Posted on Tuesday, September 18, 2007
Westminster College's Preschool Lab (WCPL), a part of the psychology department, is one of the first early childhood programs to earn accreditation 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 reaching the highest professional standards," said Dr. Mandy Medvin, professor of psychology and director of the Preschool Lab. "NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible." Teachers who participated in the accreditation process are Diana Reed and Deborah Roud.
The mission of the Preschool Lab is to provide a model of excellence in early childhood education for the western Pennsylvania region. The program serves as a training facility for Westminster college students interested in working with young children. "We view early childhood as an essential foundation for the development of children's social/emotional, physical, cognitive and language growth." said Reed, head teacher.
To earn NAEYC Accreditation in the new system, the Westminster College Preschool Lab went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten 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. "Westminster College Preschool Lab'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."
Contact Medvin at (724) 946-7360, e-mail medvinm@westminster.edu or visit www.psych.westminster.edu/preschool for additional information.
