Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995

Published on 05/27/1996 All articles from this issue

Children's Corner receives accreditation for its child care

printer friendly version

By Kristina Allen / Town Crier Staff Writer

program

With all the budget and cut-back concernsin the elementary and high schools, it is easy to forget wherethese students start their careers in school. Preschool preparesa child for the school experience and Los Altos has an accreditedprogram at Los Altos-Mountain View Children's Corner.

Children's Corner recently was granted accreditation by the NationalAssociation for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Children'sCorner, located at 97 Hillview Ave., is one of only two accreditedprograms in Los Altos. The Montclaire Child Development Center'safter-school program is the other accredited program in Los Altos.

"Parents can know that the program (Children's Corner) hadto meet higher standards," said Gini Brown, Children's Cornerdirector. "We have to be reevaluated every three years."

NAEYC accreditation is a voluntary process for early childhoodprograms. Achieving accreditation means schools consistently meetnational standards of excellence. Preschools, kindergartens, before-and after- school programs, and child care programs are eligibleto seek NAEYC accreditation. The process includes an intensiveself-study, collecting information from parents, teachers andadministrators, and classroom observations. After this is completed,Children's Corner received an on-site visit by early childhoodprofessionals specially trained by the NAEYC to validate theirself-study results.

"The heart of NAEYC accreditation focuses on the child'sexperience," Brown said. "The process carefully considersall aspects of program provision including health and safety,staffing, staff qualifications, administrations, and physicalenvironment. But, the greatest emphasis is on the children's relationshipswith the staff and how the program helps each child grow and learn."

Children's Corner serves about 175 families with children rangingin age from 2-6 years old. There are two play areas, one areafor 2-4 year-olds and the other for 4-6-year-olds.

"We do not provide full-time child care," Brown said."Only part-time and drop-in care. We have many dual workingparents who use us as part-time child care because it is veryflexible and easy to work with."

The center is open 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Monday through Friday.The children are able to get preschool experience without an overpoweringfive day immersion, according to Brown.

The children get to do many activities, such a clay working andfinger-painting, that parents wouldn't necessarily want the kidsto do at home. The learning is non-academic and not forced ontothe children.

"We feel that the best way to learn is through play,"Brown said. "The children make the choices on what they wantto do. They learn to make choices and to accept the consequencesthat come from those choices."

Teachers spend time with the children and participate with themin the activities. There are 15 full-time and part-time staffmembers.

Dorianne Langhi, Children's Corner parent and Los Altos resident,takes advantage of the drop-in child care service one day a weekto give her 2-year old son Sean some preschool experience.

"We had just moved here and did not know of a place to puthim, so I took a chance on this place (Children's Corner),"Langhi said. "Sean did not like coming here at first butthe teachers went out of their way to make me feel comfortableand to make Sean happy there. His teacher Laura is his specialbuddy. When he first went there they would call me to say he wasupset and kicking, but Laura would call me up to plan new ideasfor when I dropped him off the next time."

For more information, call 948-8950.

Go to: [This Week's Stories][Search All Issues][LA Online]

© Copyright 1996. Select Communications, Inc. All rightsreserved.