DUBOIS – DuBois Child and Family Center, a Keystone STARS Star 4 childcare and pre-school in Clearfield County operated by Cen-Clear Child Services Inc., has been selected as a recipient of the “Bright Star” Award for 2013-14, co-sponsored by the Northwest Institute of Research and Clarion University.
Under the daily supervision of Kylie Jones, and supported by a team of center staff, supervisors and administrators, the facility was nominated for having safe places to live and learn, with access to health care, adequate clothing and nutritious food. DuBois Child and Family Center is a full-day, full-year Head Start site that provides wrap around child care.
Staff has monthly contacts with families, home visits and monthly parent engagement activities. Children are provided with numerous screenings and services while in attendance.
An award presentation has been scheduled for May 27 at 9:30 a.m. at the center, located at 67 Hanes Dr., Oklahoma-Salem Road, in DuBois. Among those invited to participate are Elana Como, executive director of the NW Regional Key, representatives from Clarion University’s Early Childhood Education program, Dr. Gene Kephart, executive director of Cen-Clear Child Services and others.
The Bright Star award is a quality recognition program for Keystone STARS sites within the 22 counties of the Northwest Regional Key (NWRK). Early learning and school-age programs that demonstrate exemplars of quality are nominated for the award. The sign(s) of quality must align with one or more of the 10 Pillars of a Good Childhood for 2012-2022, as adopted by the Association for Childhood Education International. The 10 pillars are as follows:
Pillar 1: Safe places to live and learn, with access to health care, adequate clothing, and nutritious food
Pillar 2: Strong families and consistent, loving caregivers
Pillar 3: Social interactions and friendships
Pillar 4: Creative play and physical activity
Pillar 5: Appreciation and stewardship of the natural environment
Pillar 6: Creative expression through music, dance, drama and the other arts
Pillar 7: Education that develops the full capacities of the child-cognitive, physical, social, emotional and ethical
Pillar 8: Supportive, nurturing, child-friendly communities
Pillar 9: Growing independence and decision-making
Pillar 10: Children and young people participating in community life
When a pillar of quality is observed, NWRK staff and consultants submit a nomination in writing to NWIR Leadership. At the end of each quarter, the nominations are reviewed by leadership who vote for the site most deserving.
DuBois Child and Family Center has been a participant in the Pennsylvania Keystone STARS program since 2005 and has had a Star 4 rating since that time.
Keystone STARS is an initiative of the Office of Child Development and Early Learning (OCDEL) to improve, support and recognize the continuous quality improvement efforts of early learning programs in Pennsylvania.
The Keystone STARS Performance Standards provide the foundation for the program. The Performance Standards are grouped into four levels: STAR 1; STAR 2, STAR 3 and STAR 4.
Each level builds on the previous level and utilizes research-based best practices to promote quality early learning environments and positive child outcomes. The standards address staff qualifications and professional development, the early learning program, partnerships with family and community and leadership and management.
Cen-Clear Child Services (CCS), headquartered in Philipsburg, is dedicated to providing services to children and families from locations in Blair, Cambria, Cameron, Centre, Clearfield, Elk, Huntingdon and Jefferson counties, as well as some select programs in adjoining counties. The agency was established in 1980 as a private non-profit corporation serving Centre and Clearfield counties in central Pennsylvania.
Cen-Clear has continually responded to unmet needs in the community and has developed numerous programs and services to meet those needs. These include Early Head Start and Early Intervention, Head Start and Full-Day/Full-Year Head Start, Family Centers, behavioral health services for children and their families, recreation services and other family support services.
Most of these programs and services are collaborative efforts with other agencies such as the Office of Children, Youth and Family Services, Community Connections of Clearfield and Jefferson counties, the Children’s Aid Society and school districts, as well as numerous child care providers. Cen-Clear serves more than 5,000 consumers annually throughout all of its programs.