A Welcome To Associate Commissioner
Windy Hill

Windy M. Hill was named the Associate Commissioner for the Head Start Bureau on January 7, 2002. She brings a lifetime of involvement and commitment to the principles of the Head Start Program. As a child, she was enrolled in Head Start in Bastrop, Texas. Her child was also enrolled in the program. She has served as a parent representative on the center's policy council and later was part of the community group that developed and received a Head Start grant. Prior to joining the Head Start Bureau, since 1993, Associate Commissioner Hill served as Executive Director of Cen-Tex Family Services, Inc. which administers nine Head Start centers in a four-county region of central Texas.

At the Region 12 Migrant and Seasonal Head Start Annual Conference held in March 2002, Associate Commissioner Hill affirmed the initiatives affecting Head Start that include fatherhood, positive youth development, literacy, faith-based, and the rural initiatives. She explained, "We see these initiatives as tools to deliver better outcomes for Head Start children and their families."

Associate Commissioner Hill described the President's early childhood initiative at the NHSA conference in Phoenix in April 2002, "The President's Good Start, Grow Smart initiative will help states and local communities strengthen early learning for young children to make sure that they have the skills they need to start school ready to learn–to ensure that No Child Is Left Behind. To strengthen Head Start's school readiness efforts, the Administration will support the development of appropriate standards of learning in early literacy, language, and numeracy skills." She explained that "Good Start, Grow Smart is about making sure that programs have the support, guidance, and leadership that ensures quality Head Start environments; healthy, successful children; and empowered parents."

Associate Commissioner Hill is very committed to the Head Start vision. "I have experienced Head Start from different vantage points and seen how it has benefited my life and the life of my daughter. These experiences have taught me the value of Head Start and the importance of putting children first." Welcome Associate Commissioner Windy Hill.

on-line...For more information on Head Start, visit our site at <http://www.acf.hhs.gov/programs/hsb/>.