Barb Wehman Receives WDEC "Outstanding Service" Award

The Wisconsin Division for Early Childhood (WDEC) and the Wisconsin Early Childhood Association (WECA) has named Barbara Wehman of Barron, Wisconsin one of the two Outstanding Service Awards.

Barb worked for 17 years as the Director of CESA 11 Head Start and Early Head Start. Her sincere efforts touched the lives of thousands of children and families in Barron, Chippewa, Dunn, Pepin, Pierce and St. Croix counties. As Head Start Director, Barb was a strong force in developing numerous successful Head Start and four year old kindergarten collaboration programs throughout the CESA #11 service area. A year ago Barb retired yet she has continued to be very active in the field of early childhood education. She has been instrumental in creating the Early Childhood Summer Academy a weeklong series of workshops for early childhood professionals. In addition she recently has become a trainer for the new Head Start Federal Initiative called I am Moving, I am Learning-a childhood obesity prevention program.

The awards ceremony was held during the 54th Annual Wisconsin Early Childhood Education and Care Conference, October 10-11, 2008 at Radisson Paper Valley Hotel, Appleton, Wisconsin.

The awards were presented by Mary Joslin, WDEC President; Renee Zaman, WECA President; Mary Jo Hite, WDEC President-Elect; Ruth Nyland, WDEC Vice-President at the Conference Professional Development Luncheon.

Both WDEC and WECA are state chapters of national professional organizations devoted to insuring quality care and education for young children and their families.
 

Tom Mattke Commendation

During the WHSA Spring Quarterly, Department of Children and Families Secretary Reggie Bicha presented Tom Mattke, Director, Green Bay Area Public Schools Head Start Program the following Governor's Commendation:

            WHEREAS, on April 23, 2008, Tom Mattke received this proclamation in recognition of his life’s work championing a brighter future for Wisconsin’s most vulnerable children and their families; and

            WHEREAS, Tom has, over the course of 30 years of professional contributions, played an integral role in the creation of top quality comprehensive early childhood education and care services for children in our State; he has consistently placed himself in roles that expand opportunities for children to succeed, for families to rise out of poverty and for our communities to improve their responsiveness to those with the least, particularly through his involvement in the Wisconsin Head Start Association and with the State’s Head Start Collaboration Project; and

            WHEREAS, this award honors Tom’s steadfast passion and sincere dedication while working as the Preschool and Head Start Coordinator for the Green Bay Area Public School District, where his work touched the lives of thousands of our State’s most vulnerable children and their families, improving upon their lives one child and one parent at a time; and

            WHEREAS, Tom has been a committed and vital mentor to his fellow Head Start and Early Head Start Directors across the State while serving in such advanced leadership positions as the Wisconsin Head Start Association’s Board President and Chairperson of the Association’s Community Relations Work Group; Tom played a critical role in achieving Wisconsin’s showcase state supplemental funding of Head Start so thousands more children in our state might receive Head Start services;  he was important in the national effort to keep Head Start alive as a federal program so over one million children across our nation would receive a head start each year; and,

            WHEREAS, whether in the Halls of the United States Congress or the through the door’s of a Head Start classroom, Wisconsin’s Head Start and Early Head Start programs - their staff, parents and children - have relied upon Tom Mattke as their advocate, and he has succeeded always in maintaining their best interests as the focus of his actions, and where he has humbly and inspirationally shared the success of his efforts as the result of the work of all who benefited; Tom’s contributions have set for us an ambitious future course; and

            WHEREAS, Tom Mattke is an irreplaceable colleague, role model, friend, and leader to all who crossed paths with him, especially to the children and parents whose lives are the better for it; he will continue to be appreciated for his countless professional accomplishments and for the personal sacrifices he made so effortlessly to better assure the bright future of our State;

            NOW, THEREFORE, I, Jim Doyle, Governor of the State of Wisconsin , do hereby present to

TOM MATTKE

this recognition of his life’s work - something better for all of Wisconsin’s children and their families by providing the very best for those with the very least.

Congratulations Tom!

Social Development Commission (SDC) Head Start Program

4041 N. Richards

Milwaukee, WI 53212

Phone: 414-906-2700

Fax: 414-906-2754

Email: gporath@cr-sdc.org

Website: www.cr-sdc.org/

Photos: Krammer & kids, Boris, Khyber, Jasper, and Savard with girl.

New Friends - Kids and Canines

Reprinted with permission from SDC.

Several SDC Head Start sites have gone to the dogs. . . literally!  New classroom volunteers are helping children with their lessons and to get over fears they may have of dogs.

Dogs from Health Heelers Therapy Dog Program are visiting the preschool sites at Green Tree and West Allis as part of a new program.  Laura Hey, who operates the animal-assisted therapy program, recently visited Head Start-Green Tree where she introduced Jasper, a 4-year-old Border Collie, to the young children.

Ms. Hey spent time showing the children how to approach a leased dog.  A number of the Head Start students have not had positive experiences with dogs in the past and they were taught the best way to get to know a dog and its owner.  The children practiced greeting Jasper and learned how to play fetch.

Eventually the dogs will become involved with lessons for the children, helping with counting and alphabet exercises.  Right now, the dogs and children at Head Start are getting comfortable with each other and having fun doing so.