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Head Start prepares for upcoming federal review
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Posted on Apr 04 2005
Teachers and staff of the Head Start program in the CNMI gathered for a two-day review of next year’s Program Review Instrument Systems Monitoring, or PRISM.
The review was held last Thursday and Friday at the Hibiscus Hall of the World Resort Saipan. Facilitator Ana Ada said the local program intended to prepare teachers and staff for the federal review that would take place next year.
A PRISM team from Region IX in California will be here next year for a thorough review and monitoring of the Head Start program in the CNMI, said Ada.
Ada and co-facilitator Josephine Tudela attended a review workshop for the program last January in San Jose, California. Ada said the workshop was just a preparation of what Region 9 reviewers would be asking and expecting to see in the local Head Start program.
The review last week aimed to ensure that the program in the Commonwealth is in compliance with the performance standards of Region IX.
She said they gathered teachers and staff to transfer and relay the message of what they learned in the California workshop, so they could be compliant in all areas of the program. Ada and Tudela reminded the teachers and staff of the federal guidelines.
Though Ada is not aware of the exact day of the federal reviewers’ visit next year, she said the program is preparing their staff ahead of time. She said that, if they are failing in some areas, this is the time to correct it.
Ada is in charge of the eligibility, recruitment, selection, enrollment and attendance of the schoolchildren. Tudela is Head Start’s health and disability coordinator.
Education board member Marja Lee Taitano, Head Start site coordinator Keiko Yamagata, Head Start Policy Council chair Howard Macaranas and family and community manager Malua Peter attended the event.
Ada said that, if a state fails the review of the PRISM officers, the particular state or territory would be stripped of its funding. “Hopefully we will be complying in all areas. With the management team that we have now and with the help from the PSS and the board, everything is looking good,” she said.
She said the staff and teachers have always been very cooperative and that, without them, the success of the review last week would have not been possible.
