Posts Categorized ‘Staff’
Club Fed in Albany, New York got a visit from the State Education Commissioner last week. As part of Commissioner Kings “Back to School Week” he travels the state visiting schools to showcase their work and provide emphasis on the important work of educating the children of New York State. This year, for the first time, the Commissioner included an early learning program as part of his visits and he selected Club Fed Child Care Center, in the Leo W. O’Brien Federal Building, operated by Victory Riedy. Victory continues to show case our Federal centers as leaders in our cities. (see earlier post “Star Center”). The center cares for and educates over 100 children daily. Thank you and congratulations to all the staff at Club Fed.
NY Education Commissioner King talks with Club Fed operator Victory Riedy
Something to Celebrate in Chicago (Besides Octoberfest on the Plaza !)
The child care center at 610 South Canal Street in Chicago, CCC Learning Center, celebrated its 20th anniversary as a GSA Child Care Center. The original program operating in 1991 cared for children 15 months to prekindergarten. Through the years the demand necessitated the addition of a kindergarten/5 year old program as well as infant care and the center now cares for 86 children on a daily basis. The center also recently received its re-accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) for the sixth time. This accreditation is one of the most prestigious available to child care centers across the nation and requires numerous hours of documentation and preparation on facility and programmatic levels to obtain and keep.
Elizabeth Themelis, Director of GSA’s Child Care Program, presented a plaque to the CCC Learning Center’s co-owners, Gloria Langston and Carla Fishel, in recognition of their NAEYC accreditation at a small ceremony on September 23rd. 
They are pictured from right to left, with PBS Great Lakes Regional Child Care Coordinator Brenda Roldan.
Participating in Week of the Young Child (WOYC) activities, Regional Administrator George Northcroft and Southern Service Center Director Cameron Doss visited the Joyful Noise Child Care Center in the Robert Duncan Building in Portland, Oregon. Northcroft and Doss toured the facility and met with children to discuss their recent study of buildings in downtown Portland. The 4 and 5 year old children had photographed their favorite Portland buildings, drew blue prints and constructed their own models of the buildings. The children engaged Northcroft and Doss with questions like “what do you do? And does your building have a ping pong table in it like my dad’s building?”
During the week Northcroft and other GSA officials participated in a variety of events to recognize and thank the staffs for their hard work at all of our child care centers.
Look for more stories and photos in our WOYC 2011 newsletter coming soon. 
The Week of the Young Child, now in its 40th year, is an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs. The 2011 Week of the Young Child was celebrated April 10-16 with the theme “Early Years are Learning Years.”
GSA centers across the nation were busy celebrating WOYC. Many Federal managers who don’t get the chance to visit the centers too often were invited for ribbon cuttings, garden plantings, sharing favorite books, sharing meals and staff recognition events.
Celebrating teachers is always one of my favorite things to do. Special recognition this year goes to teachers from Puerto Rico, Indianapolis, IN, and Auburn, WA.
From Rain Forest Kids in PR: Alexandra Rodriguez is a preschool teacher with 6 years of experience. She has great communication with parents and her staff. She is very creative and inventive, known for her science projects with her children. She is a team player who often helps administration with other tasks.
From Rain Forest Kids in PR: Denise Garcia is a preschool teacher with 5 years of experience. She is a leader, and her classroom teammate’s look up to her for guidance. She communicates effectively with her staff, encourages them in every aspect of their day from children’s activities to professional development to the NAEYC accreditation process. The center benefits from her organizational skills.
From Rain Forest Kids in PR: Judimar Scharon is a new teacher in the infant classroom. As a first year Head Teacher she has done extraordinary work with her children and her classroom. She has a gift with creating developmentally appropriate environments and being able to change up the room as needed. She is loving and creative making up rhymes and handmade books. Her parents and babies are happy. She goes out of her way to help other staff and the center as well.
Ellen Fisher from Building Blocks, in Auburn, WA was recognized this year as well. She was identified as a key member of the staff and described as someone with a “heart of gold” who makes a lasting impact on the toddlers and families in her care.
