The Wisconsin Head Start Association (WHSA) maintains a comprehensive governance structure that ensures representation from all parts of its membership throughout the year. The Association’s calendar is anchored by an annual meeting each January, which brings together directors, staff, and parents from all 39 grantees across Wisconsin’s Head Start programs.
This annual gathering is complemented by quarterly meetings held in fall, winter, and spring, during which the Association conducts essential business operations, reviews strategic initiatives, and addresses emerging priorities affecting Wisconsin’s Head Start community. These regular convenings provide crucial opportunities for member programs to share best practices, collaborate on challenges, and align their efforts in serving over 16,000 children and families from various backgrounds throughout the state.
Through a participatory process, each of the three affiliates (Director, Staff, and Parent) selects representatives who are then voted into leadership positions for two-year terms. From these elected affiliate leaders, the WHSA Board of Directors is formed, providing governance and strategic direction to the organization.
In a testament to Wisconsin’s important voice in regional Head Start matters, the membership votes to select representatives to serve on the Region V Board, where Wisconsin joins Minnesota, Ohio, Illinois, Michigan, and Indiana in addressing broader regional initiatives and concerns. This multi-level representation ensures that Wisconsin’s Head Start programs have influence at both the state and regional levels, strengthening advocacy efforts and resource sharing across state lines.
The governance structure reflects Head Start’s foundational commitment to involving people from all walks of life in decision-making processes, ensuring varied perspectives inform WHSA’s work in supporting high-quality comprehensive services for Wisconsin’s young children and their families from all communities, regardless of background or circumstance.
