Early Head Start Institute

About the Institute

Is the Institute an in-person event?  

As the nation navigates safely reopening, the Region IV Head Start Association (RIVHSA) is hosting our event as an in-person conference. This will be our fourth in-person event since the onset of the pandemic and we intend to build upon the positive feedback and outcomes from our most recent events. RIVHSA is renowned for delivering proven quality, high-energy convention experiences at a great value, and our commitment to those standards remains unchanged but with a heightened emphasis on event health and safety standards.

Will there be health/safety protocols?

RIVHSA is committed to the health and safety of all participants - attendees, speakers, exhibitors, and staff.  We have established enhanced  COVID Mitigation Protocols to deliver this year’s conference content in a format that makes you feel comfortable while still allowing you to receive the industry’s best training.  All event participants must provide proof of COVID vaccination and sign event waivers for admission - both electronically on the app and in-person at event check-in.  There are no exceptions to the requirements and registration is non-refundable. RIVHSA will continue to monitor developments concerning COVID, make protocol adjustments as required, and post updates accordingly.

Window of Opportunity: The First 1300 Days

The first 1,300 days of life – from conception to age three – open a critical window of opportunity. During this period, children’s brains can form 1,000 neural connections every second – a once in a lifetime pace never matched again – and these connections are the building blocks of every child’s future. RIVHSA’s Early Head Start Institute (EHSI) brings together emerging and seasoned professionals, parents and partners to explore research and best practices that focus on this critical period to develop a child’s full potential and shape key academic, social, and cognitive skills that determine a child’s success in school and in life.

A Unique Conference Experience

Join us at this network-specific conference to expand your understanding and application of key frameworks, quality initiatives and best practices regarding the care and development of expectant mothers, infants and toddlers.  EHSI brings together diverse audiences of emerging and seasoned professionals, parents and partners who share a commitment to sharing experiences, nurturing young children, deepening practices, engaging families and strengthening communities.  It is this diverse gathering of participants which gives our conference its energy and wide-reach.  The conference experience is a unique blend of pre-conference events, speaker expertise, learning tracks, presentation formats and our virtual sponsor marketplace showcasing the latest materials and products by industry leaders to encourage breakthrough thinking and collaborative problem-solving.

Target Audience & Learning Objectives

More than 60 educational sessions have been uniquely designed to meet the diverse interests and needs of the Head Start community.  Participants will not only deepen their knowledge base but also expand their awareness of key frameworks, quality initiatives and best practices in the areas of early care and development as well as family engagement.

• Administrators & Managers: Organizations are experiencing great opportunities for reinvention or growth but many are also vulnerable to considerable risk. The health of the organization depends on its ability to effectively balance its mission, capital structure, and organizational capacity. Participants will expand their understanding and application of management principles, quality initiatives and best practices.
• Center-based & Home-based Teams: From social-emotional and cognitive skills to physical well-being and parent involvement, programs support and nurture all areas of a young child’s development and learning through coordinated and connected strategies. Participants will expand their understanding and application of prevention and intervention strategies, best practices and quality initiatives.
• Parents & Families: Parents are young children’s first and most important teachers, and their socialization is most influenced by their family. Programs engage parents and families as equal partners to support children's ongoing development and learning. Participants will explore strategies and resources to strengthen the connection between family engagement, healthy development, and school readiness.
• Board & Policy Members: Organizations recognize the importance of established and well-functioning governance bodies that share the responsibility for the delivery of high-quality services to children and families. Participants will expand their understanding of program governance as well as related elements of program design and management.
• Community Partners:  The collaboration between Head Start, families, and community agencies builds positive relationships and also  supports parent progress toward their goals for themselves and their children. Community partners provide culturally and linguistically responsive services and helpful resources.  Participants will be exposed to strategies to advance their work from parent educational advancement to economic mobility to other aspects of family well-being.

Learn More and Register

Ready, set, register! From the real-time agenda to an active registration button, our app event page provides users with access to important information.  You can also download the event app powered by Whova.

• Event Website | Get real-time updates on agenda, speakers, sponsors, and exhibitors
• Speaker Gallery | Browse our listing of confirmed regional and national subject matter experts
• General Sessions + Concurrent Workshops | Posted as confirmed - visit periodically for updates

Get details about event registration costs, deadlines, and requirements.  Registration fees for each experience are different.  Members receive a discount on conference registration.  | Payment Guidelines (Coming Soon)

Download Our Event App Powered by Whova

We are using an online platform called Whova. Participants will be able to download the Whova mobile app for Apple or Android and/or access it via a mobile device or web platform on a computer. You must download the app to access the event.  All registered participants will receive an e-mail from Whova to download the app prior to the event.  You may also download the app on our Event Page (Coming Soon).  In Whova, participants will be able to:

• View our event agenda and plan their personal schedule
• Access handouts, pre-recorded sessions, and live webinar sessions directly within the agenda and utilize the session Q&A and chat to ask questions and interact with other participants
• Set up in-person/virtual meet-ups with other attendees to connect and network
• Create and converse through various discussion topics in the Community Board
• Receive updates such as last minute session changes
• And much more!