Jerrie South-DeRose

Email: jerriederose@yahoo.com

Personal and professional summary:

I have three adult children: a son, two daughters along with five grandchildren ages 16 - 27 years old. They are my oldest daughters' children. I've been a widow since September 2006, when my husband succumbed to his long battle with bipolar disorder and paranoid tendencies. My primary educational background is in Journalism, creative writing, and early childhood.

I served in the U.S. Army during the cold war and the latter part of the Viet Nam conflict, receiving the Army commendation Award for outstanding job performance and was honorable discharged.

With an extensive background in early childhood education and consulting, I worked with federal teams to review Early Head Start (EHS) and Head Start programs (HS), and their community partnerships and childcare providers. I strongly support cultural diversity and the inclusion of children with physical or MH diagnosis, helping review Native American, migrant, and both urban and rural programs of various sizes, including one within the Hasidic Jewish community in NYC.

I was recruited to be a family support worker at the local MH center following Kansas' transitioning institutionalized children and young adults back home because of my knowledge and training in Home and Community Based Services as a HS parent and then as a community representative on the Head Start policy council, before leaving to become an ECE consultant.

While at the mental health center, I sat on the interagency coordinating council and received training in suicide prevention through the local Mental Health Association and created the Head Start newsletter 'Surviving Parenthood Intact,' to provide parents with information on topics like parenting, literacy, conflict resolution, MH, and more. I occasionally put a humorous spin on things. Additionally, I wrote articles for the monthly mental health center child based, family-focused newsletter.

I sat on the KS Head Start and Region VII Head Start Association BOD six years helping transition the latter from a steering committee into a fully functioning BOD. In 1991 I received the National Head Start Assoc. Eugenia Boggus Leadership award after winning at the regional, and state level. I was first nominated by staff and parent policy council members at the local program for my newsletter and volunteer hours. BOD membership also gave me an opportunity to write a speech or two and do public speaking, the two hardest things I ever did.

Writing is my passion across all mediums. I strive for objectivity, using the most current information I can find. I hope that I make a difference in someone's life. I also write on topics outside the ECE arena. A continuing goal is to help improve the lives of risk families and the non-profit organizations who work with believing wholeheartedly that prevention and early intervention are an integral part of the that process.

I last worked providing social media support for the Willow Tree Early Education team, sadly a combination of serious health issues, along with COVID changed the atmosphere and my position was cut.