Policy Council

Heartland Early Education Policy Council Minutes
10.02.2025

VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: 
Jon Baker, Jessica Gravatt, Ashley Hano, Makenzi Kromer, Miranda Kromer, April Rios, Ernesto Esparza, Charlee Smith, Shelly Peters, Jenny Reyes, Candice Sauers.
NON-VOTING MEMBERS: 
Udana Arceo, Bonnie Schamberger, Lesa Larson, Linda Lorett, Shanna Rector, Sherrie Scott, Adriana Aranda.
GUESTS:
Amanda Preeo

CALL TO ORDER:
Udana Arceo called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. 

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: 
There were no changes or additions to the agenda.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 
Candice Sauers motioned to approve the Consent Agenda Items as presented. Jon Baker seconded the motion, which passed. 

PARLAMENTARY PROCEDURES
Lesa provided a handout about parliamentary procedures. This process ensures that everyone has a voice in decisions made for the program.
PARENT/COMMUNITY REPORTS:
Lesa explained that at the end of each meeting, parents and community members have the opportunity to share celebrations about their child and events taking place in the community.
IN-KIND:
Lesa invited Policy Council members to review the monthly agenda packet that is sent a week before the meeting, and record the amount of time spent on the sign-in sheet. The time spent and the duration of the meeting will be recorded as In-Kind.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: 
Lesa Larson informed:
•    Heartland Early Education is starting a new 5-year cycle. There are Federal expectations, a governance screening that needs to be completed, as well as health and safety screening. Lesa will provide the information that she has compiled in November.
•    The government shutdown is preventing access to our program specialist, but our program’s funding is not in jeopardy.

NEW BUSINESS:
PIR report
Sherrie explained that the program Information report is a summary of all the services we provide. The 2024-2025 report shows the Early Head Start and Head Start percentages for eligibility status, including ethnicity, race, language, health, dental, mental health, disabilities, homelessness, and teacher qualifications. Last school year, Early Head Start served 133 children and 10 pregnant women, and Head Start served 251 children. Even though it’s hard to find EHS teachers with a CDA at hire, all 21 teachers met or exceeded education requirements by the end of the school year. 

Head Start is 100% enrolled, while Early Head Start will probably start an under-enrollment plan. Udana inquired if the number of children wait-listed was the result of the restructuring done to the program. Sherrie replied no. Parents' preferences are the main cause.

Health Services Advisory Council
Every Head Start program is required to have a committee on health services, and includes a group of people involved with health issues in our community. Lacy Krebs is the new leader of this committee and will provide more details on the new structure in the future.    

Policy Review
Lesa presented the following policies for review and approval.
•    PG020 – Conflict of Interest and Governing Body.
o    This policy was moved from the FIS005 (fiscal section) to the governance program area.
o    The policy states that members of Heartland Early Education Policy Council will not have a financial conflict of interest.
o    Shelly motioned to approve the Policy of Conflict of Interest and Governing Body as presented. April seconded the motion, which passed.
•    PG021 – Policy review and Updates
o    It is a new Policy that establishes a consistent process for reviewing and updating policies. 
o    Udana inquired about clarification on how often policies are revised. The procedures section outlines the timeline for review.
o    Jon motioned to approve the Policy Review and Updates with changes as stated. Jenny seconded the motion. The motion was approved.
•    FIS004 – Purchase Allowability
o    This policy ensures efficient and effective administration of the Federal Grant Award.
o    Udana asked for clarification of the difference between the Head Start Executive Director and the Head Start Director. Shanna Rector explained that she is the USD 305 Executive Director who oversees Heartland Early Education, and Lesa is the director of the Program. Udana suggested using ‘Heartland Early Education’ consistently throughout to avoid confusion.
o    Jenny Reyes inquired about the visa credit card usage process. Linda explained that there is a separate policy for the use of the Visa credit cards. It is mainly used for traveling or to use at smaller vendors in town that will not accept purchase orders. The employee is required to fill out a request form to use the credit card, and the supervisor reviews and approves the request. There is a separate policy for credit card usage.
o    Candice made a motion to approve the Purchase Allowability Policy with the review of the procedure that is going to be done. April seconded the motion, which passed.
•    SYS001 – Annual Report
o    This report is published and available to the public yearly.
o    This Policy comes out of the regulations that the program has to follow. Sherrie will provide the annual report during the November meeting.
o    April motioned to approve the Annual Report Policy as presented, Candice seconded the motion. The motion passed.
•    Community Assessment
o    This policy outlines the process to conduct a community assessment every five years that includes the collection and analysis of information about service areas.
o    Udana proposed the consistent use of Heartland Early Education, as well as the replacement, removal, and addition of some words.
o    Jon motioned to approve the Community Assessment Policy with the changes that had been discussed. Shelly seconded the motion, which was approved.

Election of Officers
Chair
Udana nominated Jenny Reyes as chairperson. April Rios made the motion, and Charlee Smith seconded; motion carried. Jenny Reyes was elected 2025 Policy Council chairperson.
Vice Chair
Udana Arceo nominated herself as vice chair. April Rios made the motion, and Jon Baker seconded; the motion carried. Udana Arceo was elected 2025 Policy Council vice chair.
Secretary
April Rios nominated herself as secretary. Jon Baker made the motion, and Udana Arceo seconded. The motion was carried. April Rios was elected 2025 Policy Council secretary.

