What’s brewing in September?
By September, the back-to-school rush has eased, but the real work is just beginning. GoEngage helps you move beyond the first-day adjustments into steady, reliable workflows. From accurate reporting to stronger family engagement, we’re here to make sure your team has the insights and tools to keep everything running smoothly so your team can focus on what matters most: serving children and families with confidence.
GoEngage Tips: Small Tweaks, Big Impact
This month’s tips focus on simplifying daily work and boosting accuracy. From real-time classroom insights to automated compliance tracking, these tools take the pressure off staff and keep your program running smoothly.
 | Tip 1: Track What Matters: Classroom & Caseload Dashboards for TeachersTake the guesswork out of daily priorities. Our teacher dashboards make it easy to monitor classroom trends and individual caseloads at a glance. From attendance to assessments, your staff gets real-time insights to take action—without digging through reports. It's like having a personal assistant for every teacher. |
 | Tip 2: Program Mandates: Never Miss a 30-, 45-, or 90-Day Deadline AgainStay ahead of compliance with our Program Mandate tracker in POP. Whether it's a 30-day developmental screening or a 90-day health check, we’ve built the deadlines into your workflow—so nothing falls through the cracks. Get alerts, track progress, and sleep easier knowing GoEngage has your back. |
 | Tip 3: Health Events: EPSDT Tracking, SimplifiedManaging EPSDT timelines just got easier. Our Health Events tool mirrors the Program Mandate tracker but is customized for medical and dental requirements. Now your health team can quickly spot what's due, what’s done, and what needs a follow-up—all in one centralized view. |
 | Tip 4: Smarter Attendance Tracking for New EnrollmentsAdjust your system settings to prevent inflated absenteeism rates for newly enrolled children. By fine-tuning this setting, you’ll ensure that reports and performance assessments reflect a child’s actual participation — not the gap between their enrollment date and the program start date. This small adjustment provides a more accurate picture of attendance trends, especially in the early days of a child’s program experience. |
Using GoEngage? Need help with implementing these tips? Contact us!
Not using GoEngage? Interested in learning more? Request a demo or contact us. (800) 473-4780 | Sales@GoEngage.app | |
🆕 Feature Spotlight: Enhanced Eligibility Documentation Reporting
With new federal scrutiny around Head Start eligibility, accurate documentation and transparent reporting are more important than ever.
The Data Navigator has been enhanced with a new field under Eligibility Verification: “What documentation was used to determine eligibility…”. Staff can now add this field to custom reports, giving agencies greater visibility into how eligibility decisions are made.
Benefits:
Tailored Reporting: Staff can build custom reports that include eligibility documentation details.
Improved Accuracy: Track exactly which forms (e.g., W-2, SNAP benefit letter, pay stub) were used for eligibility.
Audit-Ready Transparency: Create a clear trail for compliance, monitoring, and decision-making.
Best Practices:
Include the new field in eligibility reports to monitor documentation sources by family or program.
Use consistent terminology for documents to improve reporting quality and trend analysis.
Share these reports with leadership to demonstrate compliance alignment and readiness for reviews.
➡️ This enhancement helps agencies stay proactive and compliant — reducing risk while ensuring staff and families have clarity in the eligibility process.
September Awareness Highlights & How GoEngage can Help
September is packed with important awareness campaigns that align with the mission of Head Start and Community Action programs. These observances provide opportunities to educate families, strengthen engagement, and connect classroom learning with real-world issues. With GoEngage, you can easily track participation, share resources, and document activities to support both family engagement and compliance.
 | National Suicide Prevention MonthRaising awareness, tracking support, & engaging familiesWhy it matters: Suicide is one of the leading causes of death among young people. Raising awareness reduces stigma, connects families with resources, and can save lives. How GoEngage helps: Use Health & Family Services logs to track referrals, document wellness checks, and follow up on mental health supports. Communication tools allow you to share crisis resources quickly with families. Family Engagement Ideas: Host a staff training on recognizing warning signs, share crisis hotline info in newsletters, or organize a wellness week. Resources: |
National Childhood Obesity Awareness MonthPromoting healthy futures: tackling childhood obesity togetherWhy it matters: Nearly 1 in 5 children in the U.S. is affected by obesity, which can impact long-term health and development. Family Engagement Ideas: Share healthy recipes, encourage family walks or active play challenges, and send home nutrition tip sheets via GoEngage Communication tools. Resources: |  |
 | 🎗️ Childhood Cancer Awareness MonthStanding with families: raising awareness for childhood cancerWhy it matters: Childhood cancers impact thousands of families each year. Awareness supports research, advocacy, and family strength. Family Engagement Ideas: Invite families to wear gold one day in support, create a resource board in your center, or highlight local support organizations. Resources: |
Baby Safety MonthKeeping little ones safe: preventing injuries through awareness and actionWhy it matters: Preventable injuries remain a leading cause of infant and toddler harm. Promoting safe sleep, car seat safety, and home safety saves lives. Family Engagement Ideas: Hold a “Safe Sleep” parent workshop, send home a baby-proofing checklist, or partner with local agencies for car seat checks. Resources: |  |
