Acknowledgements A special thanks to Shelby Jelly, Janae Asay, Britnee Geringer, Anna Sibbett, Kara Cossel, Krystal McClain, Kathy Nelson, Kim Thompson, Lori Clark, Shelby Miskimins, Delaney Robbins, Adina Bitner, Jessie Willoughby, Lisa Garner, Nicole Philbin, and Addison Rolf for sharing the Wyoming stories and photos that fill the pages of this document. Updating the Wyoming Standards involved a significant commitment from many Wyoming early childhood educators and leaders over the course of eight months. These busy professionals were asked to embrace a new way of working together that required flexibility, courage, and a great deal of trust in each other and in the process. These inspiring educators never wavered from our mission and held fast to our vision of a new kind of standards tool for Wyoming.
Evaluation Team The Evaluation Team was the glue that held the standards update together. They spent countless hours driving Wyoming roads, sitting in Zoom meetings, and dreaming of something different for our state. They spent long days and late nights carefully crafting the language for this document. Their work was truly a collaborative writing experience that required patience, humor, and a great deal of chocolate. They also provided leadership and facilitation for the Development Team. The Evaluation Team met on short notice, whenever needed, all while managing full-time work and family commitments. Their brilliant minds and dedication to excellence kept the work moving forward when things seemed impossible. Special thanks to Evaluation Team members:
It was an honor to be a part of the standards development from the beginning of the process to the very end. I believe the path is being paved for early childhood education to gain the respect and recognition it deserves, and that these standards are one piece to elevating the profession. - Jaclyn Klinginsmith, Wyoming Kids First, Laramie
Development Team The Development Team was full of passionate and thoughtful early childhood professionals from across Wyoming who spent months engaged in a different type of creative process. They committed to the essential and time-consuming task of relationship and knowledge building first. This provided a strong foundation that guided the rest of their work together. They accessed their networks of early childhood educators in the state to get feedback, ideas, and the stories and photos that fill this document. They were asked to engage in rigorous critique as they reviewed each element in the tool. They fearlessly challenged each other and the ideas represented here. They gave up evenings for months to meet together, often not knowing what the result would be. Their trust in the process and commitment to our mission was truly inspiring. Thank you Development Team members: Addison Rolf
Curriculum Coordinator, The Neighborhood School, Cheyenne
Adina Bitner
Parent and Early Childhood Educator, Laramie
Nikki Baldwin
Director, University of Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network
Britnee Geringer
Lead Teacher, Holy Name Catholic Preschool, Sheridan
Lauren Carlisle
Communications and Outreach Coordinator, University of Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network
Courtney Hill
Nicole Philbin
Director, Children’s Learning Center
Title 1 Specialist, Aspen Early Learning Center, Early Childhood Liaison, Fremont County School District #25, Riverton
Tyler Gonzalez
Professional Learning Facilitator, Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative
Janae Asay
Home-Based Owner and Director, Forward Footsteps Childcare, Green River
Jaclyn Klinginsmith Program Director, Wyoming Kids First Char Norris
Professional Learning Facilitator, Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative
Jessie Willoughby Kindergarten Teacher, Kemmerer Elementary School, Kemmerer Julie Eastes
Early Childhood Consultant and Literacy Specialist, Casper
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