Parent/Community Reports
•    Shanna shared that two high school classes for students will be brought up to the Board of Education. These two classes will be a pathway to complete a CDA (Child Development Associate) for the Early Childhood Education Pathway Program. Students completing this pathway will be able to apply to Heartland Early Education after graduation.
•    Candice reminded members that it’s flu season and the Health Department receives walk-ins to administer the vaccine. The clinic is open Monday through Friday from 8:00 am to 4:30 pm, and 8:00 am to 6:00 pm on Wednesday.
•    Ashley Hano inquired if both genders use the same restroom at the same time. Amanda Preeo, Heartland Early Education teacher assistant, explained that children do not go at the same time unless there are multiple stalls with doors, and it’s one child at a time.
•    Udana provided a flyer that invites individuals to take a survey to share their stories to improve family well-being in Kansas.

Meeting adjourned at 6:25 p.m., motion made by Udana and seconded by Candice. Motion passed.

Heartland Early Education Policy Council Minutes
11.06.2025

VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: 
Udana Arceo, Jon Baker, April Rios, Ernesto Ruiz Esparza, Charlee Smith, Shelly Peters, Jennifer Svaty,
NON-VOTING MEMBERS: 
Jesika Campbell, Lesa Larson, Linda Lorett, Shanna Rector, Sherrie Scott, Adriana Aranda
GUESTS:
Amanda Preeo

CALL TO ORDER:
Jenny Reyes called the meeting to order at 5:04 p.m. 

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: 
There were no changes or additions to the agenda.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 
Jon motioned to approve the Consent Agenda Items as presented. Udana seconded the motion, which passed. 

TRAINING
ERSEA and Financial Report
Sherrie Scott explained the Annual Head Start Eligibility Requirements, confidentiality, respect, and consequences for false and misleading information. Parents must provide complete and accurate income information. Jenny inquired as to who selects the intake questions for the eligibility process and if more questions can be added. Sherrie explained that questions can be added depending on the community's needs.

Linda Lorett reviewed the financial summary. This summary provides information on how the program is funded and the funds are spent.  It provides information from the CACFP meal claim that is made to get reimbursement for meals provided for our children.  It includes a report of the credit card charges and Visa card statements from businesses that don’t accept POs (purchase orders) from the district.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: 
Lesa Larson gave update regarding the government shutdown. Programs with October, November and December start dates are most directly impacted with some programs closed at this time. She also mentioned that The National Head Start Association provides government shutdown webinars every Tuesdays and Thursdays to communicate any updates. Updates and more information can be found at nhsa.org/take/action. April Rios inquired if Heartland is doing anything to support families that are being affected. Lesa replied that Heartland Early Education has the Weekend Food Support Program, which provides food for identified families. Udana Arceo, Jenny Reyes and Linda Lorett also provided information on different food programs the community has created to support families currently impacted. Lesa explained that Heartland Early Education is not at risk. Since our funding goes from July 1 to June 30, our program is funded for the year. 

OLD BUSINESS:
Enrollment Report
Sherrie provided a handout with enrollment information.  The report provides information on how many children are funded; how many are enrolled at the end of the month, provides the number of vacancies, number of children accepted in each program, how many children are waitlisted and the number of new applications received. Early Head Start has been under enrolled because we have been short a home-based family consultant which would offer services to another 12 children; other causes are children aging out or moving.

NEW BUSINESS:
Annual Report
Sherrie provided the Annual Report that shows what the program has done the previous year. The report includes enrollment statistics, how the program is funded, enrollment numbers for each county we serve and a program summary, for example. 

Financial Audit
Linda shared about the school district’s financial audit. Linda explained that every year the school district hires an outside accounting firm to make an audit of all the transactions of the school district as a whole and this audit includes Heartland Early Education. There is a rotating schedule between Head Start, Special Education and Food service. The audit was completed and presented to the school board and can be found on the USD 305 website.

Change of Scope application status
An application was submitted in May to reduce enrollment in Head Start. We are waiting for the final approval from the Office of Head Start.

Transportation Update
Heartland Early Education contracts with Durham Bus Service to provide transportation for students. Since there is no need for Head Start to own busses, a request has been completed to allow the program to sell two busses owned by Heartland Early Education. This money will be used to offset Durham’s transportation expenses. Udana inquired if Durham provides home pickups. Linda replied that the transportation agency provides home and corner stops depending on the number of children or IEP requirements. April shared that in Abilene, parents who want to send their children to Head Start, have to send them to Enterprise, but no transportation is provided. Lesa inquired if parents are applying for the At-Risk program. Lesa explained there are state-funded preschool classrooms in Abilene. April replied that the program only offers a couple of days a week for short time frames, and is difficult to align with parents' work schedules.

Governance Screener
Head Start has a five-year program cycle, for 2025 to 2030. In year one, the Head Start Governance, Leadership, and Oversight Capacity Screener is completed. Certain individuals were asked to complete the screener during the summer, and based on that information, the program has the following goals: 
•    Strengthen Parent Committee Engagement 
•    Develop a system to assess/respond to the needs of the Governing Body and Policy Council and ensure consistent and transparent sharing of information
•    Create opportunities for parent to actively participate in the staff hiring processes.

Health and Safety Screener
All classrooms serving Head Start were checked with no major findings.
 
