by Ruth Schmidt | Sep 8, 2022 | Advocacy, Workforce
Wisconsin’s child care system is broken. Residents from all corners of the state experience the challenges of this ailing infrastructure, which was fragile before the pandemic and has worsened significantly since. In light of this reality, Wisconsin Early Childhood...
by Jennifer Hilgendorf | Jun 23, 2022 | Best Practices, Provider Spotlight, REWARD, Workforce
Jill Stalker loved to “play school” in the basement when her mom, an educator, brought home extra supplies and books. In fact, it fostered her lifelong dream to become a teacher. The dream continued during college breaks when she worked at Apple Tree Connections, a...
by Ruth Schmidt | May 4, 2022 | Advocacy, Workforce
Child care providers, parents and families across the country are marking, “A Day Without Child Care” on Monday, May 9, 2022. This day of action, sponsored by the national organization Community Change Action, aims to highlight the need for dignified, worthy wages for...
by Julie Giles | Apr 29, 2022 | Food Program, Spotlight, Workforce
Provider Appreciation is usually a time for the community and families to pause and show appreciation for the child care providers who, through our work, keep others working. This year, I wanted to pause and reflect on my own appreciation of family child care and what...
by Kayla Gardner | Apr 27, 2022 | Advocacy, Best Practices, Workforce
Advocacy has always been a part of who I am, even when I was too young to even know what the word “advocacy” meant. Earlier this year, I got to take my passion for early childhood advocacy to a big stage – the offices of Wisconsin’s elected officials – during the...
by Julie Giles | Mar 16, 2022 | Food Program, Uncategorized, Workforce
by Julie Giles, Food Program Specialist At least twice during my time as a family child care provider, we were unsure if the federal Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) would continue. That’s when Wisconsin Early Childhood Association’s Food Program staff sprang...
