Acknowledgements This resource is a result of a deep partnership between Leading for Children and a team of thought leaders across all roles and geographies in Wyoming. This work simply couldn’t have happened without the wisdom and vision of the Learning Network members. Their words and ideas are reflected on nearly every page of this document. This cross-functional and geographically diverse group of local champions for children generously gave numerous hours a month to provide Leading for Children with the material for this resource. We thank you for your sharing your hearts with us, lending your wisdom to this work and for your commitment to ensuring high-quality care for Wyoming’s children.
Special Thanks We would like to thank Nikki Baldwin of the Wyoming Childhood Outreach Network, who was generous with her time, her expansive knowledge, and pictures of her grandbaby to keep us smiling. Becca Steinhoff at Align who masterfully ensured that we were able to understand all of the necessary context while consistently and passionately focusing on a coherent and consistent vision for all children across the state of Wyoming. To the others on the Align Team, Susan Kanten and Ellie Gardner, thank you for holding the vision while also executing the important and often overlooked details. We are so fortunate to be a part of the amazing team at Leading for Children. We express our deepest gratitude to Judy Jablon who offered thought partnership, guidance, and expertise from her 30+ years of making quality accessible for all audiences. Lauren Farmer and Gretchen Henderson both kept us organized and moving forward as they gracefully and masterfully handled the details of this work. And Christine Shrader who shared her superpower of noticing moments of effectiveness. We would like to extend thanks to our partners in Alabama, New Jersey, and Mississippi for enriching this resource with photos of high-quality environments and interactions. And thank you Erin Murphy for making this resource beautiful.
LEARNING NETWORK MEMBERS Here are the members of your Quality Learning Network: Ariana Avila Nikki Baldwin Joanne Blair Lauren Carlisle Savannah Conrad Kara Cossell Julia Eastes Amelia Eckerdt Becky Figgins Ellie Gardner Maureen Giordano Liz Goddard Tyler Gonzalez Jaclyn Klinginsmith Amber Merritt Marian Moats Char Norris Sarah Pence Nicole Philbin Theo Powers Quentin Rinker Stephanie Rino McKenzie Samuelson Hannah Stanek Becca Steinhoff Rachel Swanson Kim Sweet Andrea Van Vlerah Jennifer Zook
Lastly, thank you to Gracie, Jacob, and Anna for the daily reminder that all children deserve to be valued, respected, and loved.
WYOMING’S COHERENT PATH TO QUALITY Acknowledgements
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