April Newsletter
2021
I will start with our most recent update and work my way backwards to the beginning of the month. After over 6 months of patiently (for the most part) waiting, we received budget clearance the last week of April to start work on the STOP School Violence projects that we are hosting for the NW Council of Collaboratives. The projects were delayed in part because the funding source rolled out a new website along with reorganizing how they manage grants. Things were further complicated because Faye Auchenpaugh, the writer of the grants, was successful in garnering two awards. That is rare. The projects will help train as many of the 24 school districts in our eight-county area as we can get signed up on several topics related to school safety. In addition, we will work with the Northwest Service Coop to create a Crisis Management Plan template that will have some consistent elements for participating schools. The plan is that the Crisis Management Plans can be maintained long after the initial 3 year grant period has ended through the Service Coops Health and Safety Program in a manner similar to Asbestos and Community Right to know policies. For my next update, I have the distinct pleasure of congratulating our Head Start folks on a very successful Focus Area 2 review! According to the Office of Head Start: The Focus Area Two (FA2) review is an opportunity for grantees to demonstrate their effectiveness in implementing a high-quality program to promote positive outcomes and school readiness for children and their families. This focus area is designed to broaden the Office of Head Start’s (OHS) understanding of each grantee’s performance and to determine if programs are meeting the requirements of the Head Start Program Performance Standards (HSPPS), Uniform Guidance, and the Head Start Act. As you might imagine, producing good results during a pandemic would be challenging. Tri-Valley’s Head Start staff were up to the challenge. I couldn’t have been more proud of the people I work with as I sat through the exit interview! Their collective commitment to the children and families we serve is outstanding. I also need to acknowledge that the HR and Fiscal Departments also played a role in our successful review. Thank you! I will close with another good report from the very beginning of the month Longtime readers know that Tri-Valley’s audit is traditionally the first week of April. I am happy to share that we have again produced a report with no findings or questioned costs! This is a testament to the good stewardship Tri-Valley staff display when entrusted with grant funds. As a grant-funded nonprofit, Tri-Valley trades in its reputation as an agency with the capacity and commitment to handle grant funds with care. Many thanks go out to program staff for following the rules and special thanks go out to Tri-Valley’s awesome Fiscal Department! I hope to be able to basically copy and paste this paragraph as long as I am employed by Tri-Valley. With the staff we have, I think my odds are pretty good to be able to do so.
In This Issue: * CEO News and Notes * Transit Provides Free Rides to Free Grocery Event * Tri-Valley Seeking New Board Member * St. Cloud Perfect Attendance * Tri-Valley is Hiring * Thank You, Volunteer Drivers * Crookston Perfect Attendance * Thank You, Rosa and Ramon * Rogers Perfect Attendance * National Volunteer Week Observed
In This Issue: * St. Cloud Center Gets New Equipment * Thank You, NSSLHA at UND * Thank You, Parents * RentHelpMN Now Open for Applications * St. Cloud Hosts Virtual Welcome Back * Wacky Wednesday * Coleman Speaks at NMSHSA Conference * Morrison and Sundeen Earn Data Literacy Credential * Insulin Safety Net Program * Tri-Valley Board of Directors