White House Author

Head Start Director Renetta Goeson is a member of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate (a Dakota Nation) located on the Lake Traverse Reservation in Northeastern South Dakota. Renetta began her career at Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate Head Start as a teacher in 1993; in 1997 she served the program as the Education Manager until becoming the Director in 2005. Through direct supervision of Early Head Start and Head Start teaching staff, Renetta has developed expertise in several areas of early childhood education, especially in the areas of native language preservation and providing culturally responsive curriculum and instruction in tribal Head Start programs. She has also contributed to the development of the Sisseton-Wahpeton Oyate approach to early childhood education, inspired by the principles and practices of the Reggio-Emilia approach and influenced by the 12 Values of the Oyate. Renetta has presented her work nationally at Native American Conferences and the National Association for the Education of Young Children and serves her American Indian/Alaska Native Head Start community as a member of the National Indian Head Start Directors Association board and the Vice President of the Northwest Indian Head Start Coalition.