Building Hours:The Jewish Community Center of the Lehigh Valley (“JCC”) announces that it has once again been designated at the highest ranking of STAR 4 by the Keystone STARS, Pennsylvania’s Quality Rating and Improvement System. According to the Keystone STARS website, the program is “a responsive system to improve, support, and recognize the continuous quality of improvement efforts of early learning programs in Pennsylvania.” Programs are required to submit evidence, undergo observations, participate in hours of professional development each year, and apply for rankings.
The JCC is proud to be recognized for its continued commitment to providing the highest-quality care to all our students. It is currently one of only two center-based childcare facilities in the 18104 zip code to have received the STAR 4 designation. According to Jen Moyer, the JCC’s early childhood director, “This designation highlights the hard work and dedication of the JCC’s staff, who have a deep commitment to continually improving upon the strong foundation JCC since its founding in 1918.”
To further elevate the JCC’s Early Childhood Education program, the JCC also recently introduced the HighScope Curriculum. For over 50 years, HighScope has been at the forefront of developmentally appropriate, high-quality early education. The Perry Preschool Project, a research project started by HighScope, was developed to study early education and unlock what was necessary to provide the highest quality care for these young learners. To this day, early educators can visit the Perry Preschool, a fully functional preschool, and see the ongoing research that informs the current curriculum.
JCC teachers have begun to learn more about the HighScope Curriculum and are excited to begin implementing it in the Fall. This curriculum will help the JCC’s highly trained staff to better meet the needs of students from across the Lehigh Valley, as well as provide a strong foundation for their future educational pursuits. “Education is the foundation of everything we do at the JCC,” says Eric Lightman, the JCC’s executive director. “Our Jewish values stress the importance of character development, seeking knowledge, and caring for others—things we teach every day to children of every age and background.”
Enrollment for the upcoming school year is now open. For more information about the JCC program, contact Jen Moyer, early childhood director, at 610-435-3571 or [email protected] or visit the JCC’s website at lehighvalleypreschool.org.
