Mountain View Core Knowledge School has continued to reach for the stars for the betterment of their preschool students with the recent award of a level five rating from Colorado Shines.
In late February, representatives of Colorado Shines attended a preschool class taught by Preschool Director Pam Caprio and her teaching assistant Kathy Slattery. On April 12, Caprio and Slattery were notified that they had officially earned a level five Colorado Shines award, which according to a recent press release, "[is] a testament to its commitment to providing a high-quality learning environment that supports the development of Cañon City's children."
"I'm very proud of our early childhood team for their accomplishment of a five-star rating," said MVCKS principal Karen Sartori. "The attention to detail and high level of consistent excellence that Pam and Kathy provide for our preschool and pre-k students is admirable. Beyond the rating system, however, the heart, soul, and dedication that is poured into the children by these teachers is noticed and appreciated."
In addition to the day the evaluators spent in the classroom, Caprio was tasked with spending endless hours uploading required documentation, such as lesson plans and other pertinent information.
"I opt to do it just because it helps me reflect and be a better teacher and see where there are better opportunities to grow and learn -- just like we want to give children the opportunity to grow and learn," Caprio said. "I think it's important that teachers remain active learners themselves."
Caprio and Slattery recently celebrated their eighth year of teaching preschoolers at MVCKS and have worked hard for the level five rating.
"The past two times we were at a level four quality rated site ... but this year we were able to achieve the rating of a five star," Caprio said.
The Colorado Shines program evaluates the following criteria in detail:
- support children's health and safety
- ensuring their early childhood professionals are well-trained and effective
- providing a supportive learning environment that teaches children new skills
- helping parents become partners in their child's learning
- demonstrates strong leadership and business practices
Additionally, Colorado Shines is a free service offered through the Colorado Department of Human Services Office of Early Childhood and also connects families with quality programs and helps early care and learning programs improve their quality.
However, MVCKS has proven they are the cream of the crop when it comes to early childhood education -- thanks in no small part to Caprio and Slattery.
In addition to their nearly decade-long partnership in the MVCKS preschool, Caprio served as the center director for another program for 25 years and has striven to attain the highly-valued level 5 rating. Colorado Shines conducts an evaluation every three years and, each time, the MVCKS preschool program has only improved -- from level three and level four to the current level 5.
"It's also a learning opportunity because [when] you've received something so [prestigous] you want to maintain that every day," Caprio said.
MVCKS has a long waiting list of children and families who anxiously await their entry into the program -- which was one of the reasons the school chose not to partake in the upcoming Universal Preschool Program offered through the Colorado Department of Early Childhood. If they had elected to partake in UPK, families that had been on the list for years likely would have been bumped completely from a spot at the top-ranked preschool program.
The MVCKS preschool program has been active since 2009 and currently conducts two sessions, an a.m. and p.m. session with 16 children in each session.
"Students who attend preschool here typically go all the way through eighth grade so we get to watch them grow and learn for their most formative years," Sartori said.
As part of the stellar preschool work, Caprio knows it's of paramount importance to include parents in their children's education. For example, she's currently learning key phrases in Portuguese in order to properly welcome an incoming preschooler whose second language is English.
"We really want them to feel like we're honoring their family and we want to make sure all children feel included as part of our group," Caprio said.
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