ACF-OHS-IM-25-05 – Fiscal Year 2026 Monitoring Process for HS Recipients
ACF-OHS-IM-25-06 – Addressing Vacant Slots Due to Chronic Absenteeism in HS Programs
Two Information Memorandums were shared.
•    The first one is titled Fiscal Year 2026 Monitoring Process for Head Start Recipients. This IM outlines the revised protocol for monitoring Head Start programs to ensure they meet quality and compliance standards. It includes updates to review formats and when reviews will take place during a grant period. 
•    The 2nd IM is titled Addressing Vacant Slots Due to Chronic Absenteeism in Head Start Programs. This one clarifies when Head Start programs should consider a child’s slot vacant after long-term absences, stresses the importance of regular attendance and offers strategies program can use to enhance access and family participation.

Parent/Community Reports
•    Shanna Rector shared Salina Public Schools is doing a big campaign on chronic absenteeism. When a student misses 10% or more of the school year to date, they will be considered chronically absent. The only reasons that do not count toward chronic absences are sport related activities or school field trips. This campaign is trying to make parents aware and let them know to make appointments outside of the school day, look for times during natural breaks during the school year. Research shows that if a student is chronically absent every year of school, students lose at least one year worth of schooling and students may perform at a lower level than other students.
•    Ernesto Ruiz Esparza attended a parent committee for the home-based program and parents shared the following thoughts and ideas:
o     Parents are interested in having professional photos of their families taken. Possibly have a “Family Photo Day” that could take pictures with families along with more candid settings such as home visits, socializations and family fun nights.
o    Parents showed interested in having a Scrapbooking Class.
o    Parents feel like the enrollment process is overwhelming. There is a lot of information that needs to be provided and the paperwork is stressful. It was mentioned that communication from the program was frustrating regarding getting into the program. There is a long waiting period.
o    Families are looking for more things to do in Salina that are age appropriate, simple, free, or low cost. Families are really pleased with Heartland Services and opportunities provided.
o    Non-English speaker families would like more opportunities to practice their English Skills.
Lesa inquired about ideas for more English exposure from non-English speaker families. Ernesto replied he would like the opportunity to have English classes or just opportunities to talk with English speakers to improve their language skills. Jenny Reyes shared when she was learning the language, childcare was offered while she attended English classes; This was a great opportunity to learn and practice English. Childcare is one of the biggest obstacles parents have to continue attending classes. Jon shared the idea of inviting English speaking and bilingual parents that are willing to donate their time to facilitate groups to learn and practice English. He also mentioned that English speakers could benefit by having the opportunity to learn Spanish. Udana shared she would help facilitate a group to give parents the opportunity to have conversations and practice the English language and at the same time learn about Conscious Discipline and Life skills. Shanna shared Salina Public School might have Conscious discipline resources that can be provided to practice the language as parents learn about the things they need to learn. Udana mentioned that Conscious Disciple could also be offered in Spanish. Yeni added that Spanish-speaking families do not receive Conscious Discipline because of the language barrier. Shanna will follow up on resources available from the district. 

•    April Rios shared Enterprise went on a fieldtrip to the pumpkin patch. A lot of parents attended and it was a fun experience for parents and children.

Meeting adjourned at 6: 08p.m., motion made by Udana and seconded by April. Motion passed.

Heartland Early Education Policy Council Minutes
12.04.2025

VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: 
Jesika Campbell, Ernesto Ruiz Esparza, Kelly Mobray, Shelly Peters, April Rios

NON-VOTING MEMBERS: 
Jenny Reyes, Linda Lorett, Lesa Larson, Adriana Aranda, Sherrie Scott, Shanna Rector

GUESTS:
Megan Wagoner, Michelle Hellmuth, Amanda Preeo, Mikaila Carrillo, Elena Ortega

CALL TO ORDER:
Jenny Reyes called the meeting to order at 5:07 p.m. 

Before starting the meeting, Jenny Reyes reminded Policy Council members to refer to the parliamentary procedure handout that was provided at the first meeting. She explained the five steps to ensure the meeting stays organized and allows the group to have a voice and make decisions.  Lesa Larson and Jenny Reyes will guide members on how to follow parliamentary procedures appropriately.

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: 
A change in action, from “none” to “vote”, was made to the Recruitment Plan and the Selection Criteria items. Shelly Peter motioned to approve the corrections made to the agenda, and Kelly Mobray seconded the motion. The motion passed.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 
Kelly motioned to approve the Consent Agenda Items with the corrections. Jesika Campbell seconded the motion, which passed. 

TRAINING
Family Services
Megan Wagoner welcomed Makaila Carrillo, the newest Early Head Start Home-based Family Consultant.  Megan provided information about the different components of family engagement. She explained the family engagement process begins when an application is received and is followed up with surveys, assessments, a family partnership agreement, socializations, parent events, and parent committees. This allows parents to advocate for their children, share their needs, and provide input to the program. Family Consultants work with families to set and achieve individualized goals. Jenny Reyes inquired about the process to ensure the family goals are being met. Megan Wagoner explained the expectation is that every time a visit is scheduled, the family consultant and the parent check in on the progress toward their goal. Jenny inquired how Heartland Early Education manages the language barrier between families and staff. Megan replied there are different ways to manage the language barrier. The program has excellent interpreters, some family consultants are bilingual in Spanish, and the USD 305 District provided a VASCO translator. It is a device that allows interpretation from English to different languages. A Family Consultant had the opportunity to utilize VASCO with a family that speaks Thai, and she was impressed.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: 
Lesa Larson shared different community agencies are offering holiday support for some of our families. Megan shared that the Salina Regional Health Center has adopted 23-25 families through their program, Santa’s Helpers. Eagle’s Communications adopted two families, and Kansas Wesleyan nurses adopted one family.  She also shared that Capitol Federal adopted and provided meals to ten of our families for Thanksgiving.

