Points of Pride
Points of Pride 2008-2009
- Achieved Candidacy for Accreditation in July and Site Visit for Accreditation took place in August
- Received NAEYC Accreditation effective October 31, 2008 for five years
- All full-time staff presented fall in-service training
- All full-time staff members participated in team building exercises at BASE Camp for fall in-service training
- Several UM-Flint faculty and staff send their children to the ECDC
- A variety of community professionals have their children enrolled
- Nearly 37% of the enrolled families of the ECDC receive child care subsidy through the Department of Human Services
- Enrollment all time high 2008-2009 academic year with an average of 148 children enrolled
- In addition to housing a Head Start classroom serving 15 students of UM-Flint attending parent(s), we also served 6 Early Start children (birth to age 3)
- Reached full capacity by the start of the school year. Over 60 children less than three years old on a wait list
- Two Head Teachers presented at the national level in Dallas TX, Wendee Hooker and Tara Hyatt
- Two Teaching Circles: Assessments with Aviva Dorfman and Environment as a Third Teacher with ECDC full-time staff
- 2007-2008 Points of Pride were presented to SEHS Faculty Governing Board by the Director
- Judy Ablezer observed classroom and children to offer informative feedback
- One full-time staff member earned Bachelors in Early Childhood, Kimberly Curry
- One full-time staff member earned Master’s in Curriculum, Janelle Pauldine
- Two full-time staff members taking graduate courses at UM-Flint
- Successful Activity Night in October 2008 with activities in every classroom and a huge turnout of families
- Chemistry Club and Sigma group participated in Activity Night
- Two NAEYC Celebrations took place, one for the campus community in the WSW lobby and one for the families in the Recreation Center
- Received Great Start Readiness Grant for three years serving 16 deserving children
- Growing Up Green (GUG) hosted a “Green Hour” daily which allowed five classrooms to experience natural world experiences throughout the academic year
- The Outdoor Classroom provided a space for “Green Hour” through gardening and nature educational experiences and housed 20 school agers throughout the summer three times a week
- GUG extended to the Home Schooled population with hosting 10-18 My Niche families from ages 4 to 14 on Friday afternoon (1-4 pm) once a month
- The Little Caesar’s Fundraiser in February 2009 raised funds to have 24 ECDC staff members attend a local conference through GFAEYC, Greater Flint Association for the Education of Young Children with Dan Hodgins and Nora Thompson as keynote speakers
- Four ECDC Teachers presented at the GFAEYC (Greater Flint) conference which was held on the campus of Mott Community College in March
- One ECDC Head Teacher presented at the MiAEYC annual conference in Grand Rapids on ‘The Image of a Teacher’, Mary Lynn Gottler
- Several staff members traveled to Grand Rapids during a three day conference to attend the MiAEYC conference in March for professional development opportunities
- UM-Flint, Mott Community College and Baker College had over 40 Interns complete their practicum hours at the ECDC
- Thirty-five children participated in a cap and gown preschool graduation in the Auditorium of the William S. White building, June 2009