ABIGAIL LUNDQUIST BOTSTEIN NURSERY SCHOOL AT BARD COLLEGE RECEIVES ACCREDITATION BY THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE EDUCATION OF YOUNG CHILDREN.

ANNANDALE-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.-The Abigail Lundquist Botstein Nursery School at Bard College has just been granted accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). NAEYC is the nation's largest organization of early childhood professionals and others dedicated to improving the quality of education for children from birth through age eight. Only 7 percent of early childhood programs nationwide have been granted this prestigious recognition.

"Our emphasis at the nursery school is on the process of each child's experience rather than the finished product of his or her work," says Jane Terney Korn, director of the school since 1985. "We believe that this approach helps foster children's self-esteem and encourages them to pursue many avenues of exploration rather than one right way." She continues, "We are fortunate to have an excellent staff of teachers: Judy Whalen, head teacher; Lisa-Sue Quackenbush, assistant teacher; and Ginger Glynn, afternoon group leader, as well as college student assistants who create and maintain a warm and safe environment in which the children's needs are met."

NAEYC established the accreditation process in response to the growing number of children who spend an increasing amount of time in group settings away from the home, and the uneven and often inadequate consumer protection afforded by state licensing of child care facilities. The accreditation is a rigorous, voluntary process through which early childhood programs demonstrate that they meet national standards of excellence. Programs that seek accreditation undergo an intensive self-study, collecting information from parents, teachers, and administrators, and through classroom observation. On-site visits conducted by specially trained early childhood professionals are used to validate the self-study results. This information is then reviewed by a team of national experts in Washington, D.C. who grant or defer accreditation. The accreditation, when awarded, is valid for three years.

The nursery school at Bard College was established more than forty years ago and serves a combination of employee and community children. For further information, call 914-758-7480.

This event was last updated on 03-02-2001

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