The Girl Who Thought in Pictures: The Story of Dr. Temple Grandin
by Julia Finley Mosca, illustrated by Daniel Rieley
Meet Dr. Temple Grandin. Her unique mind allowed her to connect with animals in a special way, helping her invent groundbreaking improvements for farms around the globe! For ages 4 - 9 years:
The Girl Who Thought in Pictures
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“When Indians gave their word and smoked the pipe, they sent the smoke to the Creator. It was sacred, and the treaty was good in the eyes of all. The white men had to go back and ask other white men if they could keep their promises and make good on their word.” -Vine Deloria Jr., quoted in the introduction to Nation to Nation: Treaties Between the United States and American Indian Nations
Each week, DCYF ESIT Tribal Program Consultant, Brian Frisina, provides a key topic to help us get to know our Tribal Nation Partners better.
This week’s term is:
Treaty History with the Northwest Tribes
Isaac Stevens, the first governor and superintendent of Indian Affairs of the Washington Territory, was authorized by the United States to negotiate with Washington tribal nations for the peaceful settlement of their traditional lands.
Stevens ultimately negotiated eight treaties with tribes in what would become Washington. The treaties established or promised reservations for the exclusive use of the tribes. Read to learn more:
Treaty history with the Northwest Tribes
Importance of Treaties with American Indian Tribes (Revisited)
Treaties between Native American tribes and the U.S. government have been broken repeatedly since they were signed. Correspondent Antonia Gonzales looks at the history of treaties and why they still matter today. She sits down with Nick Estes, an assistant professor at University of New Mexico (watch time 12:22):
Importance of Treaties with American Indian Tribes (Revisited)
Book Recommendations
Sources
The ESIT State Leadership Team is very thrilled and pleased to share exciting news! We will be celebrating Debbie Kirby’s 30 Years of State Service! Yes --- a State Service Award is being bestowed on Debbie in recognition of her 30-year work anniversary on May 18, 2025. As part of this momentous State recognition, Debbie will be receiving a 30-year pin, a Certificate of Appreciation signed by Secretary Tana Senn, and a very special vase. We are so honored to have Debbie in the DCYF family and are looking forward to many more years of engagement!
While these celebratory items are genuinely being gifted to Debbie, they will simply not begin to express the multitude of gratitude we all hold for everything that she has done over the past three decades, and particularly these last eight years with the ESIT State Leadership Team. Debbie currently serves as a Quality Improvement Specialist with the Accountability & Quality Improvement Team. In this leadership role, she is responsible for coordinating and managing complex and multi-dimensional accountability structures and assisting the Accountability & Quality Improvement Manager in development, implementation, and evaluation of a comprehensive ESIT-Statewide Integrated Monitoring System (E-SIMS) with a balanced focus on compliance, continuous quality improvement, fiscal accountability, and child and family outcomes throughout the state.
Debbie is well-respected among her colleagues across the state and has a reputation for being an exemplary, compassionate, well-organized leader. She is a systems thinker and collaborative problem-solver who values the voices of parents, practitioners, and local leaders and intentionally seeks to create inclusive and engaging environments.
Thank you for your state service, Debbie!
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Thanks to everyone who was able to join ESIT for the April 16 State Interagency Coordinating Council (SICC) Meeting!
Posted for Review
The April draft meeting minutes and materials have been posted to ESIT's SICC Meetings page for review. If you have edits to submit to the draft minutes, or if you have any questions in regard to the April meeting or any of the upcoming meetings, please contact ESIT Community Collaboration Coordinator, E Renae` Antalan.
SICC Direct List
Sign up if you would like your email added to the SICC Public direct email list to receive meeting materials in advance of upcoming SICC meetings: Sign Up for SICC DL.
Upcoming 2025 SICC Meeting Dates
- July 15 – 16 | Virtual
- Tuesday, July 15 – PIE Graduation
- Wednesday, July 16 – SICC Meeting
- Oct. 15 | Virtual
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The April 16 SICC meeting was ESIT State Program Administrator, Valerie Arnold’s, last SICC meeting before she transitions out of her leadership role and into retirement. Please add your celebratory notes and well wishes to the Thank You and Appreciation Padlet to celebrate her years of dedication, service and collaboration. Add your congratulations and thank you notes:
Val’s Appreciation Padlet
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The Early Support for Infants and Toddlers (ESIT) program is undergoing a leadership transition. We want to hear from you! Your feedback is essential in helping us improve services for infants, toddlers, and families.
