WECP Director Cindy Lynn-Garbe
Buffalo’s Westminster Early Childhood Programs (WECP) is celebrating its 75th year in business! With eleven classrooms serving over 130 children, WECP is a testament to what providing high-quality care can do to support the community.
We spoke with WECP director Cindy Lynn-Garbe about this incredible achievement in longevity, what high-quality childcare looks like 75 years in, and the joys and challenges of running a large child care program.
Congrats on 75 years!
What has your journey through Early Care and Education been like?
Cindy Lynn-Garbe: I have been in early childhood for almost 30 years in a variety of positions, including a classroom teacher, an adjunct professor for the University at Buffalo, a master teacher at the Early Childhood Research Center, an education specialist at the Research Foundation for SUNY, a child researcher at Fisher-Price, an early childhood consultant, and finally as director at Westminster Early Childhood Programs. My director job is a culmination of my experiences working with children in various capacities. I have a doctorate in elementary education and an NYS teaching certification in N-6.
What is the most rewarding part of your work? The most challenging?
Cindy: The most rewarding parts of being a director at WECP are the relationships I have developed with the families and staff, mentoring new and seasoned staff in all aspects of teaching, and watching the growth and development of the children and their families. It’s exciting to see these children come into their own personalities after being with us for four years.
I enjoy the ever-changing aspects of being a director. As a multifaceted role, it requires adapting and transitioning between administrative, educational, and leadership responsibilities. I also enjoy the social aspect of maintaining relationships with families, their children, and the WECP staff.
The most challenging part of being a director is time management and navigating the constant challenges of childcare. This includes maintaining our accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) and our work with QUALITYstarsNY, managing a two-million dollar budget, following the Office of Child and Family Services licensing regulations, maintaining contract requirements for our partnership with the Buffalo Public Schools, collaborating with SUNY Erie’s early childhood department regarding their lab and student teaching program, developing program policies and procedures, providing guidance and instruction to my teaching staff, managing payroll, writing grants to fund our program, and onboarding and guiding new staff hires.
To what do you attribute your program’s success and longevity?
Cindy: I attribute the success of WECP to a number of factors, including;
- The longevity and dedication of a well-educated and trained staff that consists of teachers with master’s degrees and certification, bachelor’s and associate degrees as well as current early childhood college students
- The strong support of generations of alumni and current parents who believe in the quality of our program
- The continued use of an engaging developmentally appropriate curriculum that emphasizes the importance of play and exploration, focuses on the whole child, particularly social and emotional development, and effective communication with parents
- Being accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children and earning a 4-Star Rating from QUALITYstarsNY, which communicate to our community that we meet the standards required to be a high-quality center
We are glad to see that you have been a QUALITYstarsNY participant since 2012! What has your experience been like over almost 13 years?
Working with QUALITYstarsNY has been a wonderful experience for our program by providing support and resources to help us improve and sustain our high quality. Our Quality Improvement Specialist, Sara Lamoreaux, has been a major force in providing expertise in such areas as early childhood education and development, guidance and direction regarding trainers, available resources and the accreditation process. Her enthusiasm and knowledge have been invaluable to WECP.
What advice would you give to programs just starting out?
Several basic factors need to be considered when establishing a childcare program. These include complying with licensing regulations and legal issues, planning and managing a strong business and financial plan (i.e., budget, marketing, etc.), creating a safe, positive, engaging environment (i.e., DAP curriculum, well-trained staff), and building a strong relationship with parents and the community (i.e., relations with our local school district, SUNY Erie). I highly recommend that programs look into the accreditation process because it communicates your program’s commitment and dedication to providing high-quality learning and ongoing program development.
