Ashley Pike and Misty Parker, Local Lead staff, recently spent three days at the Arkansas Department of Education Division of Elementary and Secondary Education, Office of Early Childhood, completing Frogstreet Train-the-Trainer professional development.
This intensive training was designed to equip early childhood educators, instructional coaches, and program directors with the knowledge and tools needed to effectively implement and support the Frogstreet curriculum.
Throughout the three-day training, Ashley and Misty participated in professional learning across the full continuum of Frogstreet curriculum programs, including Infant Joyful Beginnings, Toddler Joyful Discoveries, Preschool, and Pre-K. The training provided opportunities to explore curriculum components, instructional strategies, classroom resources, and ways to support educators as they bring Frogstreet learning experiences to life for young children.
The WDMESC Local Lead team will use this training to provide coaching and support to catchment area providers participating in the Arkansas Department of Education Frogstreet Pilot Program, as well as providers who received Frogstreet curriculum kits through the Spring 2026 CLASS Observation curriculum giveaways.
Ashley and Misty also spent time navigating Lilypad, Frogstreet’s digital platform. Lilypad provides a wide variety of educational resources and tools designed to support program administrators, teachers, and families as they implement the curriculum and extend learning beyond the classroom.
Completing the Train-the-Trainer experience strengthens the WDMESC Local Lead team's ability to provide hands-on, individualized support to programs as they begin or continue their Frogstreet journey. From understanding curriculum components and planning meaningful instruction to accessing digital resources and connecting curriculum implementation with high-quality teacher-child interactions, the goal is to help educators feel confident and supported every step of the way.
Ashley and Misty are excited to bring what they learned back to the WDMESC catchment area and begin Frogstreet coaching with participating providers.
This work is another way the WDMESC Local Lead team continues to invest in early childhood educators, providing the resources, professional learning, and ongoing support they need to create joyful, engaging, and high-quality learning experiences for Arkansas's youngest learners.