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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.
Read our report about the impact of QUALITYstarsNY's expansion thanks to the historic investment provided through the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.
As summer winds down, many families find themselves in a season of big transitions. Children may be moving into a new classroom, starting kindergarten, or attending daycare or preschool for the very first time. While these milestones are exciting steps forward, they can also stir up feelings of separation anxiety for both children and parents. As early childhood educators, it’s important to reassure families that separation anxiety is a normal part of child development, and with the right supports, children can build the confidence and security they need to thrive.
Jessica Dean of Jessica's Daycare in Monticello, NY is a participant, ambassador, and advocate of CACFP. As part of her work with the initiative, she understands the value of providing children with healthy and well-balanced meals. In her early childhood program, Jessica works with her children to grow various herbs, vegetables and fruits, which she uses to prepare colorful and nutritious meals.
QUALITYstarsNY program Bronx Community College Early Childhood Center featured in award-winning short film.
The desire to keep oneself safe is perhaps the most basic of all instincts. It’s hard-wired in. The amygdala is the small structure in the brain responsible for processing emotions, particularly fear and aggression. It watches for anything that might be harmful. We’re familiar with our own amygdala, and may even appreciate it, as it comes in handy on a busy highway or if we sense danger anywhere. It helps us stay safe, as well as those we love and care for. But what about a child’s amygdala?
In July, QUALITYstarsNY participating program Small World Daycare and Preschool hosted New York State Senator Andrea Stewart-Cousins at their center in Yonkers. Stewart-Cousins is President Pro Tempore and Majority Leader of the NYS Senate. Small World Daycare and Preschool Director, Viva Rivera, shared the history of her program with Senator Stewart-Cousins, which opened in [...]
Erica has worked in education for the last 20 years, starting as a Teach for America corps member and elementary school teacher in Baton Rouge. She worked in schools there and in Harlem for nine years—teaching, coaching, and supporting families in high-need communities. It was during this time that literacy and equity became the north stars in her career.
We're still celebrating 60 years of Head Start's service to children and familes! Earlier this month, QUALITYstarsNY was proud to attend the New York State Head Start Association's (NYS HSA) Annual Conference in White Plains, NY. As part of the celebration, the NHY HSA recognized several programs across New York State who have been [...]