 | Attendance Awareness MonthEvery day counts: promoting strong attendance for better outcomesWhy it matters: Consistent attendance is directly tied to children’s learning outcomes, yet barriers like transportation or illness can cause chronic absenteeism. How GoEngage helps: Automate attendance tracking, identify patterns, and generate reports aligned with HSPS 1302.16 to intervene early. Family Engagement Ideas: Recognize families with strong attendance, use GoEngage Messaging for reminders, and partner with parents to problem-solve barriers. Resources: |
Hispanic Heritage Month (Sept. 15 – Oct. 15)Celebrating Hispanic heritage: honoring culture, building inclusionWhy it matters: Recognizing Hispanic heritage builds inclusion and honors the culture of many Head Start families. How GoEngage helps: Track family events in the Family Engagement module, log cultural activities, and share event invitations directly with families. Family Engagement Ideas: Host a cultural potluck, feature Hispanic authors in story time, or invite parents to share traditions in classrooms. Resources: |  |
 | International Literacy Day (Sept. 8)Strengthening early literacy for lifelong successWhy it matters: Literacy is the foundation for lifelong learning and opportunity. Early literacy support builds future success. How GoEngage helps: Track literacy activities, document home reading logs, and use communication tools to share book lists. Family Engagement Ideas: Organize a “family read-aloud” night, send home simple booklets, or host a book exchange. Resources: |
National Preparedness MonthBe ready: building emergency preparedness with families and staffWhy it matters: Emergencies can happen at any time. Preparedness ensures staff, children, and families are ready. How GoEngage helps: Log emergency drills, store safety procedures, and share emergency preparedness guides with families. Family Engagement Ideas: Send home family emergency plan templates, host a safety drill demo, or connect families to local disaster preparedness agencies. Resources: |  |
 | National Food Safety Education MonthFood safety first: keeping children healthy every dayWhy it matters: Safe food handling prevents illness and keeps children healthy. How GoEngage helps: Track kitchen inspections, document nutrition trainings, and log food safety checklists in the Health & Nutrition module. Family Engagement Ideas: Share handwashing guides, host a healthy cooking demo, or create a “kid-safe kitchen tips” handout. Resources: |
Each of these observances is an opportunity to engage families, strengthen program compliance, and enrich your monthly activities. With GoEngage, you can streamline communication, document efforts, and ensure these awareness campaigns make a lasting impact. Want to see how other agencies are bringing awareness into action? Schedule a demo or email us at sales@GoEngage.app. ✅ Tip: Programs can highlight these observances in monthly newsletters to families, social media posts, and classroom activities. | |
Keep Your Momentum Going — Invest in Training That Works
Flexible options to build skills, boost confidence, and prepare your team for success.
September is the perfect time to make sure your staff are not only using GoEngage but using it well. Whether you’re gearing up for federal reviews, fine-tuning operations, or onboarding new hires, our training options meet your team where they are and take them where they need to go.
 | GoEngage Connect – Learn, Network, LeadJoin us in person for three days of learning, strategy, and collaboration with peers. You’ll gain practical insights, connect with agency leaders, and leave inspired to elevate your program. |
GoEngage Academy – Training at Your PaceOur self-paced, role-based platform makes professional development easier than ever. Staff can learn on their own schedule, revisit modules when needed, and stay prepared year-round. 📰 Check out our blog: Empower Your Staff, Improve Your Program: The GoEngage Academy Advantage |  |
 | Workshops – Fast, Focused, EffectiveTake a deep dive into priority areas like PIR, Health & Nutrition, Monitoring, In-Kind, and more. In just a couple of days, your staff will walk away with practical, ready-to-use skills. |
Custom Training – Tailored to Your AgencyEvery program is unique. We’ll design a training solution—virtual or on-site—that aligns with your staff’s needs, compliance requirements, and program goals. |  |
USER TESTIMONIAL: Fantastic Support Team
I'd have to say, your support team has been FANTASTIC—so helpful and responsive. Overall, we're very excited about the program and enjoying it." —S. Walker, Head Start Manager
Explore more customer stories: See how agencies like yours are thriving with GoEngage
Thank you to all the incredible users who share their stories with us. Want to be featured? Drop us a note—we'd love to hear how GoEngage is helping your team thrive.
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Not Using GoEngage? Empower Your Families and Staff.
Stronger communication, clearer data, and easier workflows — GoEngage brings it all together so families feel supported and staff stay focused on impact.
September is about building momentum that lasts all year. With GoEngage, every alert, every milestone, and every conversation helps you create meaningful change.
💌 Have a topic you'd like us to feature in October’s newsletter? Let us know at sales@GoEngage.app.
Until next time,
The GoEngage Team
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By
Stacy Lewis: Senior Director of Business Development at Cleverex Systems
Stacy Lewis is the Senior Director of Business Development at Cleverex Systems, the creator of GoEngage. A trusted leader in the Head Start software space since 2001, Stacy brings over 24 years of experience, including key roles at ChildPlus, KinderSystems (COPA and California subsidy products), and Learning Genie, before joining GoEngage.
Throughout her career, Stacy has helped countless agencies optimize operations, enhance family engagement, and achieve compliance with federal and state standards. Her extensive industry knowledge and commitment to innovation continue to drive transformative solutions that empower Head Start programs to better serve children and families.
