In reflection - my response...

This is my response to comments shared this week. First of all, thank you for sharing your thoughts and insight!
It was interesting to observe the limited turn-over of staffing during this past school year. I welcomed one staff back to work for our program - she left the program approximately two years ago. Reason - she had a baby and REALLY wanted to work for the DOE because she felt that the pay was small. Well, she came back to apply for an open position and was completely happy to be back. She missed working with the children and feels that the pay was quite good in comparison to other locations. As for the DOE, she shared that it wasn't what she was expecting. Good for us, as she is a great teacher!
I think that majority of the teaching staff remain working for Head Start because they have a passion to make a difference in the lives of children. I think the reason is directly linked to community and relationships. The teachers have a strong desire to make an impact with children and families. For some of these individuals - especially true for staff that was once Head Start parents - it's a desire to give back to the community.
For all professionals in the field, I commend each and every person for electing to be a teacher of young children. This is not an easy career choice, however it is one of the most rewarding! Whatever the connection to remain in this field, it is a strong, very dedicated commitment.
I have to state that the staff are also happy working for an organization (agency) that sincerely cares about them as employees; offering a safe and healthy work environment. Staff have the opportunity to share their concerns, needs, ideas, and have them considered for program improvement or implementation. This is also another reason why staff retention happens.
Regarding technology for staff development, the advantage is on-line classes. This opportunity is offering me the chance to work on my degree. Without the UHWO online courses, I would need to look at other online courses that might be more costly. The bottom line is - in technology comes wonderful accessibility to gather information at our fingertips. It can also be a dangerous tool, exposing a wide variety of information that can fall into criminal hands.
I agree - limited staff is definitely something that can impact safety. DHS has assigned adult to child ratios for that reason. Classroom environment organization, staff positioning, and other factors play into the element of safety. Staff need to be attentive and direct their efforts into the children and activities. I have witnessed centers with two adults and twenty children - the staff worked together like a well-oiled engine - I call it synergy. It's as if they could read each others minds as teachers. This takes time to develop; for the relationship to reach this level of teamwork. It's truly amazing to witness as a director - I feel a sense of pride as I observe my staff in action. I believe that the work we do is interdependent of each other - I cannot do my work without the support of the teachers, and I believe they require the same level of support from administration. It's a partnership.