Child Care and Preschool: It’s About Quality

Sacred Heart  Preschool Dedicated to Providing High-Quality Early

Education

 

All parents want the best environment for their kids, but when they’re trying to find a quality child care or preschool program, it can be hard to know what to look for.



Janice Richards in one of the preschool classrooms at Sacred Heart

 

Now, families can visit QualityFirstAZ.com, a website launched by First Things First, to get information on what quality child care looks like. The site also lists all child care centers and preschools in Arizona enrolled in Quality First, a child care quality improvement program created and funded by First Things First. Through Quality First, programs enrolled receive guidance from a quality coach, as well as financial assistance for classroom materials and quality improvements that research proves help children thrive. 

Sacred Heart preschool, and early learning center in Prescott for children ages 3-5, has been enrolled in Quality First since 2011. Janice Richards, the center director, says that Quality First has helped Sacred Heart to go beyond just providing a safe and clean space for young children. With the support of the program, Sacred Heart is now better able to provide kids with the experiences they need to build a solid foundation for success.

 “Quality early education means that children are the heart of the program,” said Richards. “At Sacred Heart, our activities help children develop cognitively, physically, socially and emotionally. Our teachers teach children to interact respectfully and be kind to one another. We want to assist children in becoming good citizens and make good decisions.”

Richards said that she and her dedicated teachers have received a lot of support from their Quality First coach. “Our coach spent a lot of time with me reviewing health, safety and early learning standards. She also worked individually with my teachers to provide advice and support on things like classroom organization, daily schedule flow, activities and materials.” Quality First has also assisted with the purchasing of new developmentally appropriate classroom materials and equipment for the center.

Richards says that it’s not just the activities and environment that make a quality preschool. In fact, she says the most important part of a quality center is the positive, nurturing relationship between teachers and their students. “The classroom is a place where children’s strengths are identified and nurtured by our knowledgeable teachers,” Richards said. “The teachers are the backbone of our program.”

The quality early education the children of Sacred Heart Preschool are receiving will benefit them for years to come. “Quality early education gives children a huge advantage later on,” Richards said. “Children start out more confident and independent. They know how to speak up and what is expected of them in a classroom. It gives them a solid foundation on which to grow.”

Richards also said that the kindergarten teachers at the Sacred Heart elementary school can see the difference between children who have attended quality preschool and those that haven’t. “The kids that attend quality preschool are more prepared for school,” said Richards.

To learn more about why quality is important in child care and preschool and to find programs enrolled in Quality First in your area, please visit QualityFirstAZ.com.