NAEYC Accreditation

Community Services for Children (CSC), which operates Head Start of the Lehigh Valley is one of the first early childhood programs to earn accreditation under new, more rigorous standards from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.

“We’re proud to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to maintaining the highest professional standards,” said Jane Ervin, CEO/President of Community Services for Children. “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best early learning experiences possible. Combined with the stringent Head Start Performance Standards along with qualifying as STAR 4 sites, we are truly providing the gold standard in early education,” Ervin said.

Nine sites containing 16 classrooms were reaccredited under the new standards. Three additional sites with 8 classrooms will be reviewed later this year as their current accreditation expires.

To earn NAEYC Accreditation in the new system, CSC went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the 10 new NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria. The program received NAEYC Accreditation after an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the ten NAEYC program standards. NAEYC-accredited programs are also subject to unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.

In the 20 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. More than 11,000 programs, serving one million young children, are currently accredited by NAEYC – approximately 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs. “The new NAEYC Accreditation system raises the bar for preschools, child care centers and other early childhood programs,” said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. “CSC’s NAEYC Accreditation is a sign that they are a leader in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education, and to help give all children a better start.”

The NAEYC Accreditation system has set voluntary professional standards for programs for young children since 1985. As of September 2006, the Association’s revised program standards and criteria have introduced a new level of quality, accountability, and service for parents and children in child care programs. The new standards reflect the latest research and best practices in early childhood education and development. NAEYC is committed to utilizing the newest studies and analysis on positive child outcomes to ensure young children continue receiving the highest-quality care and education possible.

The NAEYC Accreditation system was created in 1985 to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high-quality preschools, child care centers and other early education programs. To earn NAEYC Accreditation, a program must meet each of the 10 NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards. Programs are accredited by NAEYC for a five-year period.

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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New Board Members

CSC’s Board of Directors recently welcomed new board members for three-year terms: Nancy A. DeBellis, Helle Jepsen, and Michana Johnson.
DeBellis is Director, Education Marketing for Crayola. In her position, she is responsible for the strategic direction and development of the company’s education marketplace efforts that stimulate fun and creativity in varied learning environments. In addition, she leads relationship marketing efforts with early childhood, elementary art and classroom educators that include professional development program, product training, school-home-community connections, and other resources to protect and strengthen the positive emotional connections that exist between the Crayola brand and the education community.

DeBellis joined Crayola in 1986 in their Finance Division. She joined the marketing staff in 1989 and was promoted to positions of increasing responsibility in consumer marketing, licensing, strategy and new business development.
Johnson is a Senior Business Analyst for Air Products. In her position, she provides analysis and communication of financial results to commercial and financial management. She led a project team establishing new corporate policy on shared asset allocations across global business units, among other achievements. She joined Air Products in 2002. Prior to that, she worked for Hewlett-Packard and Dun & Bradstreet Corporation.

Johnson holds an MBA in Finance from Penn State University. In addition to her board position with CSC, she is the Youth Director at Grace Deliverance Baptist Church in Bethlehem. She began “Girls of Grace Development Program” for girls ages 12-18 to teach life skills for academic, social; and spiritual development.
Jepsen, a native of Denmark, has resided in the Lehigh Valley for more than a decade. She has held various positions with the Lehigh Valley Economic Development Corporation, Nextlink Communications, and Adelphia Communications. Her previous board affiliations have included the Allentown Symphony and the American Red Cross.

Jepsen holds a bachelor’s degree in English and French from the Copenhagen University, Denmark.

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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Telecom RFP

Request for Proposals: Telecommunications Services

Deadline for response: 4:30 pm, February 8, 2008
Deliver 3 copies to:
Desiree Lake
Assistant Director, Administration and Facilities/Grounds
Community Services for Children
1520 Hanover Ave
Allentown, PA 18109

For information, call 610-437-6000, ext 3421

Background:
Community Services for Children, Inc. is a 501-c-3 not-for-profit, which provides early education and family-involvement services. Its programs include Head Start of the Lehigh Valley, CSC PreK Counts, Northeast Pennsylvania Regional Key, and Child Care Information Services of Lehigh County.

