CSC child care center earns re-accreditation

Officials at the National Association for the Education of Young Children late last week notified the CDC’s director, Dr. Kim Madsen, about the child care center’s success in achieving another five-year re-accreditation.

The accomplishment means that the CDC retains its position as as one of 84 centers in Nebraska that have been accredited, and one of just four in the state west of Grand Island. The center has been accredited for 18 consecutive years.

Madsen noted that the CSC center scored highly in all 10 evaluation topics of the accreditation process. The CDC met 100 percent of the criteria in eight of the 10 topics, with its lowest mark being 92 percent. Programs are required to meet 80 percent of criteria. The topics are relationships, curriculum, teaching, assessment of child progress, health, teachers, families, community relationships, physical environment, and leadership and management.

Madsen and others at the center spent much of last year gathering and producing supporting materials for the accreditation, which culminated in a site visit by an evaluator from the NAEYC in October 2007.

Madsen said the process changed during the last five years, and required much more preparation than previous accreditations. Madsen commended assistant director Pam Leonard and head teacher Joleen Conway in helping with the preparation.

“This is a much better process, but it’s a lot more work,” she said.

Madsen said the accreditation confirms the CDC’s quality, both for parents of children and for the college students who work at the center while studying early childhood education.

“I want the students to see the best. When they go out in the field and get hired, I want them to know what a good program should look like,” Madsen said. “To me, the most important thing we can do is provide a good model program.”

Madsen said about 18 college students work at the center each semester. The center has involved the community in its operation, including students of the Pine Ridge Job Corps Center and participants of the Foster Grandparent Program. The CDC also has collaborative programs with Chadron Public Schools, Head Start and private child care providers.

Although accreditation has been attained, Madsen noted that the CDC must maintain the NAEYC’s standards and is subject to random site visits from the organization.