ECCS Touchpoints Webinar: Strengthening Starts: How Early Learning Communities Are Transforming Collaboration for Young Children
What is a touchpoint?
A child’s brain undergoes rapid development during the first three years of life, making this period crucial for their overall growth. Each new brain connection formed during this time has been referred to as a “touchpoint,” which is why we named our informational webinar series after this important milestone in a child’s development. Through these hour-long, interactive webinars, our goal is to help you create your own touchpoints across South Dakota, contributing to the healthy development of all the state’s children.
Strengthening Starts: How Early Learning Communities Are Transforming Collaboration for Young Children
• Identify key strategies and real-world examples from communities (e.g., Rapid City or others) that illustrate successful implementation of ELCs.
• Analyze the impact of Early Learning Community efforts on children, families, and local systems using concrete data or storytelling.
• Recognize unexpected or innovative partnerships that have emerged through ELC involvement, and explore how these collaborations can be leveraged or replicated in their own communities.
Speakers: Kayla Klein, Early Learner South Dakota; Hanna Glissendorf, United Way of Black Hills; Pat Buechler, SDAEYC
CEUs: SD Board of Social Work Examiners This organization (University of South Dakota – Provider #1048) is approved as a provider for continuing education by the South Dakota Board of Social Work Examiners. Social workers will receive up to 1.0 Continuing Education clock hours for participating in this course.
Kayla Klein is the Director of Early Learner South Dakota. She has 15 years of experience in policy and advocacy efforts in SD and nationwide. She has been in the early childhood field for nearly 20 years and is passionate about elevating the ECE field and supporting the youngest and most vulnerable children of our state.
Hanna Glissendorf is the Director of Early Education at United Way of the Black Hills, where she leads the Black Hills Reads initiative—a community effort to ensure children are reading proficiently by the end of third grade. She also serves on the Leadership Team for Early Learner Rapid City and acts as a Navigator for Early Learner Communities in the Black Hills. Born and raised in the Black Hills, Hanna is deeply committed to supporting local families and helping young learners thrive.
Patricia Buechler, Early Learner Navigator and SDAEYC Committee Member, has been in the Early Childhood field for 34 years. She has been active with SDAEYC for over 30 years and with Early Learner Aberdeen for 2 years. She is eager to help strengthen the awareness of those working with children and advocate for the importance of early childhood development.
