Tuesday, November 18, 2025
Members Present: Carl Telford, Tajae Smith, Carl Powe, Rosalind Moss, Maisha Delph, Jelsa Hendrix, Chekeia Hunt, Rita Hunter, Jordan Machen, Angela Brown, Bobby Allison, Tomeika Bennett, Sandra
Members Absent: Adiah Franklin, Terail Dorn, Diamond Neal, Cheyenne Beasley, Joyce Smith, Thomasina Watson, Z’Quoia Blassingame, Tene Mathis, Elizabeth Otoski, Eric McCullough, Harriett Hunt, Neco Hester
Excused Absences: Cathy Breazelle, Mikya Cowan
Mini Trainings: Head Start Management Systems Overview
The meeting began with a mini-training provided by Patrice Hawthorne on the Head Start Management Systems Wheel, which outlines the leadership structure, governance roles, and 12 overlapping systems that drive program decisions. Shannon Vaughn, Head Start Director, was introduced as overseeing operations, while the Policy Council provides input on behalf of children and families. The wheel emphasizes the importance of these systems working together to achieve quality child and family outcomes. Patrice explained the ERSEA acronym, which stands for Eligibility, Recruitment, Selection, Enrollment, and Attendance, covering the steps from a child's enrollment to their first day of attendance. She detailed the planning system, emphasizing community and self-assessments, and outlined the process of data collection and evaluation, which is crucial for decision-making and compliance with federal standards. Patrice assured that complete details and tools for assessments would be shared before any activities take place, and Shannon would consolidate and share data with the Policy Council. Patrice discussed the importance of compliance in Head Start programs, emphasizing health and safety standards, transportation systems, and technology alignment. She highlighted the role of the Child Plus system in data collection and reporting, as well as the need for ongoing monitoring and continuous improvement. Patrice also touched on human resources, noting the importance of meeting staff professional development needs. Patrice and Shannon discussed HR's comprehensive role in recruiting, hiring, onboarding, and supporting staff through professional development and benefits. They highlighted upcoming shared governance training on November 25th, presented by Ms. Sylvia Hubbard, which will focus on management systems and roles and responsibilities. Carl Telford then called the roll to begin the regular meeting.
Approval of Minutes:
The minutes from last month’s meeting were reviewed by the Policy Council (See Attachment). Bobby Ellison made a motion to accept the minutes as presented. Angela Brown seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Approval of Policy Council Orientation Minutes:
Policy Council orientation took place on October 7th. The minutes were presented to the council for review and approval. After discussion, Jelsa Hendrix made a motion to approve the minutes as presented, Bobby Ellison seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Approval of Personnel Report:
The personnel report was then presented by Ms. Tara Cannon, HR Director. We are recommending hire for 9 perspective new employees (See attachment). All applicants are subject to Background Investigation as mandated by the S.C. Department of Social Services. This includes State and Federal Background Investigation and the Child Registry Search to determine if any abuse or neglect has been made against a child and Pre-Employment Drug Screenings. Also, we will conduct reference checks on all perspective new employees. Appointments are conditional based upon the receipt of satisfactory references, state, and federal background investigation and approval from the Head Start Policy Council. Each full-time employee must serve a three-month introductory probationary period before obtaining regular appointment status. Substitutes are on an as needed basis. After discussion, Bobby Ellison made a motion to approve the perspective new employees as presented. Chekeia Hunt seconded. Motion carried.
Head Start Program
Ullisa Ruiz, Teacher II, Clemson. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and has six years of experience teaching in another Head Start program.
Destine Mosley, Teacher III, North Franklin Road. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Family & Consumer Science/Child Development and has five years of experience working in various preschool settings.
Chantal Nash, Teacher III, North Franklin Road. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and has nine years of experience working in daycare centers.
Eloisa Morel, Classroom Aide, Pleasant Valley. She holds a High School Diploma and has one year of experience working with preschool-aged autistic children.
Hueneme Moore, Classroom Aide, North Franklin Road. She holds a High School Diploma and has 17 years of experience working in Head Start programs. She is a former SHARE Head Start parent.
Krista Roberts, Cook, Parker. She holds a High School Diploma and has three years of experience working as a cook in various restaurants.
Early Head Start Program
Miriam Simpson, Teacher II, Golden Strip. She holds an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education and has eight years of experience working at SHARE Head Start and another Head Start program.