And final shout out goes to Amanda Childress from Indianapolis Day Nursery Federal Center in Indiana. In describing her efforts I read words like: reliable, caring, special, comforting and attentive. One parent is quoted as saying she “treats my child like I would treat her”. It sounds like she has created a wonderful place for the children to be.
Thanks to the teachers above and all the staff this year for really fulfilling the dream of early years are learning years.
When it comes to setting the standards for excellence in child care, our federal centers are often in the forefront, leading the charge.
After completing a six month pilot program along with over 200 New York State licensed child care facilities, just one facility was chosen to help launch and promote the new Quality Stars NY initiative: Region 2′s Club Fed Child Care Center, located in the Leo W. O’Brien Federal Building in Albany, NY.
The Quality Stars NY initiative is a new rating system in the works for licensed New York State child care. Thirty states across the country already have a similar rating system, which evaluates and grades all aspects of child care programs. Once activated, the Quality Stars process will use nationally recognized and universally accepted rating tools, and child care facilities will be evaluated by a qualified professional. The “star” rating that a facility receives will help parents and their communities recognize high quality programs.
A video production features Club Fed children, as well as interviews with Director Victory Riedy and a parent. A state wide release of the video is being planned for April 2011 to coincide with the “Week of the Young Child.” It will be shown throughout the state, including the governor’s office, and be used to engage legislators, parents, providers, and community members about the importance of this initiative. The video will also be available on the Quality Stars NY website when the program goes live in 2011/2012.
Congratulations to Club Fed !!
See the video at: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VYVnY5ebph8&feature=related
I love a road trip. Earlier this month I was lucky enough to make it down to Austin, Texas to participate with board members, agency and union reps and parents as we celebrated the opening of a new play space at the center.
A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at the IRS Service Center, Future Stars Child Development Center, Austin, Texas, on October 6, 2010 to celebrate the opening of the new 1,000 sq. ft. gross motor skills/multi-purpose room. This much needed addition will allow children a comfortable play space during those hot Texas days and ozone alerts that prevent them from being able to play outside. The space is currently being used as swing space for two classrooms until renovations in the main center are completed, at which time it will revert to a full time play room. The new addition and renovations under way in the main center will accomplish several goals – expand the existing center, provide infrastructure upgrades, and meet all ADA, NAEYC and GSA facility requirements.
Congrats to all involved in this project and special kudos to the center staff for doing a great job working around construction. It will be worth the wait and hassles as the renovated space will be a great place to work.
National Teachers Award: A First-Person Perspective
By Shawrene Rance, PreK Teacher
Kinderplatz of Fort Snelling, Minnesota
Shawrene, one of our four national award winners (see blog post August 13) has shared her report of the award ceremony. See her story on our “Child Care Center Spotlight” feature on this website. 2011 applications for this award are now being taken. Good luck, let’s have some more winners from the GSA network.
Annual Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s Tylenol National Child Care Teacher Award
Four teachers in the GSA network were selected to receive a Terri Lynne Lokoff/Children’s Tylenol National Child Care Teacher award for 2010. Congratulations to Shawrene Rance, prek teacher, Kinderplatz, Fort Snelling, MN, Stacy James, Geo Kids, Menlo Park, CA, Jennifer Fallon, Clever Kids Learning Center, Denver, CO and Kara Tush, Colonnade Children’s Center, Denver, CO.
All received a trip to Philadelphia for the awards ceremony and $500 for a classroom enhancement project.
The annual award event recognizes 50 teachers selected from entrants across the country representing the best and most dedicated child care teachers. Winners are selected based on their academic and professional achievements as well as the quality of the classroom enhancement project they propose. Winners receive prizes in addition to $500 to be used for their classrooms. Congratulations, teachers of the year!
Back to top
They are pictured from right to left, with PBS Great Lakes Regional Child Care Coordinator Brenda Roldan.
