SUTQ Star Info

Dear Parents:

We’ve got something to shout about! The Child Development Center Of Jackson County was Awarded *The Gold Award* by the Step Up To Quality Program by the State of Ohio. Only the top child care programs in Ohio receive this prestigious award, so you should be proud that your child (children) is enrolled in one of Ohio’s best. 

We received this award because of our overall commitment to quality and our excellent early care and education program. We offer a wonderful environment for children to grow and develop, and it is an honor to receive state recognition for our efforts.

A Step Up To Quality Five Star rated program means that your child is in a program with: 

• Lower group size in the infant room for birth to 12 month olds; lower ratios in the preschool and schoolage classrooms.

This means the teachers have more time to support your baby's individual development and learning. This is important because 85% of brain development occurs by the time your child is three years old and the number of words your child knows when they enter kindergarten is the single most important predictor of school success.

 • The administrator and at least 50% of teachers have a credential and/or a degree in early childhood education.

This means that the administrator and teacher(s) have formal knowledge to support your child's development and learning. This is important because just like a doctor needs formal education, so do those working with young children. Working with young children is science - brain science.

• The administrator, all lead teachers and assistant teachers complete 20 hours of specialized training every two years.

This means that the administrator and teaching staff are committed to expanding their knowledge and skills to better support your child's development and learning. This ensures that early care and education professionals keep up to date with the ever changing knowledge base of their profession.

• Provides annual performance evaluations, professional development planning and at least two benefits (such as insurance, paid leave, tuition reimbursement etc.) to employees.

This means that the program is a place where employees are supported and treated professionally. This is important because good programs retain good teachers.

• Teachers conduct a developmental screening upon entry and utilize Ohio's Early Learning & Development Standards and K-12 Standards in their curriculum planning.

This means that your child's program uses research based information when planning your child's day. This is important because it means teachers are intentional in planning their teaching strategies in order to support your child's development and learning.

As a parent, this award is yours as well. Your ideas and support have inspired us to bring a world of discovery and excitement to your child (children) each and every day. Our goal is to build your child’s self-confidence, develop their social and emotional skills and instill a love for learning that will follow them the rest of their life. 

We are extremely pleased to have won this award and hope you are too. We tell our children to reach for the stars. Today we feel like they are in our grasp. 

Sincerely,

CDC Director