Community Services for Children, Inc. seeks proposals to provide the following:

• satellite dish network
• T1, one full inbound and one full outbound
• “plain old telephone services”, including 3 fax lines and one voice line per classroom (21 classrooms plus main administrative switchboard)
• cellular/wireless service (13 wireless/walkie-talkie service)
• local phone service (48 phone numbers)
• long distance service without limitation for 48 lines
• directory assistance service without limitation

Proposals may address any number of the needs above.

In the proposal, please provide the following:

1. Provide name, address, telephone and fax number, email, and other contact information.
2. Describe service proposed.
3. Describe capacity and limitations of proposal.
4. Provide proof of ability to provide proposed service.
5. Provide all terms proposed including pricing and length of commitment.
6. Provide references.

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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Mental Health Pro

At 34 months, Benjamin was throwing 30-minute trantrums every day in his early learning facility. CSC’s Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant was asked to observe Benjamin’s behavior. His teachers reported that they believed the problem began at home. Although he had always thrown tantrums, they were unmanageable since his mother had become pregnant again.

The consultant called the mother who reported that she was bedridden with a high-risk pregnancy. In addition her husband was out of town on business for six weeks. The consultant facilitated a change in Benjamin’s morning routine at the early learning facility and his mother asked his grandmother to help her with his bedtime routine. Within two weeks, Benjamin’s tantrums had decreased to two for the entire week, each lasting only a few minutes. No referral for additional services was needed.

Benjamin’s story is just one example of how early childhood mental health consultantion works. We know that up to 15% of young children exhibit chronic mild to moderate behavior problems, which, if not addressed, can lead to continuing problems as the child grows up. It is also estimated that less than 10% of young children receive the services they need for their problems. Banjamin was one of the lucky ones to receive the help he needed before it was too late.

CSC’s Northeast Regional Key currently has an Early Childhood Mental Health Consultant: Mary Joe Mastriani. She provides child-specific consultation to practitioners at early learning facilities. Mary Jo is part of a statewide effort coordinated by the Pennsylvania Key in a partnership between the state Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) and the Office of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services to promote the healthy social and emotional development (mental health) of young children. Mary Jo has a master’s in counseling and spent 11 years as a family therapist in private practice.

For more information, call 610-437-6000, ext 2320.

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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PreK Opens

Using grant money awarded by the state, CSC opened six new classrooms for preschoolers in December 2007: five in Allentown and one in Easton. A total of 120 four year olds are engaging in exciting, quality preschool so they are better prepared for success in kindergarten next year.

The state awarded $942,000 to CSC to open the new classrooms. In Allentown, St. Stephen’s Lutheran Church and the Church of the Nazarene are hosting two classrooms each. The fifth is located at Cumberland Gardens. The preschool classroom in Easton is located in the 600 block of Northampton, part of the West Ward revitalization zone.

To qualify for the free preschool, children must have a disability or learning English as a second language or live in a family with income qualifications. To make inquiries, please call 610-437-6000, ext 2351.

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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Therapeutic Center Grant

Two Rivers Health and Wellness Foundation recently awarded CSC a $7550 grant to provide expanded mental health services and professional development for SafeStart for Fragile Families. This program provides unique therapeutic care for infants and toddlers who have been affected by parental drug and/or alcohol abuse. SafeStart is funded through Early Head Start and a collaboration with the Children and Youth Offices of both Lehigh and Northampton Counties. Previously, the Women’s Leadership Initiative of the United Way of the Greater Lehigh Valley provided a $5000 grant to SafeStart for professional development of staff.

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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New Mission

At CSC’s Annual Meeting on November 12th, CEO/President Jane Ervin announced that the Board has adopted a new mission statement: ‘Preparing children and their families to succeed in learning and in life.’

