Network Updates | Quarter 3 | July 2026
By Greg Jacob and Anna Schmidt, Network Facilitators
Prenatal to Age 3 Network
The past quarter was full of activity for our Prenatal to Age 3 Network. Partners collaborated to increase awareness, access, and support for doula services in our community to improve access to adequate prenatal care in Olmsted County. The network hosted four events that brought together more than 80 clinicians and service providers to strengthen relationships and explore how doulas can better support families during pregnancy and birth. Through our provider education efforts, we created and distributed multilingual informational materials about doula services, and we celebrated a policy change at Olmsted Medical Center that now allows doulas to remain with their clients through the entire birthing experience, including during anesthesia. The Community Education Workgroup also hosted two Donuts with Doulas events to connect families with information and resources, while planning future outreach at existing community events across Olmsted County. Please see “Upcoming Events” at the bottom of this newsletter for information on an upcoming community education event with the Olmsted Area Breastfeeding Coalition. Additional doula resources are available on our Doulas Make the Difference page.
Prenatal to Age 3 Network virtual data retreat
Transition 2 Kindergarten Network
The Transition to Kindergarten Network continues to make meaningful progress as both workgroups move closer to implementation. The Home-Visiting Workgroup started planning a community kickoff event and is reaching out to partners who will help bring the gathering to life. Meanwhile, the Parent Groups Workgroup is developing an event that will bring together parent educators and community partners to gain insight from existing social-emotional learning efforts and identify promising practices. These practices will help us realize our goal of supporting adults’ social-emotional learning so they can better assist children in their early years and as they transition into Kindergarten.
Transition 2 Kindergarten Network data retreat
High School Graduation Network
The High School Graduation Network continues to build momentum as both workgroups focus on planning for future impact by increasing graduation rates in Rochester. This quarter, the network welcomed representatives from Baltimore’s Promise’s CareerBound initiative, who shared the details of their program, including community partners, funding opportunities, and the positive outcomes students and employers gain from participation. These insights helped spark new ideas for strengthening work-based and career-connected learning opportunities in our community. The Work-Based and Career Connected Learning Workgroup is now preparing to use a Consensus Workshop process to develop a clear scaling recommendation informed by feedback from network members, employers, schools, and community partners. As the current FAFSA cycle wraps up, the Financial Aid Workgroup will also host an additional summer session to ensure students and families continue to receive the support they need. Please see “Upcoming Events” at the bottom of this newsletter for more information on our July session.
High School Graduation Network data retreat