During its renewal for accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) the Child Development Center at Naugatuck Valley Community College learned it received pass rates of 100% in all categories and exceeded the 100% pass rate in five areas. To achieve NAEYC accreditation, a program needs to meet at least 80% of assessed criteria for each program standard and meet at least 70% of assessed criteria for each class selected for assessment. The NAEYC accreditation process evaluates relationships, curriculum, teaching, assessment of child progress, health, teachers, families, community relationships, physical environment, and leadership in management.

“The Center is so close to my heart and I know by experience the love, care and professionalism that is thriving there,” said NVCC President Daisy Cocco De Filippis, Ph.D.

NVCC’s Director of the Center, Abbie Calo said, “I am beyond proud of all the hard work and dedication that is shown every single day by those at the Center. The staff of the Center make up one of the best teams that anyone could wish to work with. We continuously strive to improve our practices to ensure we meet the needs of the children and their families and the students of the College.”

Founded in 1977, NVCC’s Child Development Center Laboratory School is a high-quality school for young children and also acts as a teacher training facility guided by the Reggio Emilia Approach philosophy. Using a hands-on, arts-based and nature-inspired classroom, the school has a focus on the environment as a third teacher and is intentionally arranged to maximize children's curiosity and creativity in a home-like and developmentally appropriate setting. Collaborative learning fosters independence, higher-level thinking skills, social competence, language development, and self-regulation, consistently building on skills which prepare children for academic success throughout their school years.

The curriculum emerges from the interests of the children promoting exploration, self-expression, and interaction with their teachers and peers, while maintaining an alignment with the State of Connecticut Early Learning and Development Standards as the foundation of the curriculum. Holistic assessment is based on the variety of ways that children represent their understanding and questions, also known as “The Hundred Languages of Children.” To learn more visit: nv.edu/labschool.