New VAHSA Staff Member

Melissa Palombi, Communication and Events Manager

Melissa Palombi is a positive, creative collaborator, experienced in executing diverse events from brainstorming to day of execution. Raised in the DC area, she has returned to the east coast via Colorado and finds the Shenandoah as comforting as the Rockies.  Her background is in the arts having received her BFA from Carnegie Mellon School of Drama; worked for designers in New York, and for the Washington National Opera in Washington, D.C.  In Colorado, she earned her MA in Art History and completed coursework in K-12 art education before returning to Virginia.  Melissa most recently worked for 7 years at UVA in the Athletics Marketing and Communications Department coordinating large events and school programs. In her spare time, she produced a cookbook called, Hoos in the Kitchen, which features University of Virginia staff, alumni, and Charlottesville residents, telling their stories through a shared love of food.

She is thrilled to apply her skills in marketing/communications, education, and event production, to support the Virginia Head Start Association. 

The 2020 VAHSA Parent Ambassadors visited Richmond on January 22 to share their compelling stories with State Delegates and Senators about how Head Start has impacted their lives. They valued the opportunity to meet with State Legislators and shared powerful and inspirational examples of how families partner with Head Start to help prepare their children to be successful both in school, and in life.

Pictured left to right: Julie Chang, First Lady Pamela Northam, Tabatha Fulton, Jennifer Branham, Heather Thomas, Tasha Wagner and Dawn Ault 

Read more...
 

Establishment of The Governor's Executive Leadership Team on School Readiness 

The Governor and First Lady announced an Executive Directive to establish an Executive Leadership Team on School Readiness, which will be co-chaired by Commissioner Duke Soren and Chief School Readiness Officer Jenna Conway. 

 The team is being tasked with two core objectives:

  1. Ensure that all at-risk three-year-olds and four-year-olds in Virginia have access to a publicly-subsidized option; and 
  2. Ensure that all publicly-funded programs that serve children birth to five are measured as quality as part of a uniform quality rating system by 2025.
Read more...
 

Hopewell Celebrates Head Start’s 54th birthday 

Hopewell Head Start Birthday Celebration Dress Down Red, White, and Blue Day.

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Virginia's First Lady visits programs across Virginia

Virginia First Lady Pamela Northam, and Chief School Readiness Officer Jenna Conway, visit Head Start classrooms and other early childhood facilities in a Back to School Tour.  

In June 2018, First Lady Pamela Northam announced a new initiative to bolster early childhood education in Virginia and improve student outcomes for youth across the Commonwealth. The First Lady will lead the effort to improve the quality of and access to early childhood education programs across Virginia, support the early childhood education workforce, and ensure that Virginia makes the most of early childhood education resources. “We believe that all children should have access to opportunities regardless of the circumstances into which they are born. Early childhood education is the best investment we can make in our future workforce,” said First Lady Pamela Northam. “I look forward to bringing my experience as a parent, therapist, science educator, and environmentalist to continue advocating for our youngest and most vulnerable Virginians.”

http://www.doe.virginia.gov/news/news_releases/2018/06-jun21-gov.shtml

News coverage of First Lady's visits. 

https://www.localdvm.com/news/virginia/first-lady-northam-visits-students-to-personally-welcome-them-back-to-school/1417736815

http://www.wdbj7.com/content/news/First-Lady-Northam-kicks-off-back-to-school-tour-491500611.html 

https://www.wsls.com/news/va-first-lady-visits-giles-head-start-program-during-back-to-school-tour 

https://augustafreepress.com/first-lady-pamela-northam-kicks-off-back-to-school-tour-in-southwest-virginia/

 

Dr. Deborah Bergeron visits Prince William County Head Start Program

 Dr. Deborah Bergeron, Director of the Office of Head Start, visited Prince William County Head Start program on June 5, 2018.  Dr. Bergeron visited three Head Start classrooms to learn more about a collaboration between Head Start and the high school students enrolled in ECE at Gar-Field High School,  an inclusion classroom at Mullen Elementary School, and Victory Elementary School were she visited a Head Start, Virginia Preschool Initiative Plus, and a Title 1 Pre-K programs. 

Dr. Deborah Bergeron serves as the Director of the Office of Head Start. Known as "Dr. B" to former students and teachers, she has spent three decades in pre-K–12 public education as a classroom teacher and elementary and high school administrator. In the course of her career, Dr. B also started, grew, and ultimately sold her own educational services company. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Texas State University. She earned a master’s in education leadership and doctorate in education policy from George Mason University.

During her tenure as a school administrator, she specialized in school improvement. Her focus was on academic achievement and school climate. Dr. B will use her experience as an elementary principal and her strong background in pre-K–12 instructional leadership to provide unique insights into how Head Start can support our most vulnerable children to become school ready. She hopes to spend a great deal of her time visiting Regional Offices and specific Head Start programs. Dr. B most looks forward to spending time with all of the children, teachers, and program directors who are her inspiration!

 

 
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