May 1, 2008 issue
Sugar Grove Developmental Day School Achieves 5-Star Rating
The former Valle Crucis Day School reopened in June 2004 as the Sugar Grove Developmental Day School (SGDDS) in the historic Cove Creek School in western Watauga County. In less than 4 years, SGDDS has achieved the top 5-star rating for childcare programs in North Carolina.
Childcare programs can earn points in three different categories: compliance history with regulations, program standards and staff education. Trained evaluators score childcare programs in these three categories by observing how well or how frequently certain criteria are followed within those categories.
SGDDS is implementing Creative Curriculum in all four classrooms. The philosophy of this curriculum is that young children learn best by doing. Learning requires active thinking and experimenting to find out how things work and to learn firsthand about the world we live in rather than just repeating what someone else says. The preschool Creative Curriculum identifies goals in all areas of development: social, emotional, cognitive and physical.
The activities planned for children at SGDDS and the way the staff organizes the environment, selects toys and materials, plans the daily schedule and talks with children, are all designed to accomplish the goals of the curriculum and give children a successful start in school.
In the 3- to 5-year-old preschool classroom, SGDDS is also implementing the Raising a Reader program in conjunction with the Watauga County Children’s Council. Raising a Reader instills a love of reading in children that often lasts a lifetime. Raising a Reader is a child-driven program encompassing early childhood educators, parents and librarians in a coordinated read-aloud effort. Each week, bright red book bags filled with beautiful picture books are rotated into homes. The book bag and its contents quickly become a child’s favorite toy. The result is an irresistible request: “Please read to me!”
SGDDS recently received a grant from the James E. and Mildred Waggoner Foundation of Gastonia and a second grant from the Sam’s Club Division of the Wal-Mart Foundation that enabled the purchase of new, energy-efficient appliances for the daycare. After limping along with well-used washer, dryer and refrigerators either donated by or purchased from RAM’s Rack or the Habitat ReStore, the staff feels like it is Christmas in April!
SGDDS is a United Way partner agency, and the staff thanks the community for its support of United Way.
For more information, contact Interim Director LaTawnya Tester at 828-297-4226.
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