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Child Care Annual Conference OverviewApproximately 430 participants from across the nation attended the 19th Annual GSA Child Care Training Conference in San Francisco, CA, July 8-10, 2008. Child Care Operations conducts this training conference every year to keep centers up to date in quality standards and recognize individuals and center’s excellence during the past year. Assistant Regional Administrator Jeff Neely kicked-off the conference by welcoming guests to the Pacific Rim Region and spoke of our ongoing commitment to providing high quality care to federal families and communities we serve; PBS Commissioner David Winstead applauded the exceptional work that GSA is doing in the area of quality child care and presented this year’s Cornerstone Awards which are given in recognition of the contributions of GSA employees as well as the others outside of GSA who provide continual and exceptional support to the child care program.
At the opening luncheon Regional Administrator Peter Stamison also welcomed guests to the Pacific Rim Region and with great pride shared his personal experiences with the centers in his region and about being a grandfather. Acting Administrator David Bibb acknowledged the efforts of the Child Care Program at the luncheon and read a congratulatory letter from President Bush which reiterated that “for nearly 20 years, GSA’s Child Care Conference has fostered networking and discussion to help ensure the best possible care for America’s youth.” At the accreditation luncheon, 30 GSA-managed child care centers were recognized for achieving accreditation or re-accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Tony Costa, Deputy Commissioner, PBS, spoke on the achievements the GSA Child Care Program has made over the past 19 years and focused on the high quality our centers provide, putting them way ahead of the non-federal centers. Stephanie Olmore, Director, Program Assessment and Compliance, NAEYC, spoke on the importance of achieving NAEYC accreditation and reaching that higher standard. Accreditation hinges on key factors such as curriculum, administration, professional development, staffing, and proper attention to health and safety. Eighty-five percent of eligible GSA child care centers are accredited. The conference program was divided into five tracks, offering 29 breakout sessions, along with a general session on Managing Infectious Diseases for directors, teachers, boards of directors, facility and security managers and agency representatives. Some highlights of these sessions include: an entire track devoted to the new NAEYC criteria for teachers and directors; a session on the ABC’s of Child Care Facilities which was moderated by Tony Costa, Deputy Commissioner, PBS; Going Green in Child Care Projects; Inclusion of Children with Special Needs; Staffing Challenges, How to Turn Your Classroom Green, and many others. We also offered several opportunities to tour the New San Francisco Federal Building and its child care center for the participants. The tours were informative and educational and tour guides showcased the “green” aspects of this new innovative, state-of-the-art building.
Last Reviewed 7/29/2008
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