Growing Place centers receive accreditation
The Growing Place Child Care Centers have been notified that their three West End early care and education centers have received new, five-year accreditations from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, an agency whose recognition represents the highest standards in early education.
NAEYC accreditation is a multiyear process that involves classroom teachers, administrators, and parent and staff feedback to demonstrate the highest level of excellence in 10 areas of best early childhood practice. Accreditation requires the program to maintain these standards throughout the five-year period and ensures The Growing Place will continue to provide the highest level of early education and care to Monroe County families.To receive accreditation, programs must demonstrate that they provide a safe and healthy environment for children, have well-trained teachers, have access to excellent materials, and work with a curriculum that is appropriately challenging and developmentally sound.Proving that a program is NAEYC-worthy is a long and arduous procedure. After an extensive application process, a program is approved for candidacy and the six-month assessment period begins.There are multiple sources of evidence to collect and prepare. Evidence includes program and classroom portfolios demonstrating how the program and each individual age group meet the NAEYC standards. Family and staff survey response rates and scores must be submitted. Meanwhile, teachers prepare for classroom observations.During the accreditation visit in March, NAEYC assessors spent a total of four days at three Growing Place Centers located in Kresgeville and Brodheadsville. The assessors observed classrooms; evaluated program policies, assessment practices and curriculum implementation; inspected program space; reviewed parent and staff survey results; and verified staff credentials."We are three of only 313 accredited programs in Pennsylvania. It is such a big undertaking that there are less than 7,000 in the world," said Growing Place Executive Director Lisa Eick. "The preparations for the NAEYC visit took us the better part of a year and involved every staff member in our program.""Both the value and the difficulty of the accreditation process is that you comb through every part of your program," said Josephine Gioia, Kresgeville Growing Place director. "By the time you're finished, you have evaluated every policy and process and enriched your curriculum. When you are going through it you sometimes wonder if it's worth it, and then you get your NAEYC letter and you know it is."The Growing Place received commendations in nine out of 10 standards. Classrooms also receive percentage scores. Of the 10 classrooms observed, three classrooms received a 99 percent with the lowest score being a 95 percent."We are so proud of our teachers," said Infant & Toddler Center Director Sandy Martini. "Even a teacher with a lot of experience finds it stressful to have an assessor come in their classroom. We're happy for this validation of our teachers' expertise."What this means to parents, according to Growing Place Communications Director Linda Barney, is the knowledge that their child's program is based on current best practice in early care and education. "Parents looking for a high-quality program often search for an accredited center," Barney said. "Choosing a NAEYC-accredited program helps provide that extra layer of reassurance that their child is getting the best program possible."The Growing Place was originally accredited by NAEYC in 2003 and operates five centers in the West End. A nonprofit organization serving over 400 families since 1976, The Growing Place also provides high-quality programs for school-age children in centers at Pleasant Valley Elementary School, The Growing Place Chestnuthill Center and Hamilton Elementary School.Visit
www.TheGrowingPlaceCenters.org for more information on The Growing Place. To find a NAEYC-accredited program, visit