MIDLAND-(October 12, 2009) – Sixty-two area pre-kindergarten
teachers are being rewarded this month for their dedication to preparing their
students for kindergarten when their schools receive Texas School Ready! Certification.
For the 2009-2010 school year,
2,084 classrooms are receiving certification through a state-funded evaluation
system led by the Children’s Learning Institute (CLI) at The University of
Texas Health Science Center at Houston. Last year, 1,123 classrooms were
certified.
The Texas School Ready! certification program, which is part of the state center, determines whether children are
being prepared for kindergarten in their licensed childcare, Head Start or
public pre-k classrooms.
To achieve certification, teachers at pre-schools and
centers apply to CLI and provide information about their classrooms. CLI then
studies information provided by Texas public school districts to assess those
students’ early reading and social development skills after they advance to
kindergarten. The annual certification demonstrates that children who graduated
from these pre-k classrooms went to public kindergarten with the fundamental
skills in place to be successful.
“This program is the only one of its kind in the nation. It
wouldn’t be possible without help from the school districts,” said Susan
Landry, Ph.D., the state center’s director and the Michael Matthew Knight
Professor of Pediatrics at The University of Texas Medical School at Houston.
Odessa pre-K schools, day care centers, and Head Start
Programs include: The Odessa Family YMCA, Carver Early Education Center,
Chaffin Head Start, Day Star Kids Learning Center, Lamar Early Education
Center, Odessa College Children’s Center, St. Mary’s Catholic School, T.L.
Booth Head Start, and Whitaker Head Start.
“We are extremely excited to be recognized as one of
Odessa’s best learning and enrichment centers for children,” said John Wilfert CEO of The Odessa Family YMCA. We believe Children
are our future and we are here to help them reach their full potential. One
child at a time; along with the other TSR programs we are very proud of this
accomplishment.
“For the last several years, we here at The Odessa Family YMCA
have strived really hard to have our pre-K children ready for kindergarten. The
Odessa YMCA believes children that are school ready are more confident and have
the skills they need to succeed in life. The Odessa YMCA believes well rounded
children equal well rounded adults,” said Chere Ramirez Administrative Child Care Director at the YMCA.
Area schools, day care centers, and Head Start programs
receiving certification are Kermit Elementary School and Roseland Daycare
in Kermit, Lakeview Head Start in Big Spring, Marfa Elementary School in Marfa,
Presidio Elementary School in Presidio, Reagan County Elementary in Big Lake,
and Saragosa Head Start in Saragosa.
Lori Smith, Region 18 ESC TSR! Project Coordinator,
said “We are so proud of these teachers. They put forth much time and effort in
training and continuing education, but their commitment to the project pays
off. Teachers in the program can see the difference in their students and already
know what the research shows: children who participate demonstrate significant
gains in early literacy.”
For information, to apply or to find out which classrooms
are accredited with Texas School Ready! certification,
log onto www.texasschoolready .org or
call Lori Smith at Region 18 ESC (432) 567-3265 or John Wilfert at the Odessa Family YMCA (432) 362-4301.
