Fort Drum child development center earns national accreditation

By Michelle KennedySeptember 18, 2014

Fort Drum CDC earns National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation
(Photo Credit: U.S. Army) VIEW ORIGINAL

FORT DRUM, N.Y. -- For more than a year, child care providers and management at Fort Drum's South Riva Ridge Child Development Center have been busy balancing their day-to-day duties with completing training requirements, building portfolios and providing top-notch care to children ages 6 months to 5 years.

All of the hard work paid off when the Child, Youth and School Services center earned the National Association for the Education of Young Children accreditation in July.

"It was very hard work for all of us," said Laura Petterson, who has been facility director since February. "We knew we were providing quality service here, but it's nice to let the parents and community know that, too. Being accredited is recognized throughout the United States, so it's nice to know that everyone knows that we provide quality care for the children."

NAEYC accreditation requires child care facilities to meet 10 different standards, as well as multiple sub standards within each category, according to Deann Gandia, CYSS program administrator.

The 10 NAEYC standards are relationships, curriculum, teaching, assessment of child progress, health, teachers, families, community relationships, physical environment, and leadership and management.

During the accreditation preparation, staff members had to gather evidence for the center and caregivers had to build portfolios for each room. All of the information had to prove that not only did the CDC meet the all of the NAEYC requirements, but each classroom did, too.

Caregivers also were required to take additional training, some of which included child abuse and reporting, working with children who have disabilities or special needs, how to engage children and encourage participation, and training on different activities like circle time and science, according to Chris Barton, former assistant director / training specialist who recently became the CYSS Family Child Care program director.

"NAEYC has certain criteria that each program has to meet," she said. "The (caregivers) put a lot of time and energy into building their portfolios while still focusing on the children and completing the daily and weekly tasks they're required to do."

While being well-trained was a requirement to become accredited, Petterson said she wanted the staff to know how important it really was for the center.

"I think a big part of (the staff's dedication) was letting them know what NAEYC is and what the credentials were up front," she said. "We didn't want them to come in thinking this was just another inspection. We wanted them to know how important having this accreditation is for the center, because it shows everybody what great teachers and caregivers they are."

The center also had to provide surveys to teachers and parents to put in the accreditation file, because it is important to show the relationships between teachers and parents.

"The family connection is really important," Barton said. "Communicating with moms and dads on a daily basis and getting them involved in the program is a really important piece of having quality child care."

Petterson added that some of the programs, such as the Parent Advisory Council and parent participation program, are important not only for the center, but for the success of the children.

Once the center was ready for inspection, the staff was given a three-month window in which a NAEYC representative could come.

"We knew it would be summer -- we were thinking July -- but we got a call on a Friday afternoon in May telling us they would be here Monday; it was a long weekend," Petterson said, laughing.

Barton credits the staff and caregivers with the center's successful accreditation.

"In the end, (they) were the ones who made it all happen," she said. "Without them and all their hard work and their dedication to Families and the children, we never would have been able to do this."

Petterson agreed.

"They wanted it, and they are proud," she added. "It's another thing to remind them what a difference they make in the children's lives.

"The staff got really good scores in a lot of the criteria," Petterson said, adding that the center also received help from staff and directors across CYSS. "We received 100-plus on many of them. So, not only did we pass, but we passed with good scores."

While everyone who works at South Riva Ridge CDC can breathe a sigh of relief, representatives from NAEYC can show up at any time to ensure staff members are maintaining standards. The center also must create and submit an annual report, and it will need to be reaccredited in five years, Gandia added.

For more information about NAEYC, visit www.naeyc.org.