 12PM (Central)
Artificial Intelligence (A.I) keeps getting better. It can be a game changer, and you don't have to start from scratch.
This new series is designed for Head Start/Early Head Start programs and offers practical ways to leverage the benefits of this new technology. We'll review what to expect in the series and how programs can benefit. The series is scheduled to start in June and runs into the Fall, so this is a chance to decide if it fits your team.
The series will include personalized coaching to support implementation covering various topics. |
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TWO LEADERSHIP EVENTS BACK-TO-BACK THIS JUNE at the Herrington Inn & Spa, Geneva, IL |
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VANESSA RICH LEADERSHIP EXPERIENCE June 1-3, 2026
The Vanessa Rich Leadership Experience (VRLE) is for anyone in a leadership or management role at an Illinois HS/EHS program. Named in honor of Vanessa Rich, who dedicated 40 years to Head Start and served as Deputy Commissioner of Children Services for the City of Chicago, the event is two and a half days of working sessions focused on real challenges and practical takeaways. |
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DIRECTORS INSTITUTE June 3-5, 2026
The Directors Institute is designed specifically for Executive Directors, Program Directors, and Leadership Teams.
Step away from the day-to-day and connect with people who get what you're navigating—because they’re in it too. Whether you’re a seasoned leader or stepping into the role, this is a place to swap ideas, solve problems, and build relationships that last. |
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HERRINGTON INN & SPA, Geneva, IL: ROOM BLOCK Available |
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Hotel rooms are available at a group rate of $209/night by calling 630.208.7433 and mentioning Illinois Head Start. The hotel block also closes May 1. |
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LAST Quality Enrichment Circle (QEC): Tuesday, April 28 at 10AM-Noon. |
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| | Component - Mental Health, Wellness, & Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
Last QEC for this program year! Join us! |
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| Put on your Head Start gear —shirts, mugs, or handmade blocks— and capture a photo
with your Head Start team. Post it using #HeadStartBirthday and tag @IHSA to show Head Start pride from
every corner of Illinois! |
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QUESTION: What is the difference between Head Start and Early Head Start?
How to play: Respond to this Scoop with your answer! (or email lwang@ilheadstart.org). If correct, you'll be put in a raffle for a prize! Winner and answer will be announced in the next Scoop. Last week's Q&A Question: When is Head Start's birth date? Answers: 18th.
Winner: Donna Emmons, Associate Head Start State Collaboration Director in Woodstock! Look out in the mail for your prize from our friends at Discount School Supply. |
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What's going on at your Head Start Program? Share your recent center activities, congressional visits, field trip adventures, staff spotlights, exciting news, and more!
Let's build community by sharing what's going on IN our community! |
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