Our Updated Website: A Reflection the WYECPLC’s Journey
The Wyoming Early Childhood Professional Learning Collaborative will be celebrating our fifth year in existence this summer. As I look back on the last five years, I am amazed by all that has happened in early childhood in Wyoming, and I am so grateful for all we have learned in the process. We owe so much to our partners at the University of Wyoming, the Wyoming Departments of Family Services and Workforce services, as well as Kids First and the Ellbogen Foundation. They embraced our vision of providing professional learning opportunities that recognize the strengths of educators, embrace collaboration, and create a safe space to try new things with long-term support from people you trust. This was the first collaboration of its kind in Wyoming and is a great example of what can be done when private and public partners get together to create positive change.
We were still a fledgling organization when the COVID-19 pandemic hit and changed the world. The impact on our work and early childhood educators everywhere was profound. The importance of quality early learning experiences for all children and the necessity of well-supported childcare systems to help families and communities thrive was suddenly a hot topic nationally. The attention was much overdue and resulted in some positive outcomes, but we are still feeling the devastating aftershocks from the pandemic today as early childhood programs struggle to find staff and keep their doors open.
In this same window of time Wyoming was awarded the Federal Preschool Development Grant which infused the state with funds over several years to support the important work of building a better early childhood system. The resulting resources for early childhood educators—The Wyoming Early Learning Standards and Wyoming’s Coherent Path to Quality—are vibrant and useful tools to help elevate the quality of early childhood education across the state. If you have not yet seen these amazing resources, created by Wyoming Early Childhood Educators, please take minute to see what they’re all about!
Although the pandemic and the federal grant significantly impacted our work at the WYECPLC, our greatest growth has come from our interactions with all of you, early childhood educators across our beautiful state. The changes in the resources we provide and in our new website represent much of what you have taught us. You have shared what energizes you, what you want and need, and how we can provide a platform with resources and support so that you can do your best work.
If you have a minute, be sure to check out some of the new website features you inspired. You can now access the calendar for upcoming events, join a learning community with like-minded people, and explore enhanced resources while earning STARS credit. As always, our Learning Specialists are here for you to help design the professional learning you need. You can reach out and request our support any time by visiting our “contact us” page.
As we plan for the next five years, and much longer into the future you can trust that the WYECPLC remains dedicated to creating a thriving community of early childhood professionals connecting and supporting each other as we change children’s lives for the better.
Written by Nikki Baldwin
WYECPLC Director
