September Message from Deb

Focus on Quality Sustainability

“Quality” is the buzzword in most conversations about early childhood and school age programs. Research shows and it is widely recognized that children enrolled in high-quality programs  are strongly associated with positive developmental outcomes and school success. 

While reaching a designation level of “high quality” is not easy, it is even more difficult to sustain that quality over time. 

How we do it 

How does PIC maintain (and even exceed) its national accreditations and statewide designation as a program of the highest quality? While we have done so at PIC for 38 years, it takes significant understanding and commitment by our Board of Directors and staff.

One of the most important ways we do this is by listening to our families. 

Each year, the Board’s Quality Committee conducts a Family Feedback Survey. This past spring, 214 parents responded to the 45 questions asked on a diversity of topics about their experiences at PIC. That’s a lot of good input!

The Quality Committee recently reviewed the 2016 survey results and were pleased to see that responses were overwhelmingly positive. But that doesn’t mean there isn’t work to be done. Survey responses highlighted a few areas that need attention, including facilities, child assessments, fundraising, communication, and PPP.

Parent Participation Program under review

PIC’s Parent Participation Program scored at much lower on the satisfaction scale than other areas and I want to make sure you know about the work of the PPP Task Force under the co-leadership of PIC mom and Quality Committee Member Sugirtha Stathis and PIC mom and Board member Erica Zimmer. 

The task force is already off to a great start and remains committed to continuing and encouraging parent participation, which we know makes a difference in a child’s success in school and the life of the Center. I invite you to get involved with this group if you want to have an impact on change.

An email from me with a report on the Famiy Feedback survey will land in your inbox soon. I invite you to share your thoughts with me concerning program quality, this survey, or any other aspect of our shared community. My door is always open (Sweet Building ground level) and/or send me an email at dgreen@parentinfantcenter.org.