OLD BUSINESS:
Enrollment Report
Sherrie Scott presented the enrollment report for November. She reported the Head Start program is enrolled at 100%, Early Head Start child care and home visiting at 88%. The Kansas Early Head Start child care program had an enrollment rate of 92%, and the Kansas Early Head Start home visiting program achieved a 100% enrollment rate.  
The home visiting program has been under-enrolled. Sherrie shared that Heartland Early Education has hired a new family consultant. As the consultant is trained and able to start working with families, the enrollment percentage for this program is expected to improve.

Parent Engagement discussion
Udana Arceo wants to create a committee for a parent conversation practice group. She believes it should consist of at least two-thirds of parents from the home-based group and would like a couple of staff members to help guide the group. This discussion will begin in January.

NEW BUSINESS:
Child Outcomes
Michell Hellmuth provided and explained the Galileo Child Assessment reports. This assessment is designed to determine if children are moving forward in their development and are prepared for the next level of education. Michelle explained all children develop skills at their own pace, and Heartland’s goal is to ensure our children are successful as they move forward. Each child has individual goals set, and their progress is measured by comparing results from the fall, winter, and spring assessments. Jenny inquired about who scores the assessments. The parent, the teacher, or the family consultant? How are results determined? Sherrie replied that it’s a combination. The Home-based family consultants do not spend long periods of time with the child. In this instance, assessment results are determined from discussions with parents or observations during the home visit. Jenny inquired about how the goals are measured. Michelle replied there is no measuring scale or grading.  The assessment is measured by whether the child can or cannot perform the skill. If the skill is not mastered, then the teacher or family consultant provides individualized activities to help the child reach the specific goal. Amanda Preeo inquired about what happens with children who are assessed at the beginning of the year and leave before the end of the year. Is their progress counted as zero? Sherrie explained that in that scenario, the child is no longer counted. All children are assessed, but percentages are determined from the children who were part of the program from fall through spring. 

Self-Assessment
Lesa presented the 2025 Self-Assessment report for Heartland Early Education. This report was created with the results of a survey conducted among the Policy Council members and staff. The survey questions included identifying Heartland’s strengths, the biggest concerns in the community the individual represents, how these concerns can be addressed, and ideas on how to recruit eligible children and families.  With the results of this survey, Heartland Early Education identified the strengths the program has, and developed goals and a plan of action for each area of growth that was identified. A vote is needed. However, we did not have a quorum. Lesa will send via email to Policy Council.

Recruitment Plan & discussion
Sherrie informed that Heartland Early Education has a recruitment committee that meets regularly to discuss recruitment ideas. The committee discusses what has been done, what has worked, and new opportunities coming up. Sherrie explained how the program recruits and invited Policy Council Members to join the Committee. A vote is needed. However, we did not have a quorum. Lesa will send via email to Policy Council

Selection Criteria
This section of the agenda will be discussed in our January 8 meeting.

2026 Budget planning
Linda Lorett informed that in January, the budget committee will meet to plan for the 26-27 budget. Linda explained the Policy Council chair, vice-chair, and secretary are part of this committee and invited any interested members to join and help make important decisions for the program.

Parent/Community Reports
There were no parent or community reports.

Meeting adjourned at 6:20 p.m., motion made by April and seconded by Kelly. Motion passed.
 

Heartland Early Education Policy Council Minutes
1.08.2026

VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: 
Jesika Campbell, Ernesto Ruiz Esparza, Kelly Mobray, Jon Baker, Jennifer Svaty, Candice Sauers, Shelly Peters.

NON-VOTING MEMBERS: 
Jenny Reyes, Linda Lorett, Lesa Larson, Adriana Aranda, Sherrie Scott, Shanna Rector, Udana Arceo, Elena Ortega

GUESTS:
Amanda Preeo

CALL TO ORDER:
Jenny Reyes called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m. 

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: 
There were no changes or additions to the agenda.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 
Jon Baker motioned to approve the Consent agenda items as presented. Candice Sauers seconded the motion, which passed. 

Quorum
At the December 4, 2025, Policy Council meeting, we were unable to take action on two agenda items because we did not have a quorum present. Our bylaws require five voting members to be in attendance to vote and we had four. This prompted the director to send the items, needing PC approval, via email to PC, with an explanation of the documents. 

Two items needing a vote were:
1.    Self-Assessment
2.    Recruitment plan

Five members responded to the email and unanimously voted to approve both items as listed above. 

Documentation of the email and the votes will be placed in the Policy Council folder as a supplement.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: 
Lesa Larson stated that the under-enrollment plan for Early Head Start will be in place from December 15, 2025, to December 15, 2026. The leadership team, Shanna Rector and Jenny Reyes will have a conference call with a Head Start Representative to solidify the under-enrollment plan. This plan will be presented to Policy Council members during the February meeting.

