Growing Brighter Futures

West Virginia Infant/Toddler Professional Development Program

Presented by the WV Infant/Toddler Specialist Network

Trusted Care

Promoting Excellence in Care

Our Mission

The Infant Toddler Specialist Network will provide technical assistance and professional development opportunities that assist infant and toddler caregivers in providing West Virginia’s youngest children with supportive, nurturing environments. We will help these caregivers foster responsive relationships with both children and their families, which will support our children in achieving optimal developmental outcomes.

Our Vision

Caregivers of infants and toddlers will understand the importance of lifelong learning and professional development and understand that their own professional goals are the key to providing high quality care to West Virginia’s infants and toddlers.

Joyful Little Moments

What’s New?

Did You Know?

In 2023, six new positions were created to enhance technical assistance in West Virginia’s Infant Toddler Specialist Network. These Infant Toddler Coaching Specialists are responsible for conducting Coaching Technical Assistance with providers across West Virginia with an emphasis on the Environmental Rating Scale evaluation reports that have been completed and released by the West Virginia Early Childhood Quality Evaluators. By taking on this responsibility, the ITCS can help providers improve the quality of their program, as well as, increase their overall Environmental Rating Scale scores.

The Infant Toddler Coaching Specialists are also responsible for oversight of the Infant Toddler Specialist Network’s role in the TRIP program (Traveling Resource for Infants Program) and the West Virginia Breastfeeding Initiative.

Please welcome West Virginia’s Child Care Resource Center’s six new infant toddler coaching specialists:

Clarissa Wade

Region 1 – CCRC

Alicia Mazariego

Region 2 – Choices

Holly Irwin

Region 3 – Connect

Claire Culver

Region 4 – Link

Ashley Cleaver

Region 5 – MountainHeart North

Pam Nelson

Region 6 – MountainHeart South

For questions, please contact Tiffany Kiess, Infant Toddler Coordinator at (304) 637-5560 or
tiffany.r.kiess@wv.gov

Announcing WV’s First Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Designation!

Imagination Station has become the first child care provider in West Virginia to receive the Breastfeeding Friendly Child Care Designation – and we’ve captured the moment on video!

Watch as April Tyree (Infant/Toddler Specialist – CONNECT Region) and Jessi Criner (KEYS 4 HealthyKids) present this special award to Director Michelle Lusk on behalf of the WVDHHR on September 2, 2021.

#WVFirst #BreastfeedingFriendly

We’re now on Facebook!

Click the Facebook logo to visit our page and don’t forget to “like” us for the latest updates, announcements, resources, and more from the WV Infant Toddler Specialist Network.

Let’s stay connected and support quality care for infants and toddlers across West Virginia!