CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education announced the participating Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) organizations in Wyoming. The program reimburses participating organizations for nutritious meals and snacks served to children in child care centers and family day care homes. The program teaches good eating habits and assures that well-balanced, nourishing meals are served in these participating centers.

Organizations are reimbursed for meals provided to children who are up to 12 years of age. The same meals must be made available to all enrolled children at no separate charge regardless of race, color, national origin, sex, disability or age. There is no discrimination in the course of the meal service.

Centers are reimbursed for meals that are served at their center.  Completing the income application helps the center receive meal reimbursement for the meals they serve.. Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Food Distribution Program on Indian Reservations (FDPIR), foster children, Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF) and eligibility based on household income qualify for the meal claim reimbursements to the center as defined by the USDA Eligibility Guidelines.

For more information, contact Tamra Jackson, Wyoming Department of Education Nutrition Section at 307-777-6263 or tamra.jackson@wyo.gov.

LIST OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS BY COUNTY:

Albany  

• U.W. Early Care & Education Center.
• Developmental Preschool and Day Care.
• Laramie Education Afterschool Facility.
• Laramie Child Development/Laramie Head Start.
• Kiddie Cottage Daycare.
• Basic Beginnings North.
• Basic Beginnings South/Aaron’s Place.

Big Horn

• Absaroka Head Start/Basin Head Start.
• Absaroka Head Start/Lovell Head Start.
• Shooting Star Academy.

Campbell

• Boys and Girls Club of Campbell County.
• WY Child and Family Development/Campbell County Head Start.
• Scotty’s Toy Box.
• Wildwood Child and Adult Care Food Program/Tot Spot.

Carbon

• Carbon County Child Development/Rawlins Head Start.
• Carbon County Child Development/ Saratoga Head Start.
• Palmer’s Playhouse.

Converse

• WY Child and Family Development/Douglas Child & Family Development.
• WY Child and Family Development/Glenrock Early Childhood Center.
• Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming/Glenrock Boys and Girls Club.

Fremont

• Child Development Services of Fremont County/Lander Child Development Services.
• Child Development Services of Fremont County/Riverton Child Development Services.
• Eastern Shoshone & Northern Arapaho Birth to Five Head Start/ Ethete Head Start/Early Head Start.
• Eastern Shoshone & Northern Arapaho Birth to Five Head Start/Ft. Washakie Head Start/Early Head Start.
• Eastern Shoshone & Northern Arapaho Birth to Five Head Start/Great Plains Head Start/Early Head Start.
• Smart-Start Quality Care.
• World Cares Inc./Small World Children’s Center.
• Little Cougars – FCSD #6.
• Happy Kids Daycare.
• Absaroka Head Start/Lander Head Start.
• Absaroka Head Start/Riverton Head Start.

Goshen                               

• Lil’ Bits n Spurs Child Care.
• WY Child and Family Development/Torrington Learning Center.
• Stacey Houk Family Enrichment Center.

Hot Springs

•  Absaroka Head Start/Thermopolis Head Start.

Johnson

• Absaroka Head Start/Buffalo Head Start.
•  Boys and Girls Club of Central Wyoming/ Buffalo Boys and Girls Club.
• Noah’s Ark Christian Daycare.
• Buffalo Children’s Center.

Laramie

• F.E. Warren AFB Child Development Center.
• F.E. Warren Youth Center.
• Wyoming Child and Family Development/Cheyenne Head Start.
• Foundations Learning Academy.
• Promise Patch Preschool and Daycare.
• World of Wonder.
• Triumph Early Learning Center.
• Alphabet Academy I.
• Alphabet Academy II.
• Alphabet Academy III.
• Laramie County School District/South High School – Supper.
• Laramie County School District/Afflerbach Elementary-Supper.
• Laramie County School District/Arp Elementary-Supper.
• Laramie County School District/Alta Vista Elementary-Supper.
• Laramie County School District/Baggs Elementary-Supper.
• Laramie County School District/Rossman Elementary-Supper.
• Kiddie Kollege.
• Silly Bear.
• Cheyenne Family YMCA.
• Boys and Girls Club of Cheyenne.

Lincoln

• Lincoln Uinta Child Development Association (LUCDA)/Kemmerer Child Development Center.
• Lincoln Uinta Child Development Association (LUCDA)/Afton Child Development Center.
• Lincoln Uinta Child Development Association (LUCDA)/Thayne Child Development Center.
• Lincoln Uinta Child Development Association (LUCDA)/Alpine Child Development Center.