OLD BUSINESS:
Enrollment Report
Sherrie Scott presented the enrollment report for December. She reported that the Federal Early Head Start program is enrolled at 87%, Early Head Start child care at 96%, Kansas home visits at 100%, and Head Start at 99%. Sherrie shared that Heartland Early Education has received 615 new applications during the past calendar year.

Parent Engagement and Language Conversation Groups
Over the past several months, Policy Council members have discussed ways to increase parent engagement. Ernesto Ruiz Esparza (Home-Based representative) shared that he has spoken with several parents who expressed interest in opportunities to practice conversational language skills in order to build confidence in their second language. Udance Arceo facilitated a discussion during the meeting to gather input and begin planning potential language conversation groups.
The following ideas were generated:
•    Kelly Mobray suggested partnering with a staff member from the Salina Adult Education Center to facilitate language conversation sessions, incorporating Conscious Discipline concepts and terminology.
•    The initial group would be open to parents with children currently enrolled at Heartland Early Education.
•    A variety of days and times should be offered to increase accessibility for families.
•    The group discussed the need to determine an appropriate number of participants per session.
•    Sessions would be advertised, and interested parents would be required to sign up in advance.
•    Sessions should be at least one hour in length. After several sessions, participants could provide feedback to determine whether more or less time is needed.
•    Child care was identified as a potential challenge. One suggestion was to contact Salina Area Technical College to explore partnering with Early Childhood Education students to provide child care during the sessions.
•    Shanna Rector proposed holding a planning meeting on February 5, 2025, immediately following the regular Policy Council meeting, to further develop ideas and make decisions regarding the structure of the sessions. She will bring Conscious Discipline materials to review how these concepts could be incorporated. All interested Policy Council members are invited to attend.
•    It was suggested that Heartland bilingual staff be invited to assist with facilitating Spanish-language conversations.
•    Shanna also shared that once dates and times are established, high school students who hold a bi-literacy certificate (indicating proficiency in more than one language) could be invited to gain real-world experience by volunteering. Teachers could be contacted to determine student interest.

NEW BUSINESS:
Selection Criteria
Sherrie Scott presented changes to the Selection Criteria on how children and families qualify for the program.  She explained the proposed changes. Udana, inquired about the difference between the Kansas Early Head Start and the Federal Head Start program. Sherrie explained that the main difference is where the funding comes from. Udana asked if the criteria of a non-English speaker are meant for the child or are also applicable to the applicant's parents. Sherrie replied that the selection criteria apply to the whole family. Udana made a motion to approve the selection criteria as presented. Jon Baker seconded the motion. The motion carried.

2026-27 preliminary budget discussion
Leadership will meet on Tuesday, January 13, 2025, to review the areas of the programs that are offered. Heartland Early Education leadership will meet with the Executive Policy Council members (chair, vice chair, treasurer) the last week of January to present some of the options being considered for the 2026-2027 budget. No decisions will be made at this meeting. Linda invited all Policy Council members who are interested in joining the discussion. An email will be sent with details about the meeting.  The Kansas Home Visiting and Child Care Partners Grants are due in February, and the Federal Grant is due on April 1st. All Budget decisions have to be made no later than March 1st.

Parent/Community Reports
Kelly Mobray from the Salina Adult Education Center informed that enrollment for ESL and GED classes is open. Udana inquired when ESL classes take place. Classes are on Monday and Wednesday mornings, from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm, or Tuesday and Thursday evenings from 4:30 pm to 8:30 pm. Classes start on February 2, 2026. During January, the Salina Art Center will display pictures and statements from 25 individuals (and one therapy dog) that answered the question, “How does the Salina Adult Education Center bring support to our community?” Salina Adult Education Center is celebrating its 45th Anniversary and years of Partners 4 Success.
Udana informed that the Region VII Head Start Association Board needs a parent representative. Individuals interested are invited to complete and submit a nomination form.
Jenny reminded members that the next meeting will take place on February 5, 2026, at 5:00 pm. She thanked everyone for attending the meeting and being part of the Heartland Early Education Policy Council.

Meeting adjourned at 5:55 p.m., motion made by Kelly and seconded by Candice. Motion passed.
 

Heartland Early Education Policy Council Minutes
2.5.2026

VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: 
Udana Arceo, Jon Baker, Ernesto Ruiz Esparza, Kelly Mobray, Shelly Peters

NON-VOTING MEMBERS: 
Jenny Reyes, Amy Freelove, Lesa Larson, Linda Lorett, Shanna Rector, Sherrie Scott, Elena Ortega, Adriana Aranda

GUESTS:
Amanda Preeo

CALL TO ORDER:
Jenny Reyes called the meeting to order at 5:01 p.m. 

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: 
There were no changes or additions to the agenda.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 
Udana Arceo motioned to approve the Consent agenda items as presented. Shelly Peters seconded the motion, which passed. 

Lesa Larson introduced Amy Freelove as the new Liaison to the Salina Public Schools Board of Education. Jenny Reyes welcomed and thanked Amy for joining the Policy Council.

