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 Jennifer Hilgendorf | Jun 13, 2022 | Spotlight, WEESSN, Workforce
When Kelly Matthews first attended the National Shared Services Technical Conference in 2017, it was purely an information-gathering opportunity. In 2022, Kelly and seven other Wisconsin Early Education Shared Services Network (WEESSN) staff members attended to...
by Ruth Schmidt | May 4, 2022 | Best Practices, Events, 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 | Events, Food Program, 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 | 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...