Natrona

• Natrona County School District #1, Bar Nunn, Cottonwood, Evansville , Journey Elementary, Lincoln Elementary, Midwest Elementary, Midwest Pre-K, Pathways Innovation Center, Sagewood Elementary.
• Angels Child Care Center, LLC.
• Casper College, Inga Thorson Early Childhood Learning Center.
• Mountain Ridge Akidemy.
• Sunshine Corner Day Care.
• Learning Junction Children’s Center.
• WY Child and Family Development/Mills.
• WY Child and Family Development/Casper Early Childhood Center.
• WY Child and Family Development/Lincoln Infant and Toddler Center.
• WY Child and Family Development/Natrona County Head Start/Home Start.
• Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Wyoming/Mills Branch/Lincoln Branch//Paradise Valley branch/Veda James branch/Greater Casper Boys and Girls Club.
• Busy Bumble Bees Child Care Center.
• Neighborhood Child Caring Center.
• Neighborhood Child Learning Center.
• Kids Campus, Casper Housing Authority.
• Wildwood Child and Adult Care Food Program (Sponsor of home daycares throughout the state).

Niobrara

• WY Child and Family Development/Lusk Early Childhood Center.

Park

• Northwest College Child Care Center.
• The Learning Garden.
• Winsor Castle Daycare & Preschool.
• Absaroka Head Start/ Powell Head Start.
• Absaroka Head Start/Cody Head Start.
• A Little Paradise.
• The Crane Academy.
• True North Academy.

Platte

• Platte County Day Care/Kid’s Kastle.
• Wyoming Child and Family Development/Wheatland Early Childhood Center.
• Wyoming Child and Family Development/Guernsey Early Childhood Center.

Sheridan

• Tongue River Child’s Place.
• Children’s Center.
• Absaroka Head Start/ Sheridan Head Start.
• Harmony Child Care Center.

Sublette

• Children’s Discovery Center.
• The REAL Center/The Redstone Early Active Learning Center.

Sweetwater

• Sweetwater County Head Start/Green River Head Start.
• Sweetwater County Head Start/Rock Springs Head Start.
• Fits of Laughter Child Care.

Teton

• The Children’s Learning Center/Early Head Start/Head Start.
• The Children’s Learning Center/Mercill Site.
• The Children’s Learning Center/Rafter J Site.

Uinta

• Lincoln Unita Child Development Association/Bridger Valley Child Development Center, Mountain View.
• Lincoln Unita Child Development Association/Evanston Child Development Center.
• Evanston Child Development Association/Evanston Child Development Center.
• Evanston Child Development Association/Children’s Learning Foundation.
• Lil’ Rascals Academy.

Washakie

• Abasorka Head Start/Worland Head Start.

Weston

• Weston County Child Development Center/Newcastle Child Development Center/Upton Child Development Center.
• Little One’s Family Child Care.

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In accordance with Federal civil rights law and U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) civil rights regulations and policies, the USDA, its Agencies, offices, and employees, and institutions participating in or administering USDA programs are prohibited from discriminating based on race, color, national origin, sex, disability, age, or reprisal or retaliation for prior civil rights activity in any program or activity conducted or funded by USDA.

Persons with disabilities who require alternative means of communication for program information (e.g. Braille, large print, audiotape, American Sign Language, etc.), should contact the Agency (State or local) where they applied for benefits. Individuals who are deaf, hard of hearing or have speech disabilities may contact USDA through the Federal Relay Service at (800) 877-8339. Additionally, program information may be made available in languages other than English.

To file a program complaint of discrimination, complete the USDA Program Discrimination Complaint Form, (AD-3027) found online, and at any USDA office, or write a letter addressed to USDA and provide in the letter all of the information requested in the form. To request a copy of the complaint form, call (866) 632-9992. Submit your completed form or letter to USDA by:

(1) Mail: U.S. Department of Agriculture

Office of the Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights1400 Independence Avenue, SWWashington, D.C. 20250-9410;(2) Fax: (202) 690-7442; or(3) Email: program.intake@usda.gov.This institution is an equal opportunity provider.

-END-

Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Communications Director
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) has selected the winners for the 2020 K-12 Digital Learning Innovations Awards. These awards were created to honor leaders and educators to create cultures of innovation and forward-thinking through effective uses of digital, 21st century technologies to engage students while empowering them in owning their learning.

The Digital Learning Innovations Award is an acknowledgement of educators utilizing new and innovative ways to incorporate digital learning into their work. There are four categories to the award: Student Voices, Education Leader, District Leader, and State Leader.

“Now more than any other time in education, digital innovation is essential. These leaders undoubtedly pushed themselves as well as their students to bring excellence to digital education,” said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Jillian Balow. “I know firsthand that these awardees make a difference in students’ lives and will continue to push through difficult challenges to ensure high quality digital education is accessible to more students.”

Student Voices – Erika Quick and the Cody Broadcast Journalism Students

The Broadcast Journalism program at Cody High School has been student-led for 20 years. The students are the voice of the school, and they inform their student body on what is going on. Their stories often transcend past the student-body and into our community. As their advisor, Quick pushes them to ask the tough questions. She always warns the students that some stories may lead them into the unknown. It may challenge them to arrive in a place they did not expect. That is what journalism is, the pursuit of what’s true, even if it makes you uncomfortable or doesn’t fit within the walls of your normalcy. Through COVID-19, the students captured their experiences through a series of photos to try and convey how the pandemic has impacted them.

