Bright Spots Winners: Murray Head Start Staff

Keeping Kids Safe and Compliant, One Quick Note at a Time 

Safety is at the heart of everything we do in Head Start, and keeping track of children’s attendance is a top priority. According to Head Start Performance Standards, every child’s presence needs to be confirmed within an hour of the classroom opening. Murray Head Start Data Services Specialist, Trish Pickett, led a of group of fellow employees to develop a smart solution to help keep classrooms compliant.! 

The first step that Trish, Crystal, Jessica, and Cindy took was identify the challenge. At the time, it was difficult for teachers to inform Family Service Advocates (FSAs) that attendance had been completed because doing so would take away time with the children. Every minute with kiddos in the classroom counts, so this was a problem that Trish and her team were dedicated to solving. 

With creativity and a solid understanding of ChildPlus Online, our November nominees used the Data Entry screen’s “Notes” feature. By clicking the “i” icon, teachers could enter a note, and with Quick Notes enabled, all they had to do was type “AC” in the notes field. This instantly generated the phrase “Attendance Complete” along with a time-stamped entry. The FSA receives an instant, reliable record that attendance has been taken for the day, keeping Murray Head Start in full compliance with documentation to back it up. 

Thanks to Trish, Crystal, Jessica, and Cindy – Murray Head Start’s team can keep their focus where it belongs—on the little ones—while ensuring safety standards are met. Try implementing this solution at your agency to streamline your processes too! Thank you, Murray Head Start, for setting an example of innovation that helps everyone do their jobs more efficiently!