2024 R5HSA Conference - Come to Learn

Hosted by Region 5 Head Start Association in Partnership with Illinois, Indiana, Michigan, Minnesota, Ohio, and Wisconsin HSAs

R5HSA Conference

General Conference Schedule

10:00 pm -1:00 pm Pre-conference Check In

1:00 pm - 5:00 pm Preconference Sessions

9:00 am - 12:00 am Pre-conference Sessions Continues

10:00 am - 5:00 pm Conference Service Desk Open

1:00 pm - 2:30 pm Opening Keynote Speaker

2:30 pm - 6:00 pm Exhibit Hall Open

2:45 pm - 4:45 p.m Concurrent Sessions

5:00 pm - 6:00 pm Welcome Reception with Exhibitors

8:00 am - 5:00 pm Conference Service Desk Open

8:30 am - 5:00 pm Exhibit Hall Open

9:00 am - 10:30  am Concurrent Breakout Sessions

9:00 am - 12:00 pm Concurrent Field Trips

10:45 am - 12:15 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions

12:30 pm - 1:30 pm Luncheon/Keynote Speaker

1:30 pm - 4:00 pm Concurrent Field Trips

1:45 pm - 3:15 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions

3:30 pm - 5:00 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions

8:00 am - 12:00 pm Conference Service Desk Open

8:30 am - 12:00 pm Exhibit Hall Open

8:45 am - 10:15 am Concurrent Breakout Sessions

9:00 am - 12:00 pm Concurrent Field Trips

10:30 am - 12:00 pm Concurrent Breakout Sessions

12:15 pm - 1:30 pm Luncheon/Keynote Speaker

Christopher House was founded in 1906 by the Presbyterian Church of Evanston. In 1965, we became the first Head Start Provider in Chicago. Our students begin as young as six weeks and continue their education through the 8th grade which supports relationships with scholars and their families. As part of our family of schools, Christopher House delivers high-quality, personalized education from Early Childhood through Middle School. We offer scholars Infant & Pre-School, Elementary & Middle School, and After School programs as well as family immersive support for all caregivers. 

Our Infant and Preschool annually prepares nearly 400 children for kindergarten. All three preschools are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – a distinction awarded to only 10% of early learning schools across the country – and each school has received the highest Gold Circle of Quality ranking from ExceleRate Illinois.

Christopher House’ mission is to develop independent, creative, lifelong learners in a school where students, teachers, and parents form a community committed to excellence, achievement, perseverance, respect, and compassion. Christopher House’s Infant & Pre-School employ a methodology that is centered on personalized education; embracing a pedagogy that is child-centered, social justice motivated, and Reggio-inspired.

El Valor’s mission is to support children, people with disabilities, and their families to achieve excellence and participate fully in life. Our programs exist to create opportunities that enrich and empower vulnerable populations to become their own advocates and promote a sense of inclusion within a learning community.

The Carole Robertson Center for Learning educates, enriches, and empowers children and families through comprehensive child and family development programs. We are honored to share about the services provided at our Albany Park site, which serves one of Chicago’s—and the nation’s—most diverse communities. With 51 different languages and dialects spoken in its public schools, Albany Park is often considered to be one of the most ethnically diverse communities in the country. 

Before its acquisition by the Carole Robertson Center, the Albany Park site had operated as the Albany Park Community Center, a longtime community anchor. In 2021, the facility was acquired by the Carole Robertson Center as our third flagship site, and today, we are the only community-based organization in the area that provides child care at low or no cost to the families of this vibrant and growing neighborhood. The Center includes 2 infant, 4 toddler, and 6 preK classrooms, serving approximately 145 children through Head Start and Early Head Start and an additional 100 school age children throughout the year. 

Albany Park has historically been a port of entry for new immigrant populations, and today we carry on the tradition by serving the diverse population of new arrivals in this community.  The Center has recruited staff members who speak more than 30 dialects and/or languages and come from the same countries of origin as the families we serve.

At Shining Star, we have six classrooms that cater to children aged 0-5 years old that offer specialized programs tailored to meet the needs of each age group. We
offer three EHS-PI classrooms, two HS classroom classrooms, and one EHS-CCP classroom.

Shining Star Child Development is located in the East Side neighborhood in Chicago. The East Side neighborhood, rich in cultural diversity, provides the perfect backdrop for our innovative approach to learning.

What sets us apart is our commitment to holistic development – we not only focus on the academic skills of our students but also on their social-emotional development, physical health, and family well-being.

As visitors step into our welcoming facility, they can expect to be greeted by our diverse and inclusive team of dedicated staff members that create a supportive and engaging environment where children can thrive and families can feel empowered. Visitors can look forward to a well-rounded environment, interactive learning experiences, creative activities, and a strong emphasis on building strong relationships within our community.

The mission of the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences is to create positive relationships between people and nature to grow our region’s connection to the world of nature and science. For over 167 years, the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum of the Chicago Academy of Sciences has served a unique role in the city of Chicago connecting people of all ages to nature and science through immersive exhibits, fun family events, important conservation research and in-depth education programs, inspiring the wonder in all of us.