Education Leader – Krista Sweckard, Johnson #1 

Sweckard is a prime example of an innovative teacher in all she does in her classes from the elementary school to the high school. She is always striving and searching for effective approaches to help her students learn through engaging lessons and units. Sweckard has a unique position in her district. She teaches computer science and technology classes at the high school half time and spends the afternoon at an elementary school teaching classes with elementary teachers using lessons she develops to assist teachers to integrate technology in their lessons. In the elementary school, she learns about the units or lessons they are teaching and then develops lessons she models and teaches with the classroom teacher to the students. In her high school classes she integrates hands-on activities and designs her lessons beyond the format of most classes. Sweckard is the most dedicated and innovative teacher committed to changing the classroom to prepare and empower her students and colleagues for the future.

District Leader – Dr. Joe Heywood, WYVA

Heywood is the Head of School and K-8 Principal of the Wyoming Virtual Academy (WYVA) for the past three years. During this time, he recognized the need to improve the Social-Emotional component for students online and how valuable it is for student’s to feel connected, especially in a virtual setting. To do this he has created a library of virtual field trips for students and has instituted the first online Junior National Honors Society and Student Council for grades 7-8. He created a series of virtual field trips that can be accessed by students online to bring different parts of Wyoming to them, at home. He has also used videos to create welcome messages to help build a sense of connection. There is usually an educational component as well to these videos and are geared for all students K-12.

State Leader 1 – SSG David Pulsipher, Wyoming Army National Guard

Pulsipher faced COVID-19 head-on by helping to teach several classes for Wyoming High School Equivalency Test (HiSET) Program through Western Wyoming Community College by assisting students that had endured an unprecedented end to their in person classes. Pulsipher Instructed classes via Zoom on Career Development and Life Skills courses. The classes reached students in Rock Springs, Big Piney, Bridger Valley, Pinedale, Kemmerer, Green River, and Star Valley. Education is one of the most revered freedoms of every society. Pulsipher’s ability to overcome and adapt in such a short period as well as assist with one of the most critical aspects of the American way of life is a testament to his professionalism and commitment to the betterment of human potential.

State Leader 2 –  SFC Jeffrey Blascyk, Wyoming Army National Guard

Blascyk took digital learning to a new level by creating a resiliency video series for the Sheridan SCOPE program. In Tongue River, he conducted a virtual workout series with an accountability piece to encourage students to work out and maintain a healthy lifestyle. Blascyk also conducted a goal setting video series for multiple English classes in Sheridan High School, in conjunction with their reading of the Alchemist to promote realistic goal setting. He did two videos, one on military equipment and the uniform for those who took the ASVAB.  Blascyk also had a bunch of education centered videos posted on Facebook for the students in the areas of physical fitness, how to apply social distancing, additional military equipment videos and benefits videos.

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Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Communications Director
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov

CHEYENNE – The Wyoming Department of Education (WDE) has received $93,245 from Microsoft Corporation’s TechSpark initiative and the Digital Skills for Youth program. The award will support Computer Science teacher training as part of Boot Up Wyoming, a statewide initiative launched in 2018 to implement Computer Science in Wyoming K-12 schools.

“Microsoft has been a key partner in Boot Up Wyoming since day one,” said Wyoming Superintendent of Public Instruction, Jillian Balow. “Funds from this Digital Skills for Youth grant keep us on-track to deliver the highest-quality Computer Science education to all Wyoming students.”

A portion of the grant will enable the WDE’s Boot Up Wyoming initiative to provide a second cohort of the Strategic CSforALL Resource & Implementation Planning Tool (SCRIPT) training for school districts. CSforALL is an organization dedicated to making Computer Science part of every K-12 student’s education. The SCRIPT training provides districts with strategic planning tools to think through what is needed to provide equitable, high-quality Computer Science education available to all students in their districts.

The Wyoming chapter of the Computer Science Teachers Association (CSTA) has emerged as a premiere professional learning network and a valuable resource for Computer Science educators across Wyoming. This grant provides resources to support this network and encourage teachers to learn together. The CSTA hosts monthly online Professional Learning Network meetings.

In addition, the grant will provide the WDE with support for developing high-quality Computer Science micro-credentials for secondary teachers and students.

“Wyoming was one of the first states to implement Computer Science education in grades K-12 – now almost every state offers it,” Balow said. “This funding helps us remain pioneers by enabling the WDE to continue to provide professional development to educators focused around Computer Science education.”

“Wyoming’s vision is that every student has the opportunity to be met where they are — at their skill-level, in their school — and be inspired to learn how technology works and how to build solutions to society’s challenges. We strongly support that vision.” said Dennis Ellis, manager of Microsoft’s TechSpark Wyoming, an initiative to partner with rural and smaller metropolitan communities to spark new economic opportunities and job creation.

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Media Contact:
Linda Finnerty, Communications Director
307-777-2053
linda.finnerty@wyo.gov