Tutor Time, New City has been chosen to participate in two new learning projects. The first is called the QUALITYstarsNY Field Study. In this project we have become a study center to help create the Stars Rating Scale. NYS is creating this scale to award Child Care and Learning Centers a number of 1 – 5 Stars (similar to restaurant or hotels - see ratings criteria below). This program is sponsored by the New York State Office of Children and Family Services (NYSOCFS) and funded by the federal Child Care and Development Block Grant.
Currently, we have completed Phase I and are beginning Phase II in which NYS is granting more training dollars for our center. We are being closely observed by Childcare Resourses of Rockland and receiving technical assistance.
The expectation of the designers of QUALITYstarsNY is that specific training, professional development, technical assistance and other supports for quality improvement will be available. These will include introductory trainings on the Environmental Rating Scale, curriculum, using child assessment, developing program budgets and other topics.
Because of this program our teachers have received valuable training hours specific to the needs of our center. We have been able to assess our lesson planning and use our assessment tools to better create an individual lesson plan for each child based on observations and anecdotal note taking. It has made a significant difference in meaningful lessons for our children and we hope you have noticed this yourself.
Quality Stars Program is continuing to offer our center more quality training specific to our needs. In the months of October and November we had workshops with technical assistance in the areas of Playground Curriculum Development and Toddler Behavior Expectations. Our staff was each given a minimum of 20 hours of training specific to our goals. This was all funded due to the fact that we have committed to participate in the study. We are so proud to be able to mold the quality of education for young learners in our state!
We have also received funding to purchase curriculum enhancements for our classrooms. We were able to purchase the Time to Sign sign language curriculum which we are using in Infants, Toddlers and Twaddler classrooms as well as grandparent dolls and books written in print and Braille.
Each of our preschool and Pre-K classrooms participated in a minimum of 25 hours of intensive in-service training and implementation. At the start of the program, each classroom was rated using the same rating scale used by Quality Stars. Every classroom scored well and provided a good foundation in literacy. At the end of the program each class was evaluated again and found to have scored at highest levels of the scale. We are so proud of all the teachers that took part in this and the hard, long hours they worked on that! Thank you Ms. Berta, Ms. Marie, Ms. Rachel, Ms. Kirsten, Ms. Nicole and Ms. Heather you have all enhanced our curriculum greatly!
The QUALITYstarsNY project is ongoing and we will be participants until the official Stars are awarded. We are very lucky to be part of this from the “ground up” and have a role in creating the system and criteria by which stars will be awarded to all programs in the state.
Category | Maximum Points |
---|---|
Learning Environment | 25 |
Family Engagement | 15 |
Qualifications and Experience | 35 |
Leadership and Management | 25 |
Total | 100 |
Points Earned | Stars Earned |
---|---|
Regulated Program | * |
20 - 25 points | * * |
26 - 50 points | * * * |
51 - 75 points | * * * * |
76 - 100 points | * * * * * |
We hope our participation in these projects is as important to you as they are to us and we truly hope the children reap the rewards!
As you are aware, we have been working with Child Care Resources on a Literacy Program in our preschool and Pre-K classrooms. The program is funded by the United Way and EPIC (every person influences children). Each of these rooms participated in a minimum of 25 hours of intensive in-service training and implementation. At the start of the program, each classroom was rated using the same rating scale used by Quality Stars. Every classroom scored well and provided a good foundation in literacy. At the end of the program each class was evaluated again and found to have scored at highest levels of the scale. We are so proud of all the teachers that took part in this and the hard, long hours they worked on that! Thank you Ms. Berta, Ms. Marie, Ms. Rachel, Ms. Kirsten, Ms. Nicole and Ms. Heather you have all enhanced our curriculum greatly!
Dear Tutor Time Learning Center of New City,
It is our pleasure to announce the completion of two components of New York State's Early Learning Knowledge and Competency Framework, designed to strengthen and support your work with the children and families you serve. The New York State Core Body of Knowledge and the Early Learning Guidelines were both developed with many individuals working in the field of early childhood education, across the state.
The Early Learning Guidelines has been designed to support teachers in their emerging knowledge of child development and to tailor their practice to the strengths, interests, and abilities of the children they serve. The Early Learning Guidelines are a companion document for the NYS Prekindergarten Foundation for the Common Core. Included in the Early Learning Guidelines is a section that describes how these standards are aligned and can be used together to guide work with preschool-age children.
The Core Body of Knowledge is a competency-based document to support teachers in their self-evaluation and planning for professional development. It is also intended for use by directors and other supervisors to assess the strengths and needs of staff and to plan professional development for individuals and groups.
You can download publications of Core Body of Knowledge, New York State’s Core Competencies for Early Childhood Educators at the following link:
We hope you find this document instrumental as a part of the amazing work you do on behalf of children and families in New York.
Sincerely,
Sherry M. Cleary
Co-Chair
and
Bob Frawley
Co-Chair