South County Community Action Joyful Learning Child Academy Awarded Four Stars by BrightStars

WAKEFIELD – South County Community Action Agency Joyful Learning Child Academy has been awarded four stars under the BrightStars ratings system, SCCAA President and CEO Joseph DeSantis announced today.

“We are all very proud of our Joyful Learning team for achieving this well-deserved rating as a result of their dedication and hard work,” DeSantis said. “Tara Ward and her tremendous staff of teachers and aides continue to prove that Joyful Learning is a high-quality early education resource for families in Washington County.”

The process that led to the recent designation by the Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children [RIAEYC] actually started in October, 2015, with the submission of JLCA’s latest application, explained Ward, the Academy’s director.

“The paperwork included center demographics, director and teacher qualifications, curriculum samples, assessment samples and practices, our curriculum framework, records of required trainings, and proof of our relationship with families,” Ward recalled. “Following our submission, a BrightStars assessment team visited Joyful Learning in February to see firsthand how we operate, and to review child assessment files and the Professional Development Plans for each of our lead teachers.”

Within the overall rating system are several areas where BrightStars reviewers awarded Joyful Learning’s preschool and mobile infant classrooms a “7,” the highest score, including adult/child interactions, program structure, and curriculum activities, said Ward. Those ratings were based on standards set by the Early Childhood Environmental Rating Scale [ECER-S] and the Infant/Toddler Environmental Rating Scale [ITER-S].

“The area of ‘Interactions’ includes supervision and discipline, as well as overall communication among teachers and students,” Ward explained. “A perfect score of 7 reflects just how hard our teachers and aides work to use each teachable moment, keep their cool, and be attentive and positive with every child.”

RIAEYC Director Lisa Hildebrand also commended Joyful Learning on the achievement.

“We congratulate Joyful Learning for working so hard to reach their recent BrightStars rating of 4 Stars,” Hildebrand said in a statement. “We know that quality really makes a difference not only to our children and families, but also to our community and economy in Rhode Island.”

Joyful Learning, which currently has a staff of 22 and an enrollment of 72 children, will also receive a $4,000 Rising Star Bonus for upgrading to the rating agency’s 2013 Standards, Ward added. Joyful Learning also held a four-star rating from 2012 through 2015 under the previous 2009 standards.

“I am proud of my team for again showing that JLCA is among the highest quality child care programs in Rhode Island,” said Ward.

About South County Community Action Agency

South County Community Action Agency, a private non-profit 501 (c)(3) corporation, has provided a wide variety of services to the disadvantaged people of Washington County and West Greenwich since its establishment during the Johnson Administration’s “War on Poverty” in 1967. The agency, with locations in Wakefield, North Kingstown, Charlestown, and Westerly, provides a broad range of programs, services, and support to individuals and families in need throughout Kent and Washington Counties in Rhode Island.

About Joyful Learning Child Academy

Located in the main building of South County Community Action, 1935 Kingstown Road, Wakefield, Joyful Learning provides childhood care and education for infants and children from 6 weeks to 5 years of age. The program is certified by the Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth and Families and the Rhode Island Department of Education, and operates year round from 6 a.m. to 6:30 p.m.

About BrightStars

BrightStars is Rhode Island’s Tiered Quality Rating and Improvement System (TQRIS). A TQRIS is a method used in almost all states in the U.S. to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early care, education and school-age settings. Through the star rating system, BrightStars helps early learning, education, and school-age programs that care for children learn about best practices and apply them to the care children receive. BrightStars recognizes program quality and gives parents information to make choices about their children’s care and education.

About RIAEYC

The Rhode Island Association for the Education of Young Children, located in Warwic, is the managing agency for BrightStars. Rhode Island AEYC is the state affiliate of the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Rhode Island AEYC and NAEYC focus on the quality of educational and developmental services for young children.