Jodi Berscheid

Jodi Berscheid is with the Head Start Collaboration Office at the Department of Education in Pierre, South Dakota. She has a bachelor’s degree in early childhood education with over 40 years of experience in early learning environments. Twenty of those years were at a South Dakota Head Start program and 3 and a ½ years in her current position as the collaboration director. Working with children and their families has been a rewarding experience for Jodi, especially when she can be a part of a child’s success story. As the collaboration director for South Dakota, one of Jodi’s goals is to be the “connection” between statewide programs/agencies and Head Start programs in Professional Development opportunities. This includes collaborating with district high schools to provide information about Head Start Professional Development opportunities for their students who want a career in early childhood. By providing a place of experience, such as Head Start preschool centers, high school students can get a hands-on understanding of child development as well as learning about routines, environments, and teaching practices. Jodi continues to seek out new ways to help support the early childhood workforce in South Dakota utilizing the foundation of the philosophy of the Head Start program.