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Improve Your Child Care Center

 

 

Overview

The WCSS Early Childhood Initiatives Department works with child care centers to improve and maintain their facilities. Facilities must apply to be considered for participation in one of three different programs. Priority is given to facilities that have the greatest percentage of children enrolled receiving a subsidy. Once accepted, facilities receive a variety of services including consultation, training, and technical assistance at no cost. They are assigned a Quality Enhancement Specialist (QES) who will work with the staff to design an improvement plan and help facilitate it.

 

Current Projects

Quality Enhancement

The Quality Enhancement project provides intensive technical assistance to sites working to increase their star-rated license to 4 or 5 stars (highest state rating). The project is available to sites with 1-4 stars and/or sites that have not gone through the Environmental Rating Scales (ERS). Our Quality Specialist staff will co-create an individualized action plan for the classroom. The action plan guides weekly on-site coaching visits and trainings. Support includes:

 

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  • Classroom material review
  • Staff education 
  • Room arrangement 
  • Interactions 
  • Sanitation practices  
  • Staff & child files 
  • Staff development 
  • Family engagement 
  • ECE licensing

 

Quality Enhancement Project Apply Here

The Quality Enhancement project provides intensive technical assistance to sites working to increase their star-rated license to 4 or 5 stars (highest state rating). The project is available to sites with 1-4 stars and/or sites that have not gone through the Environmental Rating Scales (ERS). Our Quality Specialist staff will co-create an individualized action plan for the classroom. The action plan guides weekly on-site coaching visits and trainings. Support includes:

 

 

  • Classroom material review
  • Staff education 
  • Room arrangement 
  • Interactions 
  • Sanitation practices  
  • Staff & child files 
  • Staff development 
  • Family engagement 
  • ECE licensing

 

Quality Enhancement Project Apply Here
Quality Maintenance

The Quality Maintenance project helps 4- or 5-star rated license sites in their current cohort year maintain their level of quality. Our Quality Specialist staff will provide limited on-site coaching, observations and training to early childhood education (ECE) sites to prepare them for their licensing assessment visit. Support includes:

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  • 4 ERS assessments 
  • ERS training 
  • Room arrangement 
  • Material checklists

 

The Quality Maintenance project helps 4- or 5-star rated license sites in their current cohort year maintain their level of quality. Our Quality Specialist staff will provide limited on-site coaching, observations and training to early childhood education (ECE) sites to prepare them for their licensing assessment visit. Support includes:

 

  • 4 ERS assessments 
  • ERS training 
  • Room arrangement 
  • Material checklists

 

Healthy Initiatives

The Healthy Initiatives project(s) provide Healthy Habits Support to ECE sites for young children, staff and families. The support is focused on the 7 Go NAPSACC topic areas including breastfeeding, nutrition, physical activity, outdoor play spaces, screen time, oral health and farm2ECE. The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) staff works with each site to develop a design for their outdoor learning space and to create action steps for other health topics. A Healthy Initiatives Coordinator provides on-site and/or virtual coaching sessions on how to implement outdoor design and health goals to support:

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  • Coordinating design development 
  • Finding contractors to implement design
  • Trainings – cooking or other health topics 
  • Coordinating community resources & support  
  • Coordinating gardener’s activities

 

The Healthy Initiatives project(s) provide Healthy Habits Support to ECE sites for young children, staff and families. The support is focused on the 7 Go NAPSACC topic areas including breastfeeding, nutrition, physical activity, outdoor play spaces, screen time, oral health and farm2ECE. The Natural Learning Initiative (NLI) staff works with each site to develop a design for their outdoor learning space and to create action steps for other health topics. A Healthy Initiatives Coordinator provides on-site and/or virtual coaching sessions on how to implement outdoor design and health goals to support:

 

  • Coordinating design development 
  • Finding contractors to implement design
  • Trainings – cooking or other health topics 
  • Coordinating community resources & support  
  • Coordinating gardener’s activities

 

Application Process

  • Complete the application for the specific project you desire.
  • Priority is given to facilities that have the greatest percentage of children enrolled receiving child care subsidy.
  • After submitting your application, you will receive a notification of receipt and next steps.
  • For questions, contact Lynn Policastro at lpolicastro@wakesmartstart.org.