Getting accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children is such a tough task that only a handful of every hundred early childhood programs across the country hold the honor.
Sunny Day Preschool instructors Cindy Winther and Linda Travnikar are now members of that elite club.
‘It took us one year,? Winther, the school’s director, said. ‘Sometimes it takes two or three years to accomplish.?
‘We found the accreditation process to be a valuable one,? she said. ‘It requires you to evaluated your programs with a critical eye and make any necessary improvements.?
Winther said hard work and a $5,000 grant from the state child care association were two of the biggest reasons for the accreditation.
The school used the grant to make improvements to their classroom, connected to the Lake Orion United Methodist Church on East Flint.
The school has an enrollment of 60 students, ages 3-5, with a morning session from 9-11:30 a.m. and an afternoon session from noon-3 p.m.
Winther and Travnikar said the school is already full for the fall, though there are still spots open in their Friday morning Mom & Me program.
That program is for ages 1-3, with a parent.
Winther said the process to gain NAEYC accreditation was a hard one, but added that it was certainly worth the end result.
‘It’s a lot of paperwork,? she said. ‘I was shocked at how much there was to do.?
After the paperwork was complete, the school was visited by a validator, to ensure that their claims on paper were accurate.
The accreditation requires programs to uphold 10 standards of high-quality early childhood education.
These standards range from curriculum to community support to promotion of nutrition and health.
According to their website, the NAEYC started the accreditation process in 1985 to ‘set professional standards for early childhood education programs, and to help families identify high-quality programs.?
‘The NAEYC is doing their best to set high standards for child care,? said Winther, who opened the school three years ago.
Winther has been in the business for 25 years, including 16 years of teaching from her home.
Sunny Day joins Pee Wee Patch of Orion Township as recently accredited preschools. Winther said they are the only two with that distinction in Orion.
‘We are very proud of achieving NAEYC accreditation and are excited to know we’re providing a preschool program that meets the highest national standards,? Winther said.
The school recently wrapped up a five-week summer kids camp.
They will begin their new school year on Sept. 6.
For more information about Sunny Day Preschool, located at 140 E. Flint Street, call 693-9330.