This Week
Insight
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National Recognition
JCC's Pitt Child Development Center passes rigid accreditation tests.
accreditation, and are so proud of it.
They set a goal and accomplished
Staff Writer
something. To me, that shows they
take pride in the center, and that
alloons and cookies greeted
shows commitment to the well-being
parents dropping off
of my children."
preschoolers at the Sarah
Her daughter Ashley, almost 4,
and Irving Pitt Child
"is
loved and nurtured and happy
Development Center Feb. 1, as word
there,"
Kersten said. Ashley's sister
that a long-hoped-for accreditation
Brooke will enter the program in the
had been granted.
fall.
The Pitt center, housed at the
The Pitt center, with a staff of 34,
Jewish Community Center in West
is
required
to submit an annual
Bloomfield, began the process of gain-
report
documenting
improvements
ing accreditation from the National
and
major
changes,
Schneider
said.
Association for the Education of
The
program
includes
Young Children two-and-a-
sports, swimming, music,
half years ago.
library time, computer
Completing a rigorous
instruction, Judaic activi-
process of scrutiny by the
ties and a children's muse-
association, the center was
um. She said parents are
examined in such areas as
offered education semi-
developmental appropriate-
nars, a parent/staff com-
ness of curriculum, health,
mittee, Jewish holiday
safety and administration.
programs and child care
Michele Wilson, accredi-
before and after school.
tation coordinator for the
Construction will begin
National Academy of Early
this
fall on the Pitt center,
Childhood Programs of the
allowing
it to expand to
NAEYC, counted 109
accommodate
250 chil-
accredited programs serving
dren.
Completion
is
11,309 children in
planned
for
fall
2001.
Michigan in 1999.
Sarah and Irving Pitt of
She said the process of
Sarah and Irving Pitt take an appreciative look at a gift of
Bloomfield Hills made a
accreditation begins with a
drawings made by JCC preschoolers. The presentation — by
substantial gift to redevel-
self-study based on parents
students Sloan Rousos, Logan Nathanson and Ronald Basin,
op and refurbish the child
and staff completing ques-
accompanied by teacher Fredelle Schneider — took place at a
development center.
tionnaires provided by the
meeting of the Jewish Federation Board of Governors.
Only 102 preschool
association. Changes and
programs
in Michigan are
improvements are made
accredited
by
the
NAEYC.
The Pitt
questionnaire.
Her
sons
Alex,
4V2,
and
prior to a reviewer's visit to the site,
center
and
the
JCC
in
Ann
Arbor are
Eric,
3,
each
began
at
the
school
at
and then the commission votes.
the
only
two
Jewish
schools.
age 2, as will her now four-month-old
"A major advantage to having
"Saying that the state recognizes us
son Ryan. She was unconcerned about
accreditation would be that you know
as a quality program is like
parent/teacher communica-
the center meets a certain standard
putting a seal of approval on
tion
because
"I
have
the
that qualifies them as a high-quality
us," Schneider said.
teachers'
direct
phone
num-
center," she said.
With the new certificate
bers
into
the
classroom.
They
The NAEYC is an independent,
4
hanging
in the school's hall-
are
always
open
to
discuss
national association that accredits
way, Schneider said the
things and address things
early-childhood programs, providing a
accreditation means that Pitt center
immediately."
credential that is valid for three years.
"will be recognized in the community
She added, "I think [the accredita-
The main concern of Pitt center
as a high-quality, early-childhood edu-
tion
is]
a
great
acknowledgment
for
parents returning questionnaires?
cation program.
their fine program and wonderful
"When parents ask if we're
teachers."
Shelli Liebman Dorfman can be reached
accredited, we can give a resounding
Anne Kersten of Waterford agreed:
at (248) 354-6060, ext. 246, or by e-mail
"They've worked really hard at this
at sdwfman@thejewishnews.com
SHELLI LIEBMAN DORFMAN
B
"They wanted more communication
and information on what their child
did each day," said Fredelle Schneider,
the facility's director.
Now the center has implemented a
new system of communication, she
said. At the daily child drop-off and
pick-up, parents might provide such
information as, "My child was up all
night and cranky this morning," or a
special request staff responds to, like,
"Please let me know if he ate lunch or
swam or took a nap."
Dee Dworman in West Bloomfield
was among the parents receiving the
, yes
20,
ex,5
2/11
2000
32
Remember
When • •
From the pages of The Jewish News
for this week 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50
years ago.
The Simon Weisenthal Center
uncovered a widespread practice by
some European airlines to omit ref-
erences to Israel in their Middle
•
East publications.
Fred Rossman tallied his first-
ever 300 game, bowling in the
Senior House Tuesday Night
League at Bel Aire Lanes in
Farmington.
:41.011
Israeli Premier Menachem Begin
denounced acts of vandalism against
Christian institutions in Jerusalem.
Jack Schon was elected president
of the Synagogue Council of
Greater Detroit.
The number of traffic fatalities in
Israel in the last year outnumbered
deaths from encounters with the
enemy and acts of Arab terrorism.
Dr. Hyman S. Mellen, chief of the
cardiology section at Sinai Hospital,
has been reelected chief of staff.
490MVNli
Jewish communities in the Hague
came together at the Dutch senate
in protest. The minister of justice
plans to pardon German war crimi-
nals detained in Holland, who have
had their terms commuted from the
death penalty to life imprisonment.
The merger of Hebrew University
and the Weizmann Scientific
Institute into a single organization
for fund-raising purposes under the
presidency of Dr. Albert Einstein
was welcomed by world Jewry.
A total of 21,265 displaced
Jews have left Germany for the
United States under the Displaced
Persons Law.
Herman Pritz won first place for
his pantomime in a talent show
held at the Halevey Music Center
in Detroit.
— Compiled by Sy Manello,
Editorial Assistant