Kings Preschool Earn Five-Stars
Kings Local Schools would like to announce that the Kings Preschool Program has received Ohio’s Five-Star Step Up To Quality Award for providing the highest level of quality for children.
Step Up To Quality is a five–star quality rating system administered by the Ohio Department of Education that recognizes and promotes learning and development programs that meet quality benchmarks over and above minimum health and safety licensing standards. The rating system awards one to five stars to learning and development programs that go above and beyond minimum licensing standards. The steps are based on national research identifying the program standards that lead to improved outcomes for children. These program standards include: low child to staff ratios, smaller group size, higher staff education, on–going specialized training, improved workplace characteristics, and learning standards.
An enormous amount of work goes into preparing for the SUTQ review and site visit. Preschool Director, Susan Guckert and her staff have been going through this process since February, submitting documentation based on daily instruction and curriculum and an unannounced visit from the ODE. The five-star rating is the highest achievable rating.
This year, there are 215 three to five year old children enrolled in the preschool program. They offer 15 preschool classrooms and employ 8 teachers. “Our teachers care for children and their families, differentiate instruction, and plan for the needs of each individual child,” said Guckert. Within days of the site visit, the preschool received the official rating. Mrs. Guckert said, “We are very excited and pleased to receive this five-star rating!”
The Kings Preschool Staff works hard to incorporate families into their preschool community through family experiences such as Literacy Night, Gingerbread Night, holiday parties, and individual class activities.
Kings Superintendent, Tim Ackerman said, “Congratulations to our incredible preschool teachers, assistants, and director for their hard work and dedication to Kings’ youngest learners!”
