Barbara Pangrazio, the lead teacher for the Toddler Room at the Genesee Community College Association (GCCA) Child Care Center, has been awarded a Child Development Associate (CDA) Credential in recognition of outstanding work with young children.
While all child care center's staff are trained and supervised, the CDA Credential is a particularly prestigious award. It was given by the Council for Professional Recognition in Washington, D.C., an organization that represents the early childhood education profession.
CDA is one of the few national initiatives to improve early childhood education and care by evaluating and recognizing the skills of individual care givers, like Pangrazio, who provide exceptional care. The first credential was awarded more than 30 years ago, and now 49 states plus the District of Columbia include CDA in their childcare licensing regulations.
"Barbie is valuable asset to our center," said Staci Williams, director of GCCA Child Care Center. "I'm extremely proud of her hard work and her new credentials. Barbie, along with the rest of our staff, strongly believes in developing the skills that foster quality service and care for our children."
The GCCA Child Care Center offers complete childcare services for infants 6-weeks old to preschool-aged children. The fully renovated center has extensive developmental resources and introduces educational programs each day. Nutritious breakfasts, lunches and snacks are also provided along with safe, sleeping facilities for restful naptimes.
As part of the CDA assessment process, every candidate for the CDA Credential is observed working with young children or families by an early childhood professional. In addition, the candidate must demonstrate the ability to work with families to develop children's physical and intellectual capabilities in a safe and healthy learning environment.
The Child Care Center is open to the public during fall, spring and summer semesters in tandem with the college's academic schedule. Priority availability is granted to the children of the students, staff and faculty.
For further information on CDA, contact the Council for Professional Recognition at 2460 16th St., NW, Washington DC 20009-3547, or call the council at (800) 424-4310.
