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About The nugget. (Sisters, Or.) 1994-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 30, 2015)
Wednesday, September 30, 2015 The Nugget Newspaper, Sisters, Oregon 19 SPRD earns quality designation for preschool Sisters Park & Recreation District Community Pre- school has received the Star Designation from the Gover- nor’s Office for outstanding quality in childcare. The rat- ing was achieved by partici- pating in the Quality Rating and Improvement System (QRIS), a program designed to raise the quality and consis- tency of childcare across the state. Through this program the SPRD Community Pre- school is now ranked within the top 6 percent of childcare centers across Oregon. Lead teachers Valerie Selig and Carissa Gascon have worked diligently for over two years participating in training programs, imple- menting changes, and spend- ing hours on non-school days documenting the work they do. The quality rating is a symbol of excellence where the community preschool program exceeded essential standards for quality in the areas of learning and devel- opment, health and safety, personnel qualifications, fam- ily partnerships, and adminis- tration and business practices. “We are thrilled with the Star Designation,” said Selig. “We have worked so hard to make this program stand out and help provide a posi- tive learning environment for our Sisters kids, ages 5 and under. It feels great to be recognized.” The QRIS program is designed to give early child- hood educators support with program goals and give parents a tool to ensure they are finding a high quality program for their children. Research shows that chil- dren in high quality care have higher levels of success when they enter school, continue to do well in school, and have higher earning poten- tial as adults. High quality settings demonstrate better development of language skills, cognitive functioning, social skills and emotional well-being. We have worked so hard to make this program stand out and help provide a positive learning environment for our Sisters kids, ages 5 and under. It feels great to be recognized. — Valerie Selig NeighborImpact Child Care Resources works with childcare programs across three Central Oregon counties — Deschutes, Crook and Jef- ferson — assisting staff with materials, training, and devel- opmental screenings to assist with programs aiming for the QRIS designation. “This program and its staff have worked so hard to receive this designation,” said Kate Eastman, quality improvement specialist at NeighborImpact. “This teach- ing team truly is a gem in Sis- ters. They jump on everything – college classes, additional curriculum, activities for the students – any chance they get to better their program for their students they take it.” There are still spaces available in both the 3- and 4-year-old “grasshopper” class as well as the 4- and 5-year-old “dragonfly” class through the SPRD Commu- nity Preschool. Classes are available on a first-come/ first-served basis and are run out of Sisters Elementary School. “Being housed in the ele- mentary school allows for an easy transition into the school,” says Selig. “We love to see children that have been through our program walk in photo provided Sprd preschoolers enjoy Clifford the Big red dog day. the first day of school already knowing many of the basic principals at Sisters Elemen- tary. Add to that, our recent Star ranking — I am very proud to be a part of this program.” For more information about the SPRD Commu- nity Preschool or to regis- ter your child visit www. SistersRecreation.com or call 541-549-2091. For additional resources regarding the QRIS please contact Neighbor Impact at 541-323-6513. THERE IS A PLACE... for a rewarding career View available positions and apply online at BlackButteRanch.com We keep you up-to-date every day! Become a fan to receive notifications of breaking news, events and more! Facebook.com/NuggetNews