During your field trip experience, you will have the opportunity to tour our exhibits, including our Judy Istock Butterfly Haven full of over 1000 free flying tropical butterflies. You will also have the opportunity to observe some of our living animals and preserved specimens up close in an educator-led workshop.

The Chinese American Service League (CASL) is an all-inclusive, nonprofit social service agency founded in 1978 in Chicago’s Chinatown neighborhood. Across more than two-dozen multilingual programs, CASL, the Midwest’s largest social service agency serving Asian Americans, benefits approximately 7,000 clients annually and sustains more than 600 employees.

Our Mission - Building on the wisdom of generations, CASL catalyzes the transformation of individuals, families, and the community for an equitable future.

For over 45 years, CASL has provided comprehensive community programs which have connected families and individuals with the vital support they need, regardless of race, age, gender, sexuality, or religion. CASL has programs for all stages of life, providing an educational and cultural foundation for the children, training for tomorrow’s workforce, and enriching support for elders.

Located in the heart of Chicago Chinatown area, we have embedded Head Start services in the largest social service agency in the Midwest. Come learn more about how we support the community through a holistic approach to providing services for families throughout generations while embracing culture and tradition. During the field trip, participants will learn more about our comprehensive services and how we are leveraging data to understand and empower the nation’s Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander (AANHPI) communities more deeply through Change InSight® as the first known national social drivers of health (SDOH) data platform.

MSV holds a rich history and a deeply rooted commitment to the well-being of Chicagoans, spanning over a century. As a community-based organization, MSV plays a vital role in connecting individuals and families to essential resources, fostering stability, and promoting upward mobility within the community. The organization's dedication to helping individuals progress from merely surviving to thriving underscores its profound dedication to those we serve.

Marillac St. Vincent continues to provide services for Marginalized families in Cook County, adopting a preventative and proactive approach by providing high-quality wrap-around services pre-natal to seniors through a family-centered approach focused on social-determinants of health, which includes: community connections (outreach), Harvest Hub (food pantry), mental health and well-being services, health, nutrition services, early childhood education and care, home visiting and doula services, and youth and teens services.  

Our Lincoln Park program, St. Vincent DePaul Center is located on Chicago’s North Side but provides services to families across various zip codes. Our early childhood and care makes up 50% of our organization staff of nearly 200 employees. At St. Vincent, there is a total of 15 classrooms through a blended funded approach of state and federal funded. We have nine 0-3 classrooms, six classrooms are EHS, and six 3-5 classrooms, four are HS.  The organization’s dedication to helping individuals progress from merely surviving to thriving underscores its profound dedication to those we serve.

At It Takes A Village Family of Schools, our Head Start and Early Head Start programs are rooted in a holistic approach that emphasizes the vital connection between children, families, communities, and the world. Our mission is to deliver high-quality, culturally responsive education paired with life-empowering social services. We aim to inspire students, staff, and families to be catalysts for positive change, driving the transformation and advancement of their communities, nation, and beyond. Through this integrated approach, we nurture children's development while uplifting the entire family unit.

Participants can look forward to a warm and welcoming environment where children's smiles and the vibrant energy of engaged learning are immediately noticeable. Upon entering our early learning centers, they will observe teachers actively interacting with children through music, dancing, and various hands-on activities at different centers, fostering an enriching and dynamic learning experience. Additionally, our center’s unique offerings, like weekly Spanish and Karate sessions for preschoolers and Spanish lessons for our toddlers and two-year-olds,  highlight a commitment to a well-rounded and culturally diverse curriculum. These programs demonstrate your focus on physical, linguistic, and
cognitive development in an engaging way.  

Our programs are located in the vibrant Humboldt Park neighborhood, a culturally rich and diverse community predominantly serving Black and Brown families.  Our Early Learning Center at 4020 W. Division and the Childcare Center at 4000 W. Division, provide high-quality care and education through 17 Early Head Start and Head Start classrooms, supported by a dedicated team of over 60 staff members. Both centers are deeply committed to fostering the development and well-being of the children and families within this dynamic and historically significant community.

It Takes A Village Family of Schools offers a unique approach to building strong home, school, and community partnerships by hosting several free community events each school year. One of our standout events is the annual Pumpkin Patch, which is open to all of our students, from birth through eighth grade, as well as to surrounding communities. Additionally, our free Juneteenth celebration is a major highlight, featuring performances from both local and nationally recognized artists, along with vendors who showcase their small businesses. The event creates a family-friendly environment with rides, petting zoos, and more, and has drawn over 15,000 attendees from the Chicagoland area.

In addition to these community events, we host monthly Parent Meetings to keep families informed about school happenings. Parents can also engage in educational nights focused on Math, Literacy, and Science with their children. To further support our families, we provide access to dental and medical vans at our sites, ensuring that students remain up to date on their health requirements.