Training
In-Kind
Linda Lorett explained In-Kind are things the program receives that don’t have to be paid for. The Federal grant requires documenting 25c of In-Kind services for every $1 received in federal funds. In-Kind services include: volunteer hours, donated materials, contributions that support the program; a service or donation for which Head Start funds could have been used if it had not been donated. Attending Policy Council, volunteering in classrooms, helping during fieldtrips, doing skill builders with your child, and returning the form to the classroom. Speech, physical therapy, occupational therapy, and ICD (Infant Child Development) services provided in the classrooms are other forms of In-Kind. These services must be reported to the government twice a year, and a three-year In-kind documentation is submitted with our yearly grant application. Jenny inquired about Heartland classrooms having In-Kind sign-in sheets for volunteers. Adriana Aranda replied In-Kind sign-in sheets are located in the front office, where volunteers register as they come in.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: 
Lesa reminded members about the meeting after Policy Council to further discuss and plan for “language conversations with parents”. Heartland Early Education will participate in Match Madness on March 12, 2026, at the Salina Field House. Our goal is to raise money for our Weekend Food Support Program, which cannot be supported by federal money. A video to advertise our campaign will be created by marketing class volunteer students from Kansas Wesleyan University.  The Salina Art Center has a display of pictures and statements from individuals on “How does the Salina Adult Center bring support to our community?” The exhibit will be open through February 8 from 10 am to 5 pm.

OLD BUSINESS:
Enrollment Report
Sherrie Scott presented January’s enrollment report. She stated that the Federal Early Head Start program is enrolled at 83%, the Kansas Early Head Start child care at 96%, the Kansas home visits at 100%, and Head Start at 98%. EHS Child Care is on an under-enrollment plan. Our program is at 90% enrollment, and 97% is considered fully enrolled. Staff is researching new ways to increase enrollment, including providing information to businesses that do not know about us. The application for the program has been updated to make it easier to complete. Information and applications will be provided to new locations, including Mowery Clinic and Bridgehouse Services. Shanna Rector will provide a link to a Facebook page where new families in town look for child care. This platform will be an opportunity to reach out to more families. The recruitment committee met to discuss how the program can get more information out to the community. Jon Baker inquired if information about Head Start is provided at churches. Sherri replied that she is not sure, but will contact churches that Policy Council members feel would be interested in providing our information.

Budget discussion update
Linda stated that the 2026-2027 budget is due on April 1st, 2026. The application is condensed and will be easier to complete. The program was level-funded, and there will be no additional grant funds for the yearly salary increase provided by the Board of Education. To meet the budget, changes will have to be made to the program. These changes include identifying cuts, finding ways to save, and restructuring open positions. The budget will be presented at the March meeting for approval.

NEW BUSINESS:
KEHS Child Care Partnership Grant
Linda presented the 2026-2027 Kansas Early Head Start Child Care Partnership grant. The grant application is for level funding, which will provide center-based, full-day, full-year services to 24 enrolled children ages birth to three. Jon made a motion to approve the Kansas Early Head Start Child Care Partnership Grant Application as presented. Udana seconded the motion. Motion carried.

KEHS Home Visit Grant
Linda presented the 2026-2027 Kansas Early Head Start Home Visitation Grant Application. The grant application is for level funding. This grant will provide home visitation services to 20 enrolled children ages birth to three. Jon made a motion to approve the Kansas Early Head Start Home Visitation Grant Application as presented. Udana seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Parent/Community Reports
Kelly Mobray shared that the Salina Adult Education Center Program received approval for level funding.
Shanna shared that elementary, middle school, and high school principals had the opportunity to talk with the school board about the needs assessment, and many schools mentioned the need for Conscious Discipline, which is good.

Udana shared that she attended a meeting with the school IEP team to review her son’s progress. Alex was able to communicate his need to use the restroom without being prompted. This is a huge accomplishment for him.

Jenny shared that her son Christopher was speech delayed and was not able to regulate his emotions to attend mass service with the family. Thanks to therapy and the use of fidgets, he has been able to regulate and join his family. 

Udana mentioned that as parents, we can’t raise children on our own, but Heartland Early Education is there to help. She thanked the program for all the help and support.

Meeting adjourned at 5:49 p.m., motion made by Jon and seconded by Ernesto. Motion passed.

Heartland Early Education Policy Council Minutes
3.5.2026

VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: 
Udana Arceo, Kelly Mobray, Shelly Peters

NON-VOTING MEMBERS: 
Jenny Reyes, Lesa Larson, Linda Lorett, Sherrie Scott, Adriana Aranda, Shanna Rector

GUESTS:
Amanda Preeo, Michell Hellmuth

CALL TO ORDER:
Jenny Reyes called the meeting to order at 5:07 p.m. 

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: 
There were no changes or additions to the agenda.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 
Kelly Mobray motioned to approve the Consent agenda items as presented. Shelly Peters seconded the motion. 

Quorum
At the March 5, 2026, Policy Council meeting, we were unable to take action on three agenda items due to a lack of a quorum. 

•    Federal Head Start budget approval 
•    New policy – PP030 – Staff Qualifications & Competency Requirements. 
•    ER004 – Child recruitment

Our bylaws require five voting members to be present, and we had three. This prompted the director to send items via email on March 6, 2026, with an explanation of the documents. Five votes to approve and zero votes to not approve were received. The motion to approve the items sent via email as presented passed.

Lesa inquired about ideas to interest and retain parents on Policy Council.  The following ideas were shared:
•    Change the time of the meeting
•    Start the year with more representatives for each program offered
•    Have meetings every other month
•    Have family consultants remind parents of the meeting the morning of the meeting
•    PC informational video should be provided during the first family consultant visit
•    Provide PC information during conferences, preschool jump into Head Start, and enrollment

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: 
Lesa informed that Heartland Early Education will be participating in Match Madness, which will take place on March 12 at the Salina Field House. Two student volunteers from the marketing department at Kansas Wesleyan University created a video and flyers to post on social media.

