Maple Stream Road Preschool in East Windsor was recently certified by the National Association for the Education of Young Children.
By: Marisa Maldonado
EAST WINDSOR Three years of self-review has paid off for the Maple Stream Road Preschool, which recently obtained a certification won by less than 10 percent of all preschools.
The National Association for the Education of Young Children certified the 11-year-old preschool, located at 50 Maple Stream Road, for five years. For co-directors Sharon Alaimo and Hyla Nusbaum, the process was a chance to add new ideas to their curriculum and connect with staff and parents.
"It makes you so well-rounded," Ms. Alaimo said. "It makes you a school where you understand children’s needs, parents’ needs and your staff’s needs. When all of you are working together, it makes the preschool a perfect environment."
The school, which teaches 150 students between 2 and 6 years old, did the work partially with a grant of about $2,500 from the Washington, D.C.-based NAEYC.
Many schools become certified in about a year and a half, but NAEYC spokesman Alan Simpson said an influx of applications nationwide has delayed the process for some institutions.
The certification process, which was created in 1986, was designed to handle about 1,000 preschools a year, Mr. Simpson said. In recent years between 3,000 and 4,000 have applied for certification, he said.
The organization is working with scheduling and staffing to create faster certification times, Mr. Simpson said, adding that the process is speeding up in many areas.
But Ms. Alaimo had nothing negative to say about the process, which consisted of a complete review of the school’s facilities and curriculum with the help of a NAEYC-appointed consultant.
Officials from Child Care Connection in Trenton visited the preschool, and school officials surveyed parents and staff members as part of the process.
The school’s curriculum received high marks, but NAEYC recommended adding some playground equipment and facilities such as a "cozy library corner" in each classroom where students can read in peace.
NAEYC also asked for more multicultural elements to be added to the curriculum, and the school added puppets and photographs with clothing from different countries.
"The multicultural aspect of our program changed our outlook and our curriculum," Ms. Nusbaum said. "We’re much more open, and it made our staff more aware."
Although the program is owned and operated by neighboring Beth El Synagogue, Ms. Alaimo said students of a variety of races and religions attend the school. Parents and children both shared their cultures through an International Day that was added to the curriculum.
Communication with parents was something that Ms. Alaimo said improved through the process, as did working with teachers to come up with exciting programs.
Ms. Alaimo said she plans to run for president of NAEYC’s Mercer County chapter so she can share what she has learned with others.
The school has come a long way from its days when classes were held in Beth El. The children didn’t mind the limited facilities, she said, and would follow teachers with excitement when they told them to go to the "gym" in another section of the synagogue.
"It just showed how creative children’s minds are," Ms. Alaimo said. "And if you work with them, any environment would turn into a magical learning environment.
"That’s what we learned from NAEYC any environment can be a magical learning environment."