October Newsletter 2024

Teri Ann Cox
Executive Director of The Children’s Center

Dear Center Families,

Professional development is a crucial part of the early childhood education (ECE) sector. Like others in educational fields, developing and improving one’s practice is a career-long process that helps ECE professionals stay up to date with the latest trends in brain development, teaching and learning strategies, and best practices in emergency planning. The recognition of the need for ongoing professional development has gone hand in hand with the explosion in child development science. As I have told others in the past, our teachers are not babysitters – they are brain builders. 90% of brain growth happens by the age of 5. Young brains grow through touch, talk, sight, and sound, as well as through unstructured play and structured activities. Studies have consistently shown high-quality early childhood environments can have a significant impact on a child’s cognitive and social emotional growth and development.

One of the key ingredients to high-quality ECE environments is ensuring that those caring for and teaching our youngest children are learning and growing themselves. That is why I am appreciative of the board of directors, who two years ago approved having the Center close for an eighth day out of the year – with the intent to leverage that day annually as dedicated time (during the work week vs. at night or on weekends) for the staff to development professionally. Much like the public school system, who have on average 3.5 in-service days per year, we will be able this year to use the day as a group to review and practice some of our emergency plans and protocols, revisit the Pyramid Model program-wide expectations, conduct several team-building exercises, and discuss key licensing requirements. Having time to learn, practice, discuss, and reflect is critical to improving as a professional.

So as a friendly reminder – like the GWRSD – there will be no school or childcare on Monday, October 14 at The Children’s Center. Instead, most all the staff will be earning 7 hours toward their annual Child Care Licensing requirement of 18 hours of professional development.

Thank you for your support!

Teri Ann