About Us – Our Staff

Ronda Rucker
Title:
  • Great Start Collaborative Director
  • EISD Early Childhood Administrator

Responsibilities:

  • Promotes collaboration between agencies, businesses, schools and families in order to advocate for programs and services for children birth to five years of age and their families
  • Supervision of GSRP Consortium and GPGS Services

Funding:

  • Early Childhood Investment Corporation, Great Start Collaborative Grant
  • MDE Great Start Readiness Preschool and Great Parents Great Start Grants
Danijela Cvrljevic
Title:

Great Start Readiness Program Teacher

Responsibilities:

Provides a free quality preschool classroom experience for children of the Maple Valley School District, who qualify according to the state’s eligibility criteria factors.  Number of students served is dependent upon the grant received from MDE

Funding:

Great Start Readiness Grant through the Michigan Department of Education

Title:

Great Start School Readiness Program Teacher

Responsibilities:

Provides a free quality preschool classroom experience for children of the Grand Ledge School District, who qualify according to the state’s eligibility criteria factors. Number of students served is dependent upon the grant received from MDE

Funding:

Great Start Readiness Program Grant from Michigan Department of Education

Kimi Mead
Title:
  • Great Start Parent Coordinator
  • Parents As Teachers Parent Educator

Responsibilities:

  • Assists parents in becoming advocates for their children and families in order to access services, become activist within their local and statewide communities, and assist their children to become successful in school and life
  • Provides voluntary home visits to parents of children birth to five based on Parents As Teachers

Funding:

  • Early Childhood Investment Corporation, Great Start Collaborative Grant
  • Strong Families Safe Children Grant through the Michigan Department of Human Services
Shelley Miller
Title:

Early Childhood Community Coordinator for Charlotte, Bellevue and Olivet areas

Responsibilities:

Assists local communities to advocate and provide services for children birth to five and their families. This includes coordinating local community action teams, supporting Toddler Times, and coordinating community events that support early literacy and school readiness

Funding:

Eaton County United Way through a grant from the Eaton County Juvenile Justice Millage

Erica Morris
Title:

Great Start Readiness Program Teaching Assistant

Responsibilities:

Assists teacher in Maple Valley Great Start Readiness Preschool classroom to provide a quality preschool experience

Funding:

Great Start Readiness Grant through the Michigan Department of Education

Lori Schnepp
Title:

Great Start Readiness Program Teaching Assistant

Responsibilities:

Assists teacher in Potterville Great Start Readiness Preschool classroom to provide a quality preschool experience

Funding:

Great Start Readiness Grant through the Michigan Department of Education

Nikki Selleck
Title:

Early Childhood Community Coordinator for Eaton Rapids, Poterville and Maple Valley areas

Responsibilities:

Assists local communities to advocate and provide services for children birth to five and their families. This includes coordinating local community action teams, supporting Toddler Times, and coordinating community events that support early literacy and school readiness

Funding:

Eaton County United Way through a grant from the Eaton County Juvenile Justice Millage

D'Lynn Smith
Title:

Great Start Readiness Program Teacher

Responsibilities:

Provides a free quality preschool classroom experience for children of the Potterville School District, who qualify according to the state’s eligibility criteria factors.  Number of students served is dependent upon the grant received from MDE

Funding:

Great Start Readiness Grant through the Michigan Department of Education

Kim Thelen
Title:
  • Early Childhood Community Coordinator, Grand Ledge
  • Great Start Readiness Program Teaching Assistant

Responsibilities:

  • Assists local communities to advocate and provide services for children birth to five and their families.  This includes coordinating local community action teams, supporting Toddler Times, and coordinating community events that support early literacy and school readiness
  • Assists teacher in Grand Ledge Great Start Readiness Preschool classroom to provide a quality preschool experience

Funding:

  • Eaton County United Way through a grant from the Eaton County Juvenile Justice Millage
  • Great Start Readiness Grant through he Michigan Department of Education
Cindy Van Neste
Title:

Great Parents Great Start Parent Educator

Responsibilities:

Provides voluntary in-home parent education and support based on Parents As Teachers

Funding:

Eaton Intermediate School District through the MDE Great Parents Great Start Grant; Strong Families Safe Children Grant through the Michigan Department of Human Services

Erica Willard
Title:

Great Start Early Childhood Projects Coordinator

Responsibilities:

  • Duties as described in the GSRP Consortium grant in conjunction with the Early Childhood Specialist consultations to classrooms
  • Assist the GS director with collaborative projects in accordance with the Great Start Action Agenda and Workplan

Funding:

  • MDE Great Start Readiness Grant
  • Early Childhood Investment Corporation, Great Start Collaborative Grant