Northwestern College Child Development Center Earns National NAEYC Accreditation

ST.PAUL, MN (08/30/2010)(readMedia)-- The Northwestern College Child Development Center (CDC) has earned reaccreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), the nation's leading organization of early childhood professionals. The CDC received extremely high evaluations during the accreditation process, scoring 100 percent in 6 out of the 10 required standards and 95 percent or higher in all classroom observations.

NAEYC accreditation is a mark of excellence in the field of early childhood education and places Northwestern in a cadre of programs that are known for their developmentally appropriate practices and their service to children and families.

"It's incredibly exciting to be recognized with NAEYC accreditation," said Sandi Hofer, Child Development Center Director. "We strive to create a safe educational environment, committed to reaching the highest professional standards."

To earn NAEYC Accreditation, the CDC went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria. The validation process included an onsite visit to ensure the standards were met.

"We see the NAEYC accreditation as a reassurance to families in our community, giving them peace of mind and comfort knowing that their children are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible," said Hofer.

In the 25 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education.

The CDC is located within the EagleCrest Retirement Center just one block from Northwestern and employees 11 full-time staff members and 10–15 Northwestern student employees each semester. Through specifically designed activities our children interact with the residents of EagleCrest which gives the children an opportunity to develop healthy relationships with people of all ages.

The CDC is open year round and offers full day childcare and preschool for children 16 months through five years old. The primary focus of the CDC is to partner with families to nurture the child's mind, body, and soul by offering high quality childcare and preschool for young children that is full of fun, learning and music.

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About Northwestern College

Founded in 1902, Northwestern College is a private Christian liberal arts college in St. Paul, Minn. offering more than 50 undergraduate majors, two master's degrees and several associate degree and certificate programs. More than 3,000 students representing 31 states and 28 countries are enrolled in Northwestern's traditional undergraduate and graduate and continuing education programs in North and South America. Northwestern College exists to provide Christ-centered higher education equipping students to grow intellectually and spiritually, to serve effectively in their professions, and to give God-honoring leadership in the home, church, community, and world. Visit www.nwc.edu.

Posted Monday August 30, 2010 at 08:00 pm by University of Northwestern - St. Paul