Latest News
The QUALITYstarsNY team came together for our 2025 All-Staff Summit in Saratoga Springs, NY, where we spent three days focused on learning and connection. We explored valuable resources in the early childhood field, shared impactful stories and enjoyed fun activities!
Schenectady Day Nursery (SDN), a longtime QUALITYstarsNY participant, just held a groundbreaking ceremony to celebrate an expansion project that will increase access to high-quality early childhood education for families throughout Schenectady County, an area recognized as a child care desert due to its limited child care options.
In October, QUALITYstarsNY’s Finger Lakes region Quality Improvement Specialists (QI Specialists) and participating programs gathered for a day that blended creativity, collaboration, and hands-on learning. The team partnered with Studio in a School in NYC to provide participants with an in-person training day that brought providers and educators together to explore the power of artistic expression—not only as a tool for teaching, but as a pathway for strengthening community and refreshing their own professional practice.
Incorporating music into your program is a wonderful way to support children’s brain development and provide them with engaging learning opportunities across all domains. However, not all musical experiences are created equally. With the increased use of phones, tablets, TV’s and smart boards in early childhood classrooms as our children’s music and movement time, let’s take a minute to examine some high-quality ways to support children’s development and learning with music in our early childhood spaces.
On November 7, QUALITYstarsNY was featured on Buffalo's local news program, Daytime Buffalo to discuss the support we provide as New York State's Quality Rating & Improvement System. Quality Improvement Specialists Jill Boeck and Susan DiNatale were joined by Barbara Stone Reden from JCC Buffalo and Rachelle Robinson from Lighthouse Center. The group discussed QUALITYstarsNY's [...]
The Innovative Daycare Corp., a QUALITYstarsNY participating program since 2020, under the leadership of Janna Rodriguez, has become the first Group Family Day Care in Long Island to attain NAFCC Accreditation.
QUALITYstarsNY is excited to support the New York State Literacy Trail, launched by Governor Kathy Hochul. This initiative encourages early literacy and outdoor exploration by pairing 10 children's books with 10 NY State Parks. Each book celebrates the joy of reading and the wonder of the natural world—designed for children, families, and providers to [...]
Every year, the Family Child Care Association of New York State (FCCANYS) invites Family Child Care (FCC) providers to gather in Oswego, NY, for two days of discussion, learning, and honoring their essential modality of child care. QUALITYstarsNY is honored to support FCCANYS and our FCC participants by hosting [...]
Whether you are looking to increase your knowledge about a topic related to early childhood education, earn a degree or credential, or ensure you are meeting training-related requirements for your job, choosing high-quality professional development is an important step in increasing your knowledge, skills, and abilities which in turn have a valuable impact on your work with children. With a little help from available professional resources, you can ensure that the professional development you take part in is vetted for quality and helps you to meet your professional goals.
QUALITYstarsNY participants Yasmill Ledesma, education coordinator at Discovery Village, and Sandra Jenkins, teacher at St. Peter’s Child Care Center, Inc., were recently honored with the Child Care Council of Westchester Early Education Hall of Heroes award. This award recognizes early childhood professionals who invest significantly in the future of our youngest learners and their communities. Yasmill and Sandra talked with QUALITYstarsNY about what this award means to them, the lessons they have learned throughout their career and what they look forward to.