As the State’s Lead Agency for Part C of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), the Department of Children, Youth, and Families is committed to ensuring high-quality early intervention services.
- Your responses are confidential and will help guide improvements.
- We value perspectives from parents, state and regional partners, Tribes, and local organizations.
- The survey is available in multiple languages upon request: Arabic, Bengali, Chinese, French, Hindi, Korean, Punjabi, Russian, Somali, Tagalog, and Vietnamese.
Share Your Insights
Take a few minutes to share your insights in the survey below and make a difference!
Washington state has adopted policies and procedures to ensure public participation in the annual grant application (including any policies, procedures, descriptions, methods, certifications, assurances, and other information submitted with the application) for the Individual with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) Part C funds. The annual grant application and related documents will be published in a manner to ensure circulation throughout the state for at least a 60-day period, with a 30-day opportunity for public comment and public hearings, as appropriate, during that period per 34 CFR § 303.208(b).
For Public Review
DCYF's ESIT State Leadership Office posted the following materials for public review:
Submit Public Comment Online (April 1 – May 1)
The Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) is committed to adopting rules – also known as Washington Administrative Code or WAC – in an open manner. We welcome your input. Please find the Public Notice located on ESIT's Provider page, on the right-hand sidebar, to find the current draft and proposed DCYF rules, and to give us your comments or suggestions:
Submit Rules Comments Online
For questions, please contact ESIT State Administrator, Valerie Arnold, at valerie.arnold@dcyf.wa.gov.
The Infant and Early Childhood Conference (IECC) plays a critical role in providing high-quality, evidenced-based workshops and networking opportunities for families and providers to learn, share and advocate on behalf of all young children. It will continue to be held virtually to allow for a safe and flexible learning environment. We hope that you will join us!
Attendees may earn Clock Hours or STARS Credit for participation in any live conference sessions.
Visit the IECC website for additional information.
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CHERISH (CHildren Encouraged by Relationships In Secure Homes) is a model for providing early support to children and families involved in the child welfare system. Developed by Kindering in 2004, training in the CHERISH model provides deepened knowledge of the child welfare system and evidence-based strategies for nurturing relationships.
Training offerings:
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CHERISH 101 – An overview of the CHERISH model using online and in-person learning.
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CHERISH 102 - Monthly support sessions for individuals who attended CHERISH 101.
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Certification Training –Intensive mentorship training across several months.
Kindering will be offering two CHERISH 101 training cohorts in fall 2025. More information, including how to register, will be coming soon. Visit us at CHERISH.
You are invited to be part of the University of Texas' research project about understanding the challenges caregivers face in accessing and utilizing Early Childhood Intervention Services. The goal of this research is to better understand the obstacles caregivers encounter when seeking and using these services, as well as to gather insights from professionals working in early childhood intervention. The University of Texas is looking for:
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Caregivers of children aged 0–5 who:
- Have developmental or learning concerns and are not currently receiving any services, or
- Are currently receiving services but have experienced challenges in accessing or continuing the services.
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Professionals working in early childhood intervention (e.g., Part C, speech therapy, occupational therapy)
If you are interested in participating, please complete this brief survey using the QR code:
ECI research Participation survey
Participation is voluntary and you may withdraw at any time without providing a reason. Please share this invitation with others who might be interested. Download and share the flyer including details about the study and the study QR code.
This study has been approved by the University of Texas Institutional Review Board (IRB) and is supervised by James Lee, PhD. For any questions, or to learn more, please feel free to email Research Assistant, Sehee Jung, at sehui011311@gmail.com.
Are you an early intervention provider with experience working with children with neurogenetic conditions? Pixi is especially interested in reaching providers that work with families who are less represented in research studies in neurogenetic conditions. If you're interested in sharing more about your experience, please join us for a virtual interview.
Participation may include:
- Zoom interviews: answering questions about your experiences working with diverse families of children (1 hour).
- Web-based questionnaires (15 minutes).
Participants will be compensated for their time.
Interested in learning more? Reach out to Sam Scott, at sjscott@rti.org, call 919-248-8533, or complete the online information form.
DCYF's Supported and Strong Families Newsletter provides timely information to communities and caregivers on how to build resilience, social connections, and concrete supports that keep families thriving. Check out the newsletter archive and subscribe to receive email updates:
Supported and Strong Families Newsletter Archive & Sign-up
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