Photo provided by Angela Smith, Good Shepherd Child Care, Inc. and used with permission.

Arlington, VA – Child Care Aware^® of America (CCAoA), National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC), National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC), National Head Start Association (NHSA), and National Indian Child Care Association (NICCA) would like to congratulate Angela Smith and the Good Shepherd Child Care Center, Inc. in Milford, Pennsylvania. They have been selected as the Provider of the Month for February 2016 based on their parent engagement, support of healthy child growth and development, and the support they provide in their community.

The Provider of the Month campaign was launched in May of 2015 in conjunction with Provider Appreciation Day on May 8 to honor outstanding child care providers and early childhood educators who exemplify what it means to be a quality care provider for children.

Child care providers who go above and beyond to not only care for the children in their charge, but to also reach out to the parents, are very special in a community. Angela Smith and the staff at the Good Shepherd Child Care Center, Inc. help support their child care families through tough economic times, make referrals for families in need of assistance, and support participation in IEP/IFSP meetings and plans for students with special needs.

Smith goes out of her way to engage the parents at her center with multiple events for participation and appreciation, including parent conferences, holiday celebrations year-round, a Pre-K graduation, and more.

Nurturing the healthy growth and development of the children in her care is important to Smith, who also ensures that developmentally appropriate practices are used with each child, and that all lesson plans connect activities to the Pennsylvania early learning standards.

Good Shepherd Child Care Center, Inc. also fulfills a need in Milford, bringing affordable, high-quality child care to low income families, single parent households, and two-working parent households.

Congratulations to Angela Smith and the staff at Good Shepherd Child Care Center, Inc. They are a shining example of outstanding child care.

Nominate an Outstanding Provider

Do you know an outstanding provider or early childhood educator who is deserving of the Provider of the Month award? Visit www.providerappreciationday.org for details on how to nominate them, and help Child Care Aware^® of America and partner organizations honor those providers that go above and beyond every day!
Child Care Aware of America
Child Care Aware of America is our nation’s leading voice for child care. CCAoA works with state and local Child Care Resource and Referral agencies (CCR&Rs) and other community partners to ensure that all families have access to quality, affordable child care. CCAoA leads projects that increase the quality and availability of child care, offer comprehensive training to child care professionals, undertake research, and advocate for child care policies that improve the lives of children and families. To learn more, visit usa.childcareaware.org. Follow them on Twitter @USAChildCare and on Facebook at facebook.com/usachildcare.

National Association for the Education of Young Children
NAEYC’s mission is to promote high-quality early learning for all children, birth through age 8, by connecting practice, policy, and research. NAEYC advances a diverse, dynamic early childhood profession and supports all who care for, educate, and work on behalf of young children. Learn more at www.naeyc.org.

National Association for Family Child Care
The National Association for Family Child Care (NAFCC) is dedicated to promoting quality child care by strengthening the profession of family child care. NAFCC accomplishes this mission by strengthening state and local associations as the primary support system for individual family child care providers, promoting a professional accreditation program which recognizes and encourages quality child care for children, representing family child care providers by advocating for their needs and collaborating with other organizations, and promoting the diversity of the family child care profession. Learn more at www.nafcc.org.

National Head Start Association
The National Head Start Association (NHSA) is a non-partisan, not-for-profit organization committed to the belief that every child, regardless of circumstances at birth, has the ability to succeed in life. The opportunities offered by Head Start lead to healthier, empowered children and families, and stronger, more vibrant communities. NHSA is the voice for more than 1 million children, 200,000 staff and 1,600 Head Start grantees in the United States. For more information about NHSA, visit www.nhsa.org.

National Indian Child Care Association
The mission of National Indian Child Care Association is to unify tribes and tribal organizations to promote high quality culturally relevant child care and development. National Indian Child Care Association will provide leadership, support, and communication on behalf of Native American children, families, and communities. To learn more about NICCA, visit www.nicca.us or follow them on Facebook at facebook.com/nicca.us.

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