News Releases

BRING MAINE TOGETHER FOR CHILDREN
Maine Celebrates National Week of the Young Child

March 28, 2008

For more information, contact
Lori Freid Moses, University of Southern Maine
207.780-4153, lmoses@usm.maine.edu

April 14, 2008 – The University of Southern Maine’s Child and Family Centers asks Mainers to come together for children during the Week of the Young Child (April 13-19, 2008).  As part of the national Week of the Young Child (WOYC) celebrated across the country, Maine is honoring young children and all those who make a difference in children’s lives.  “All young children need and deserve high-quality early learning experiences that will prepare them for life, and Maine has a great opportunity to do our part to help young children,” said Lori Freid Moses, Director of USM Child and Family Centers.  “WOYC is time to recognize the importance of early learning for all young children, and to bring Maine together to help give all young children a great start.”

On Monday, April 14th, from 4:30-5:15pm, USM will kick off the WOYC with a free family concert.  Matt Loosigian, a local children’s folk artist will engage children, families and community members in song.  USM’s child care staff participated in professional development training with Matt back in February.  As part of the week-long WOYC celebration, both of USM’s child care centers will display their children’s artwork in both campus centers.  Additionally, USM’s “Supporting Student Parents Task Force” is hosting a kid-friendly brown bag lunch with cookies and tea on Wednesday, April 16th from 12:00 – 1:00 for USM’s student parents to be held at the Women’s Resource Center in Portland’s Woodbury Campus Center. 

During this week, USM Child and Family Center staff will celebrate months of hard work in preparation for their National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) accreditation on-site assessment anticipated later this spring.  NAEYC reinvented its accreditation system by establishing national evidence-based standards of excellence and by providing tools to help programs make quality improvements in order to reach these standards.  The Portland center’s open house and teacher recognition will take place on Monday, April 14th following the concert:  the Gorham center’s open house and teacher recognition will take place after school on Tuesday, April 15th.

WOYC, sponsored by NAEYC, is an opportunity for early childhood programs across the country, including child care and Head Start programs, preschools and elementary schools, to hold activities to bring awareness to the needs of young children.  Young children and their families depend on high-quality education and care, which help children get a great start, and bring lasting benefits to Maine. WOYC is a time to recognize the importance of early learning and early literacy, and to celebrate the teachers and policies that bring early childhood education to young children. 

NAEYC is the largest organization of early childhood educators and others dedicated to improving the quality of early education programs for children birth through age eight. Founded in 1926, NAEYC has nearly 100,000 members and a national network of over 300 local, state, and regional affiliates.  As of October, 2007, there were 6,143 NAEYC-accredited sites nationwide with Maine’s total number at 66 NAEYC-accredited programs.  USM’s Portland center was the first program in Maine to become accredited in the early 1980’s.

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