OLD BUSINESS:
Enrollment Report
Sherrie Scott presented January’s enrollment report. She stated the Federal Early Head Start program is enrolled at 96%, Kansas Early Head Start Child Care at 100%, Kansas Home Visits at 100%, and Head Start at 100%. Jenny Reyes inquired if the Policy Council videos that were recorded are being shown during the application process. Sherrie replied, "This is done at the first Family Consultants visit." Sherrie also mentioned that 98 new applications for the 2026-2027 school year have been received.

ELC training update
The English Language conversation sessions started on March 2, 2026. The sessions will take place every Monday from 5:00 to 7:00 pm from March 2nd to May 4th, 2026. These sessions are offered to parents who are part of Heartland Early Education.

NEW BUSINESS:
Federal Head Start budget approval
Linda presented the proposal for the Federal Head Start and Early Head Start Grant Application that serves qualifying low-income families. The budget will allow Heartland Early Education to provide services through center-based programming and home visitation for children ages 0-5 in Saline, Dickinson, and Ellsworth Counties, 230 Head Start, and 91 Early Head Start children. Kelly Mobray made a motion to approve the Federal Head Start and Early Head Start Grant Application as presented. Shelly Peters seconded the motion.

Self-Assessment update
Sherrie presented the updated self-assessment plan of action for the Early Head Start (EHS) under enrollment plan, the simplification of the enrollment process for families, and the improvement of the coordination of required health services in Salina Public Schools.  Refer to page 20 of the agenda for details.

Child Assessment – 2nd Checkpoint
Michelle Hellmuth presented the assessment reports for the Head Start, Early Head Start, SPS Preschool classrooms, and the USD 305 Parents as Teachers program.  This assessment is designed to determine if children are improving in their developmental skills. The results show steady progress from the fall to the winter assessment.
Udana inquired if there is a percentage difference between part-day and school-day classroom results. Shanna rector replied that the school-day classrooms show a higher percentage improvement than the part-day classrooms.

New Policy – PP030 – Staff Qualifications & Competency Requirements
Lesa presented the new Staff Qualifications and Competency Requirements Policy. Even though other policies are also being revised, new policies and revisions are presented to the Policy Council only if the policy changes or a new policy is created. Pages 26 to 29 of the agenda explain details about the new policy. Shelly Peters made a motion to approve the Staff Qualifications & Competency Requirements policy as presented. Udana seconded the motion.

Revised Policies:
•    ER004 
Sherrie presented the Child Recruitment Policy. This policy was revised, and the wording and procedures were updated to make the recruitment process more specific. Udana motioned to approve the Child Recruitment Policy as presented.  Shelly seconded the motion.
•    PP007
Lesa presented the Volunteer Requirements Policy. This policy was reviewed and updated to ensure health and interaction requirements are met for volunteers in both licensed and non-licensed facilities.
Jenny inquired how recent health testing must be to meet the volunteer health requirements. Lesa will follow up and provide information at the next meeting. The policy will be revised again for procedural changes. The policy will be presented for approval at the following meeting.

Parent/Community Reports
Policy Council members are concerned about our community families, the immigration situation, and the recent events happening in the country.
Udana shared that her child is using a communication device and is thriving in the classroom.

Meeting adjourned at 6:04 p.m., motion made by Udana and seconded by Kelly. 
 

Heartland Early Education Policy Council Minutes
4.2.2026

VOTING MEMBERS PRESENT: 
April Rios, Jon Baker, Ernesto Ruiz Esparza, Udana Arceo, Kelly Mobray

NON-VOTING MEMBERS: 
Jenny Reyes, Lesa Larson, Sherrie Scott, Adriana Aranda, Shanna Rector, Amy Freelove

GUESTS:
Amanda Preeo, Elena Ortega, Denise Hess

CALL TO ORDER:
Jenny Reyes called the meeting to order at 5:00 p.m. 

CHANGES AND ADDITIONS TO THE AGENDA: 
The Policy Council representative selection ratio was included on the agenda under new businesses. Jon Baker made a motion to approve the addition to the agenda, and April Rios seconded the motion. The motion passed.

APPROVAL OF CONSENT AGENDA ITEMS: 
Udana Arceo motioned to approve the Consent agenda items, including the Policy Council representative selection ratio. Jon seconded the motion, which passed.

TRAINING:
Health, Mental Health & Nutrition Services
Lacy Krebs presented and explained health services the program provides for children and their families.
Health – The program has one certified nurse and a health services assistant. They oversee hearing and vision screenings, provide CPR training, respond to health-related classroom calls, administer prescribed medications, and train classroom staff on protocol for administering medication.

Nutrition – The kitchen manager coordinates with the nurse for children with allergies or meal modifications. She also works closely with our accountant to monitor the use of the resources we have been given. She is working on the certification for the Kansas Certificate in Child Nutrition Management, a program sponsored by Child Nutrition and Wellness at the Kansas State Department of Education (KSDE) and approved by the Kansas State Board of Education. To receive this certification, she needs 120 hours of KSDE child nutrition and wellness-approved management classes. The application has been submitted and is being reviewed for approval.

