LEADERSHIP TEAM
ANDREA HAYES
Executive Director
Andrea Hayes is a Harlem, New York, native who has dedicated 32 years of service to Head Start as a Group Teacher for 5 years, Education Director for 19 years and 8 years at the current position of Executive Director for WHCO Head Start program, a delegate under the NYC Administration for Children’s Services. She received her BS in Early Childhood & Elementary Education from St. John’s University and obtained her MA in Curriculum and Teaching with a minor in Early Childhood Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. Ms. Hayes possesses NYS Certification in Early Childhood Education through sixth grade with an extension for ninth grade Social Studies.
Becoming Education Director of West Harlem Head Start in 1993 expanded her sphere of influence out of the classroom and allowed her to shape the educational experiences for hundreds of children.
In 1995, Ms. Hayes envisioned and created the Class Partner Internship Program (CPIP) unique to West Harlem Head Start. This intensive16-20-week training program is geared towards parents or family members who are interested in exploring a career in the field of Early Childhood Education as Teacher Assistants or Aides. Several
of the graduates of this program have gone on to further their education and earned a Child Development Associate Credential (CDA) or entered into an institution of higher education to obtain an Associate or Bachelor degree. Ms. Hayes also speared headed a sixteen year (1998-2014) collaborative relationship with the Cooke Center for Learning and Development (now known as the Cooke Institute) to provide services to children with special needs. The partnership with the Cooke Center enabled West Harlem to provide services to children in their own neighborhoods that were timely and consistent, with no delay between identification of needs and implementation of services. The Cooke Center’s team of therapists worked closely with West Harlem teachers and family services staff to ensure that the services provided meet the goals set forth by the mandated IEPs. This partnership allowed for the sharing of an inclusive classroom setting where children with and without special needs were taught by early childhood general and special education teachers; and services provided to all children in need through Special Education Itinerant Teachers, speech therapists, occupational therapists and physical therapists. The partnership also allowed for the provision of services to children who were at risk of delays in their education, thus possibly preventing entrance into special education.
Ms. Hayes is also responsible for the following innovative models brought to West Harlem in her tenure as Education Director: (1) Locally designed Lesson Plan format that is aligned with the Head Start Early Learning Outcomes Framework and New York State Early Learning Guidelines. (2) Creator of a series of kindergarten transition workshops for parents. (3) Creator of “Teacher to Teacher” Workshops as a professional development tool for teachers to lead and train their peers on topics around early childhood as a means of advancing their growth as a teacher and work with young children.
In September 2012, Ms. Hayes became the Executive Director of West Harlem Head Start. In this role, she oversees a center based HS program and an FCC Network for a total of 53 staff and 338 children and families. Working with the Board of Directors, D y4. 45relegate Agency Policy Committee and management staff, Ms. Hayes oversees programming that is in compliance with the standards set forth by the contracts with ACS and NYC Department of Education and the licensing regulations of the NYC Department of Health Child Care Bureau and Child and Adult Food Care Program while ensuring children and families receive services individualized to their needs. Ms. Hayes has developed programs, policies, and procedures that have helped to shape West Harlem Head Start making it one of the longest operating childcare programs in NYC.
MILDRED RIVERA
Deputy Director
Ms. Mildred Rivera began her employment with WHCO in December 2012. As Deputy Director, her focus is to provide leadership, program development, administration and coordination of staff operations and services. As a young adult, Ms. Rivera’s first experience with early childhood education was in a day care where she worked in the classroom as a Teacher’s Aide. She attended Hostos Community College to study Early Childhood Education and continued working at United Bronx Parents Day Care Center for approximately 6 years. Ms. Rivera received her Bachelor of Professional Development in Human Resources from Metropolitan College of New York (formerly Audrey Cohen College) in 1997 and completed her Master of Science in Administration at the same institution in 2002.
Before joining WHCO, Ms. Rivera worked for East Tremont Head Start (also known as Paul T. Matson Head Start) for approximately 22 years. She began her work there as a Family Worker with responsibilities focused on tracking children’s health records, reaching out to parents for expiring children’s physical and developing health activities for the parents, and conducting outreach and recruitment. During her time there, Ms. Rivera continued her education and finished her term at East Tremont Head Start as Assistant Director.
Prior to becoming Deputy Director, Ms. Rivera served as Assistant Director. She first began her employment with WHCO as a Family Advocate for the Family and Community Partnership component of the program with the focus to assist parents in areas of childcare, adult education, and health. She planned workshops and trainings for parents, (Arts & Craft, CPR/First Aid), worked in partnership with outside agencies, (Union Settlement Asthma Initiative, Northern Manhattan Perinatal Care, Optical Academy, Heathy Smiles), for the delivery of services to children and their families, review all children’s records to make certain all physical and immunizations were up-to date, monitored the enrollment of children into the program and completed the enrollment package for Head Start families as well as the Child Care package for those families who did not qualify for Head Start but required child care services.