Chemyia Boseman, Classroom Aide, Willis H. Crosby. She holds a High School Diploma and has three years of experience working with children in local childcare facilities.
Betty Hendrix, Substitute Teacher Assistant, Rutherford Road. She holds a High School Diploma and has ten years of experience working with children in various childcare facilities.
Approval of Director’s Report:
Shannon Vaughn presented the Director's Report, highlighting child outcomes data showing strong performance in language and literacy, physical development, and early mathematics. She noted that children's lower language skills post-COVID were partly due to increased screen time and isolation. Shannon also reported that current data Head Start and Early Head Start on meeting the 10% federal requirement for serving children with disabilities. She emphasized the importance of mental health services, noting a recent increase in behavioral and developmental referrals, and mentioned that OHS is requesting that all programs create a mental health strategic plan. There has been an initial meeting to begin working on our program’s plan. Finally, Shannon discussed improvements in screenings for children, which had been enhanced by switching from using nursing students to having staff administer them directly. Patrice presented data on family well-being categories, noting that financial security, literacy, and budgeting scored lowest at 2.3, indicating a greater need for financial literacy support for families. She highlighted ongoing efforts, including partnerships with Greenville Federal Credit Union for financial literacy workshops and strategies for improving scores in other areas. Patrice also discussed the implementation of the Triple P positive parenting curriculum to address behavioral challenges and mentioned plans to increase parent engagement in educational activities. Carl shared insights from the father engagement tailgate event, emphasizing the importance of peer support and resource availability for fathers and father figures. Shannon discussed enrollment challenges, with program-wide enrollment at 96%, close to full capacity but facing issues with children dropping out, particularly in Head Start. Shannon and Patrice highlighted the need for recruitment efforts, including mass recruitment days, social media campaigns, and a scavenger hunt initiative offering prizes for referrals. Rosalind shared her efforts in spreading awareness about the program at football games and apartment complexes, emphasizing the need for word-of-mouth promotion. They discussed potential strategies to address enrollment gaps, including collaboration with Policy Council for recruitment events and exploring advertising options. Areas with the greatest need for enrollment were identified as Oconee County, North Greenville Traveler's Rest area, and Anderson County's BHW -Belton Honea Path area.
Shannon explained that transportation is an issue for many families in the program, and that having more available transportation may help enrollment. She described the challenges faced by the program in finding certified trainers for CDL training, noting that the requirement for certified trainers has made it difficult to train staff. Shannon mentioned that they are exploring options such as partnering with Greenville Technical College for scholarships and accessing a Class B-rated bus, but these efforts have been hindered by logistical and financial constraints. Other options have also been explored with no positive result to assist with transportation concerns.
The group discussed compliance requirements and outreach for Head Start programs, with a focus on serving underserved communities including migrant workers. Shannon explained that their family advocates and center managers assist with the application process and documentation, while Angela suggested exploring partnerships with trucking companies for bus driver training. The discussion highlighted challenges in training bus drivers with the necessary S endorsement and the potential for collaboration with school districts and Greenville Technical College for CDL training. The meeting focused on community outreach efforts, with Rosalind sharing her work in Traveler's Rest and Berea areas, including engaging with Hispanic organizations and using her son's experience as a talking point to educate others about SHARE’s services. Carl announced plans to create a testimonial video featuring parents and staff, which would be used for social media and website promotion. The group also discussed developing educational materials and resources for children, including the potential use of tablets with educational apps like Reading.com. After discussion, Tomeika Bennett made a motion to accept the Director’s report as presented. Bobby Ellison seconded the motion. Motion carried.
Budget Review:
Doris Pitchford, Director of Business & Finance presented the October credit card and financial reports, noting that Head Start spending was at 33% of the fiscal year, aligned with the 29.3% spent on the Head Start budget and 25.2% spent on EHS. The total combined spent is 27.73%. We are at 18.3% for in-kind. After discussion, Bobby Ellison made a motion to approve the budget review as presented. Chekeia Hunt seconded the motion. Motion carried,
In closing, Patrice highlighted upcoming opportunities, including governance training, Goodwill Industries certification program, and financial literacy workshops. Carl emphasized the importance of everyone's perspective and participation. The conversation ended with plans for the All About Me engagement initiative.
No further business, meeting adjourned.
Recorded by
Maisha Delph, Secretary
Carl Telford, Chair
