Hephzibah’s Head Start preschool for 3 and 4-year-olds has been awarded the Gold Circle of Quality by ExceleRate Illinois, a state-wide quality rating and improvement system designed to make continuous quality improvement an everyday priority among early learning providers. The program establishes standards for helping infants, toddlers and preschool age children develop intellectually, physically, socially and emotionally. It provides a framework for early learning professionals to identify opportunities for improvement, increase their skills and take steps to make positive changes.Â
The Gold Circle of Quality is the top program rating. It recognizes programs that meet or go beyond the highest quality standards in three areas: learning environment and teaching quality; administrative standards; and staff training and education. Programs are actively engaged in continuous quality improvement. ExceleRate evaluates early learning providers and designates them as licensed, bronze, silver, and gold. The information helps parents differentiate and select programs based on these ratings. For information about Head Start at Hephzibah, contact Melissa Smith at 708-649-7140.