Preschool Pick
A good preschool builds the foundation for academic success later in life, so it pays for parents to do their homework when selecting a school.
When researching preschools, the first step is to discover if the facility is licensed and insured and if staff members have undergone the appropriate clearances, said Michael Race, communications director for the state Department of Education.
"Those things are not always self-evident when you go into a facility," he said. "But a good child care facility will have that information available and would be more than willing to share the information."
Race recommends asking if the school participates in the Keystone STARS program, an initiative of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning.
Programs can earn from a STAR 1 to a STAR 4 rating, depending on how well they meet certain quality standards involving staff education, the learning environment, leadership and management and family and community partnerships. The higher the rating, the higher-quality the program.
"If it's not licensed, it's probably not a high-quality program," said Laurette Myers, education specialist at Butler County Children's Center, adding that the school should be licensed by either the state Department of Education or the Department of Welfare.
To maintain separation of church and state, Christian schools register with the state rather than being licensed.
Schools are held to the same standards but the public and private sectors remain separate.
Pennsylvania requires teachers have at least a bachelor's degree, although teachers at church-run schools are not required to have specific degrees, she said.
LeAnn Yamnitsky, preschool teacher at His Kids Christian School in Jefferson Township, has taught for more than 16 years and has a bachelor's degree in elementary education.
The school offers classes for 3- and 4-year-olds and 4- and 5-year-olds.
It's a good sign if teachers welcome parents into the classroom to observe while other classes are in session, Yamnitsky said, even if they must make another appointment to talk one-on-one.
"I think it would be a red flag if the teacher wouldn't allow parents to come into the classroom," she said.
Teachers who seem distracted should serve as a warning signal and parents can learn a lot by observing how other children behave, Myers said.
"Are the children constantly visually supervised? In other words, they shouldn't be walking down the hall alone to use the bathroom or get their coat around the corner," she said.
The minimum ratio is one adult to 10 children, but the ideal ratio is one adult for every seven preschoolers, Myers said.
Children should also have easy access to materials and toys and have plenty of space to interact with classmates and teachers.
"Children between the ages of 3 and 5 are very active and there should be at least 40 square feet of space per child," Myers said.
Pay attention to the facility's cleanliness and sanitation, like the way food is handled and how often children are required to wash their hands, she added.
"On the other hand, do they provide opportunities for children to take age-appropriate risks?" said Myers. "Do they have any climbing equipment outdoors? Can children help participate in baking cookies with the help of an adult?"
A good preschool program follows a curriculum, but parents can prepare their child by introducing basic concepts like counting and the alphabet before school starts, Yamnitsky said."Children always feel really good if they know those things ahead of time," she said.Good manners should also be emphasized, and children should be able to sit still and listen as well as share with others and take turns."They need to learn those basic social things before going to school," said Yamnitsky, who recommends activities like library story hours, Sunday school, church and play dates to encourage good behavior.In addition to intellectual stimulation, Race said parents should consider how well the school could meet a child's emotional needs."We're talking about very young children and their cognitive development is very closely related to their emotional development," he said.Preschool children might worry about what they're missing at home or experience other anxieties, Yamnitsky said, so it helps to have a ritual to transition into the school day."Come up with a special way that you can say goodbye," she said. "That sounds kind of funny, but it can help."Separation can be harder for mom and dad than for children, she said, but parents should strive to set a positive tone."Try to make it a really happy experience," she said. "You want them to get a good feeling about school and feel excited to move on to the next level."Caregivers can locate early childhood programs that meet their specific needs by visiting www.humanservices.state.pa.us/COMPASS/ProviderSearch/Pgm/PSWEL.aspx.
