A Big Step in the Effort to Give All Children a Better Start Is Building Recognition For

Redlands Christian Migrant Association

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information contact:

Barbara Mainster, RCMA executive director: (239) 658-3560

Linda Hagan, RCMAPutnamCounty coordinator: (386) 312-2200

RCMA CENTERS IN PALATKA, CRESCENTCITY, POMONAPARK

RECEIVE NATIONAL ACCREDITATION

PALATKA, FL – Sept. 6, 2006 – Three Putnam County child development centers operated by the Redlands Christian Migrant Association haverecently earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals. RCMA’s centers are the first in the county to receive this national distinction.

“We’re proud to be accredited by NAEYC and recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Barbara Mainster, RCMA executive director.“NAEYC accreditation lets families in our communities know that children in our programs are getting the best care and early learning experiences.”

Based in Immokalee, RCMA operates five child development centers in PutnamCounty with a total enrollment of approximately 375 children. Achieving NAECY accreditation were the Palatka Child Development Center (1200 Old Jacksonville Hwy.), which can serve up to 184 children; Crescent City Child Development Center (849 Bay Lane N-2), which can accommodate up to 80 children; and the Pomona Park Child Development Center (220 W. Main St.), which can serveup to 60 children.

“Achieving NAEYC accreditation takes lots of hard work, persistence and good leadership,” said Linda Hagan, PutnamCounty coordinator for RCMA. “This is a real tribute to the professionalism and dedication of our staff and the active participation of the families. The staff and families worked hard to achieve this recognition.”

RCMA provides child care and early education services to approximately 6,000 children of migrant farm workers and rural, low-income families in 20 Florida counties. Founded in 1965, RCMA has been serving children and families in Putnam since 1981.More than 80 percent of RCMA’s eligible centers statewide have received NAEYC accreditation. According to a Wall Street Journal report earlier this year, only 8 percent of all child-care centers nationwide are accredited.

In the 20 years since NAEYC accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high quality in early childhood education programs. More than 10,000 programs – serving nearly one million young children – are currently accredited by the Washington-based organization.

“In recent years, we’ve seen a growing number of child care and preschool programs earning NAEYC accreditation,” said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. “By earning accreditation, RCMA has become a leader in a national effort to raise the quality of early childhood education, and to help give all children a better start.”

NAEYC created its accreditation program in 1985 to set professional standards for early childhood education and to help families identify high-quality child care and early education programs. To earn NAEYC’s accreditation, a program conducts a self-study to determine how well it meets the standards. After necessary improvements are made, the program is observed by independent, professional validators and then reviewed by a national panel. Programs are accredited by NAEYC for a five-year period.

RCMA is funded by local, state and federal grants, as well as the generosity of businesses, individuals, the United Way and other organizations. For more information, see or

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