Greenwich Head Start, School Readiness Programs Receive National Reaccreditation

Family Centers’ Greenwich Head Start Preschools and two School Readiness classrooms at Armstrong Court have been reaccredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC).

After an extensive self-study and visits by NAEYC assessors, it was determined that Family Centers’ Greenwich Head Start Preschools and two School Readiness classrooms at Armstrong Court met all NAEYC accreditation standards for early childhood education excellence.

Both the Head Start and School Readiness programs scored 100 percent or better in eight of the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards. These standards include: Relationships, Teaching, Assessment, Health, Families, Community Relationships, Physical Environment and Leadership and Management.

“Attaining NAEYC accreditation reaffirms the community and our staff that Family Centers is committed to ongoing evaluation and the continuous improvement of our programs,” said Megan Sweeney, Family Centers’ Director of Early Childhood Education. “We are very proud of the entire staff at our Armstrong Court sites’ accomplishments, and look forward to continuing to provide a high quality, nurturing and state-of-the art program to working parents.”

Accreditation by the NAEYC is widely recognized as a sign of high-quality early childhood education. In Greenwich, Family Centers represents four of the town’s five NAEYC accredited full-day, year-round preschool programs.

To earn NAEYC accreditation, Family Centers’ staff measured its programs and their services against NAEYC’s 10 Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related accreditation criteria. The NAEYC accreditation is valid through 2020.

Family Centers’ Greenwich Head Start program and School Readiness classrooms at Armstrong Court provide preschool services to income-eligible families living in Greenwich with three- and four-year-old children. The curriculum-based program teaches children to understand letters, numbers and how to interact in a classroom setting.

Teachers also work on speech development and helps children of immigrant families learn English. An emphasis is also placed on parent involvement to encourage and support children’s educational and social development.

Visit www.familycenters.org for additional information.

Photo credit: Family Centers.