Appendix

The Story of Wyoming’s Quality Learning Network

The overarching goal being to develop a vision and shared definition of program quality for the state of Wyoming, informed by and grounded in the knowledge and expertise of early childhood professionals, to be used as a tool to guide shared efforts to elevate program quality. This work is at the heart of the state’s Preschool Development Grant that is administered by Align and is a natural extension of the vision and partnership from the Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network and the Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative.

Thirty early childhood educators from across the state representing diverse voices in the young child’s ecosystem came together to engage in rich conversations, photo and video studies, monthly convenings of both the large and small groups to build consensus and coherence in identifying high quality early learning. The group was tasked to describe quality in simple words that all adults could understand and implement. This work occurred over six months.

Learning Network Wyoming Leads and Leading for Children Facilitators

Nikki Baldwin, Director of the Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network, has spent the last 20 years working in a variety of early childhood settings in Wyoming. Nikki’s work at UW over the last 12 years has included lecturing for the UW School of Teacher Education, coordinating curriculum and pedagogy at the UW Early Care and Education Center and leading the Early Childhood Special Education endorsement program. She enjoys traveling to Ohio to visit her daughter, son-in-law and soon- to-be grand baby, reading, camping, and wandering in the hills with her dogs Molly and Scout. Becca Steinhoff, Align, provides leadership for the early childhood portfolio at Align and WKF, including work with the Wyoming Preschool Development Grant. She has spent ten years identifying and advocating for solutions and innovations to impact Wyoming’s young children and their families. A fifth generation Wyomingite, Becca enjoys spending time with family and friends in her community and around the state. And when she isn’t assembling new knowledge, you can find her adventuring in the kitchen or the great outdoors!

Nichole Parks, LFC’s Associate Director of Programs, Project Lead. Her philosophy is that by nurturing the growth and development of the adults in the lives of children, we create pathways to sustainable quality and develop a world deserving of our children. Prior to joining Leading for Children, Nichole was the Quality Rating Improvement System Coordinator with Arkansas State University Childhood Services. During her 27 years in early childhood education she’s taught preschool, served children and families as the Infant and Toddler Director of a NAEYC and state accredited program, served on NAEYC’s Council for the Accreditation of Early Learning Programs and continue to serve on several early learning and community committees and boards in her state of Arkansas.

Joelle Wheatley, LFC’s Associate Director of Strategy, Project Manager. Joelle is committed to transforming outcomes for children and their families by fully supporting the adults in their lives. She designs and implements a strategic vision to ensure that Leading for Children is consistently delivering high-quality professional learning experiences to educators and caretakers. Joelle has worked in strategy and evaluation for nearly 20 years.

About the Wyoming Partners

Align is a non-profit organization that aims to create strong communities by partnering with others for more impactful, successful organizations and programs. Our values of team, clients and communities guide our work in early childhood and beyond. Our work with and for Wyoming’s youngest children, families, early childhood educators, and others is carried out through facilitation of the Preschool Development grant, Wyoming Kids First, the STARS program, and more.

Wyoming Early Childhood Outreach Network (WYECON)

is an initiative of the University of Wyoming College of Education Trustee’s Education Initiative. Its mission is to share research-based best practices with the early childhood community and provide a pathway to higher education for early childhood professionals in Wyoming. WYECON is directed by Nikki Baldwin, a member of the early childhood faculty at UW.

Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning

Collaborative (WYECPLC) is a partnership between state agencies, non-profit organizations, and the University of Wyoming to provide professional development opportunities for early childhood educators and elevate the quality of early childhood programs in Wyoming. The WYECPLC is administered through Align. About Leading for Children

Leading for Children works in communities across the country to provide the best early learning experiences for young children while creating environments where educators thrive.

Equity is at the core of why we do what we do. We believe that all children must have the same opportunity to become the next generation of critical thinkers and leaders. Leading for Children is committed to ensuring that children in poverty and children of color are no longer marginalized, but rather experience the best possible early learning settings, within the best possible early learning systems. In every setting and across every system, we support all children by empowering and equipping adults to be the leaders children need.

We do this by bringing together educators and caregivers — across all roles — to define to define a cohesive approach to high quality that will assure children’s success in school and life.

Leading for Children works with states and early childhood systems through an intensive seminar approach, the development of learning networks and implementation teams, and ongoing support — in person and online — to strengthen and disseminate exemplary early learning practices, leading to improved child outcomes.

When all adults within a community — including family members, agency leaders, program directors, teachers, receptionists, cooks, and bus drivers— are united in this effort, systemic changes in early learning are both possible and sustainable.

For more information, please visit our website at leadingforchildren.org or contact us at info@leadingforchildren.org.