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The Child Care Excellence Awards, designed to help improve access to professional development opportunities and retain early childhood staff in the region, disperses cash awards to eligible, nominated programs and each of their full-time staff members. The cash award, which started at $2,000 per staff member, has been increased to $4,000 as of July 2026.
QUALITYstarsNY Celebrates First Class of Spanish Child Development Associate Certificate at CUNY SPS
In June, the CUNY School of Professional Studies (CUNY SPS) celebrated the first-ever graduating class of the School’s Spanish-language Child Development Associate (CDA) cohort. The CDA certificate supports preschool teachers, childcare workers, and others pursuing careers in early childhood education through required coursework, advisement, career services, and additional support. This is the School’s first CDA to be offered in a language other than English.
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani recently visited and conversed with home-based providers, including Mercedes Mulholland, the owner of Xiomara’s Group Family Daycare and a QUALITYstarsNY participant. Mercedes was aware of Mayor Mamdani’s conversation pertaining to universal child care and that he was visiting centers, schools, and libraries, but she wanted more family child care programs to be visible in these conversations.
Yohaina Martinez and Gaby Paulino-Pena were honored at the 2026 National Association for Family Child Care Annual Conference for graduating from the NAFCC Leaders Shaping Leaders Academy. This Academy is a year-long series of professional development sessions intended to cultivate future leaders by pairing them with peer mentors, who share strategies and insights regarding family child care leadership. These conversations are immediately applicable in their day-to-day work and create a network of fellow leaders and connections in the field. QUALITYstarsNY interviewed Yohaina and Gaby about their experience in Leaders Shaping Leaders.
Learn about QUALITYstarsNY's Finger Lakes regional team! Read about the local partnerships that support our participants in the area and get to know our Quality Improvement Specialists that work in the region.
In June, QUALITYstarsNY attended the 2026 Early Care & Learning Council Annual Meeting to celebrate the network of Child Care Resource Centers across New York State. During the event, Julie Champion, the Executive Director of Child & Family Resources, Inc., who regularly connects with our Finger Lakes Quality Improvement Specialists, received the Child Care Resource Leadership Award. We are proud to celebrate her for her outstanding leadership and consistent support for children and families throughout the state.
Kindergarten transitions can be especially difficult for children, as moving from a familiar setting to a new, often larger setting can bring on many emotions and feelings of uncertainty. Partnering with the local school district to host a kindergarten transition event can help children and families feel more prepared for this new experience. Friendship Children’s Center of Rochester recently visited Rochester City School District School No. 45. for a kindergarten transition event. Joi McMurtry, the executive director, reflected on this experience.
Representatives from QUALITYstarsNY had a spectacular time at this year's New York Association for the Education of Young Children (NYAEYC) annual conference. Our team enjoyed four days of leading and attending various sessions, connecting with our statewide partners, and meeting QUALITYstarsNY participants from across New York.
In May, the Finger Lakes Quality Improvement Specialists, in collaboration with Monroe County Library's Children’s Services Consultant Tonia Burton, welcomed family and group family child care providers to the Maplewood Community Library for an amazing day of outdoor learning! The hands-on professional development event, titled "Nature Nurtures Literacy: Books, Bugs, & Backpack Learning," focused on enriching children's literacy experiences by embracing nature and the outdoors.
Dion Reed, a family child care provider in Rensselaer, NY has been participating in the Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) for over 10 years. Her long-term commitment to CACFP reflects her dedication to leveraging available resources to provide children with the best care possible, namely in nutrition and health. QUALITYstarsNY interviewed Dion about her longstanding participation in CACFP.