I’m Racheal Wiegand, Founder and Executive Director of TiP, and one of the voices behind this page. With many new followers, I wanted to reintroduce myself and share how and why TiP began. My background is in early childhood education with degrees from Ashland University and an Autism Spectrum Disorders Certification from BGSU. I’m an Ohio certified teacher with licensure in special education (prek–3), general education (prek–5), and reading intervention (K–12). I taught 12 years as a preschool intervention specialist before stepping away to focus on my family. I’m a mom of three amazing kids (17, 13, and 8). My oldest is Autistic with ADHD, anxiety, and multiple medical conditions. My two younger children are twice-exceptional (2E), gifted with challenges that affect learning and social interactions. Despite my training, my husband and I often had to learn on the fly and search for resources. What helped most in the early years was having professionals model strategies for us—and even better when grandparents could learn too, ensuring carryover. This inspired TiP to grow from a memory, to a dream, to reality. Our mission is to provide facilitated playgroups for children ages 3–6 of all abilities and their caregivers, fostering emerging skills across developmental domains in a safe, supportive, and structured environment. We want to be part of your village!

—Racheal Wiegand, M.Ed. Together in Play