March Providers of the Month

Honoring Two Dedicated Educators at Trinity's Tiny Treasures

For the first time, the Reno County Child Care Task Force is proud to recognize TWO Providers of the Month together, Jennifer Hallier and Katherine Rollmann. Both work at Trinity’s Tiny Treasures, and were nominated at the same time, on nearly the exact same day, by different people! So, we decided to honor them both at the same time as well.

Congratulations to these March Providers of the Month!

Jennifer Hallier

Jennifer’s career in child care spans two decades and includes both home-based and center-based care. In 2005, she opened an in-home daycare so she could stay home with her own children while supporting other families. After more than a decade serving families in that role, she closed her daycare in 2017 and joined Trinity’s Tiny Treasures as a Pre-K teacher.

“I have always enjoyed working with children,” Jennifer shared. “I love to be a witness and a cheerleader in their achievements,” she said. “Watching their eyes light up and seeing them gain confidence is the best.”

Her dedication to the children she teaches is evident to the families she works with every day. Her nominator shared this story:

“My son had been having a hard time going to school for weeks and Jennifer made him a promise to help make it easier to come to school. At home that next morning she broke her foot and she literally came to school with a broken foot in order to keep her promise to my son. She wanted to show up for him, and that is true dedication.”

For Jennifer, showing up that day with a broken foot may have been difficult, but it was an easy decision.

“We are a key component to the development of young children,” she said. “We are with these children for the majority of their day. I love to be a witness and a cheerleader in their achievements. Watching their eyes light up and seeing them gain confidence is the best!”

Katherine Rollmann

Katherine Rollmann has spent 19 years at Trinity’s Tiny Treasures, helping shape the early learning experiences of generations of children.

Her path to early childhood education began after a career in business management. Wanting to have the same schedule as her children, she returned to school to earn her education degree. While she originally planned to teach high school, a substitute teaching opportunity at Trinity changed everything.

“I took a substitute position here at Trinity and I’ve never left,” Katherine said. “I even went back to school to get my master's degree in early education. I guess I’m still ‘filling in.’”

With this lengthy tenure, Katherine has had the opportunity to see the long-term impact of her work.

“Knowing I have the opportunity to make an impression on a child’s life that might stay with them is my favorite part,” she said. “I’ve taught long enough to watch my students graduate high school and college, get married, and have kids—and I’ve even had some of their children in my class.”

Her dedication to her students and the program was highlighted by her nominator, who described Katherine as an exceptional educator and leader.

“Katherine is ‘all in’ when it comes to her students and the overall program. She is always looking for ways to improve and to make Trinity stand out from others. She is smart, kind, creative, reliable, and her moral compass is beyond measure. Any child that has the privilege of having Miss Katherine is a lucky one.”

A Shared Commitment to Children and Appreciation for Community Support

Katherine and Jennifer both recognize the important role that childcare providers play in a healthy, vibrant community.

“It truly is the foundation to society,” Katherine said. “Without early education many children are already falling behind academically, socially, and emotionally. This job is one of the hardest, most fulfilling jobs, but I am not the only one getting it done--it takes teamwork! I have an amazing assistant, Sally, a wonderful director who supports my classroom, super coworkers, and of course dedicated families!

She also appreciates the role the Reno County Child Care Task Force plays in connecting providers with each other for networking opportunities and resource sharing.

“The Task Force helps link us to what is available in our community, which helps us better serve our families and their young kiddos.”

Jennifer also values the support provided by the Reno County Child Care Task Force.

“The Task Force is a great networking tool for childcare providers,” Jennifer said. “Whether they need access to recourses, grants or trainings, they are there to support programs.”

Jennifer encourages those considering the childcare profession to remember that the rewards make the challenges worthwhile. “This career can be challenging, but it is worth it,” she said. “When I see a child smile because of their success, it makes my heart happy.”

Thank you to Jennifer Hallier and Katherine Rollmann for their dedication to children, families, and the future of our community, and congratulations on being named Reno County Child Care Task Force March Providers of the Month!

Know a childcare provider worthy of this award? We bet you do! Nominate them today!   

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