‘We haven’t changed our mission,’ said Ervin. ‘This new statement sums up our focus succinctly. It’s easy to remember. Interestingly, when we interviewed staff and community members a few years ago, they used phrases just like this.’ Ervin referred to studies commissioned by CSC undertaken by fundraising consultants Lona Farr as well as Schultz & Williams.

Ervin also unveiled the new five-year strategic plan. ‘This takes us boldly into the future with an emphasis on promoting a community focus on children, outcome-based practices, collaborations with other organizations, innovation and research, expansion to meet the growing need for quality early education, a well-educated diverse staff, and overall excellence.’

‘We will place renewed vigor in sharing what we have learned as experts in early education. And we will be calling upon the community to help us determine how to use a 24,000 sf building on our Donley Children’s Campus,’ she said. In 2000, CSC renovated two buildings on the campus, reserving a third building for future expansion.

Also during the meeting, Board Treasurer Robert Vitale provided a positive financial report of the 26-year-old organization, which received a clean report from the auditor France Anderson & Basile.

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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TEMPO

CSC’s new PreK Counts preschool program was featured on public television’s show, TEMPO, October 29th. To watch the segment, go to www.wlvt.org, click on TEMPO, click on Show 512. The state awarded CSC with $942,000 to open six new classrooms in Allentown and Easton. They open December 3rd. For additional information, call 610-437-6000, ext 2351.

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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$80,000 Raised at Gala

A veritable Lehigh Valley Who’s Who attended the September 7th Donley Awards and Children’s Gala at the Candlelight Inn, raising $80,000 in unrestricted funds for Community Services for Children. Receiving the Donley Award for supporting the needs of children were entrepreneur/philanthropist Kostas Kalogeropoulos and Peter Danchak on behalf of PNC Financial Services Group.

Emceed by DeSales president emeritus Fr. Dan Gambet and Penn State president emeritus Jack Cooney, notables included Congressman Charlie Dent and CSC Board member Pam Dent, State Senator Pat Browne and wife Heather, State Representatives Steve Samuelson and Doug Reichley, Lehigh County Commissioner Dan McCarthy, and Bethlehem Mayor John Callahan. Callahan was featured in a newly released CSC video about its Head Start program, produced by film students at DeSales University. Callahan is a former Head Start student. Additional notables included Northampton Community College President Art Scott and his wife Sue Kubick, Just Born’s Ross and Wendy Born and Dave and Sue Shaffer, Buddy and Jeanne Lesavoy, Merv and Jan Heller, Bob and Elieen Wood, Sam and Betsy Torrance, and Helene Whittaker. Beall and Linny Fowler were title sponsors.

CSC Board Chair Diane Scott presented the corporate award to PNC, while Linny Fowler presented the individual Donley Award to Kostas. CSC CEO/President Jane Ervin anchored the event with the commentary: ‘A dollar invested now in quality early education produces between a $7 and $17 return.’

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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2007 Gala

The 12th Annual Donley Awards and Children’s Gala is set for Friday, September 7, 6-10 pm at the Candlelight Inn. Evening features premiere of new CSC video produced by film students at DeSales University under the direction of Prof. Scott Paul, student string performers from the Performing Arts HS, and Donley Awards for Children’s Advocacy honoring the work of PNC Financial Services Group and Kostas Kalogeropoulos. Title Sponsor Dr. and Mrs. Beall Fowler. Silent Auction proceeds to benefit CSC. Tickets $100, includes reception and dinner. Masters of Ceremony are Presidents Emeritus Father Dan Gambet (DeSales) and Jack Cooney (Penn State Lehigh Valley). Raffle tickets for exclusive BMW Adult Cruise Bike and complete Party Package for 50 still available. (Need not be present to win.) Call 610-437-6000, ext 2101, for further information.

3S33d_admin September 21st, 2010

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