Mental Health – The program has two mental health consultants. One of them is certified in RMT, which stands for Rhythmic Movement Training, a therapeutic, movement-based program designed to integrate primitive infant reflexes. She is also certified in the Nurturing Pathways program, a creative dance and early childhood development program to strengthen brain-body connections through movement, music, and sensory experiences. Our other consultant is receiving her master's in clinical psychology. She will be able to provide direct therapy services to children in our program. The mental health team supports classrooms, children, and families. Services are all individualized to meet each child and family's needs. April inquired whether mental health services are available in Ellsworth and Dickinson County or only in Saline County. Lacy replied that all three counties offer mental health services.

DIRECTOR’S REPORT: 
•    Lesa reported that in May 2025, Heartland Early Education submitted a change of scope, from 256 to 230 served children. The approval notice for this change was received March 2026. 
•    Our program participated in Match Madness on March 12, 2026, and the donations received are for our Weekend Food Support Program. 
•    Lesa will bring a proposal to change our current Policy Council structure. The proposal might include a different meeting time and or a change in the number of occurrences.

OLD BUSINESS:
Enrollment Report
Sherrie Scott presented the March enrollment report. She stated the Federal Early Head Start program is enrolled at 99%, the Kansas Early Head Start Child Care at 92%, Kansas Home Visits at 100%, and Head Start at 98%. Udana inquired about the differences between the Federal Head Start program and the state-funded preschools. Lesa replied there are differences in funding and eligibility criteria. Udana requested more information about the differences between the two programs. Lesa will provide additional information. Sherrie explained that even though the programs have different criteria, there are no differences in classroom practices. Shanna Rector explained that both programs have the same standards; the funding comes from different programs, but they are all under Salina Public Schools. 

ELC training update
The English Language conversation sessions started on March 2, 2026.  The feedback to family consultants is that parents believed the language conversation level is higher than expected. Ernesto Ruiz Esparza, a Policy Council member, believes the instruction provided during the learning sessions is interesting, helpful, and at the right conversational level.

PP007 – Volunteer Requirements
Lesa presented the Volunteer Requirements Policy. This policy was reviewed and updated to ensure health and interaction requirements are met for volunteers in both licensed and non-licensed facilities.
Jon made a motion to approve the PP007 volunteer requirements as presented. April seconded the motion. The motion carried.

NEW BUSINESS:
2025-2030 five-year goals update (year 1)
Lesa provided an update on the first year of our five-year goals. Page twelve of the agenda presents the details of goals and objectives that the program has been working on. 
•    Goal 1: Attract and cultivate staff who inspire and empower children and families.
•    Goal 2: Strengthen relationships through intentional communication
•    Goal 3: Responsive to the needs of children, families, staff, and community

2026-2027 “past parent” discussion
“Past parent” members are parents of children who were part of the program and exited or moved on to another school. Jenny invited all attendees whose children will not be part of the program for the 2026-2027 school year to consider continuing to serve Policy Council as a Past Parent. Individuals can nominate to be on the Policy Council for the 26-27 school year. Policy Council members are elected yearly and can serve for a five-year term. 

2026-2027 community rep discussion
Community representatives for Dickson, Ellsworth, and Saline counties are an important part of the Policy Council. Lesa provided a list of potential candidates for the 26-27 school year. She encourages providing names of possible community representatives during the May meeting.

New policy – PP021 – Staff Wages & Benefits
This is a new Policy created to provide wages and comprehensive benefits to attract, retain, and support highly qualified staff who are equitable, transparent, and sufficient to promote the well-being and high-quality services for children and families. April motioned to approve the new PP021 policy as presented. Jon seconded. The motion carried.

New policy – CHS144 - Mental Health Support for Children and Families
Lesa presented a new policy in which Heartland Early Education will support a program-wide culture that promotes mental health, social and emotional well-being, and overall health and safety with a multidisciplinary approach. Heartland Early Education will ensure that mental health consultants provide consultation services that build the capacity of adults in the infant’s or young child’s life to strengthen and support the mental health and social-emotional development of young children. Jon made a motion to approve the new CHS144 policy as presented. Udana seconded the motion. Motion carried.

Revised Policy – PP001 – Staff Health & Wellness
This policy states that each staff member will have an initial and periodic examination as recommended by their healthcare provider. Mental health and wellness information will be available to staff, and scheduled opportunities to learn about mental health, wellness, and health education will be provided.
Each staff member will receive regular breaks of adequate length and frequency based on hours worked, to include time for meal breaks as appropriate. Udana motioned to approve the changes made to the PP001 Policy. Ernesto seconded the motion, which passed.

Parent/Community Reports
Sherrie shared that she met with Salina Regional Hospital. On April 28, 2026, a walk-in information session on applying and eligibility will be offered at different times throughout the day and during the Big Truck Night event, from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. Big Truck Night is an event where both parking lots at Heartland Early Education is full of big vehicles, everything from firetrucks, ambulances, to street sweepers, motorcycles, etc., a night full of fun open to our whole community. Udana inquired if a large number of people who are not already associated with Heartland would attend the event. Sherrie replied that there is a large turnout of people not associated with the program. Jon inquired if Geoprode participates in Big Truck Night. If not, he would like us to contact the company to invite them to participate in the event. Sherrie replied that she will contact the person in charge of Big Truck Night to determine if Geoprobe is already part of the event or if an invitation needs to be sent.

Meeting adjourned at 6:15 p.m., motion made by April and seconded by Udana. Motion carried.
 

May, 7 2026.pdf