GLCAC Preschoolers Excel in Readiness Testing
LAWRENCE – Preschoolers from the Greater Lawrence Community Action Council’s Child Care Center will enter kindergarten this fall well prepared, according to independent testing of students conducted last spring. The majority of the preschoolers exhibited skills and development expected in children finishing, not starting, kindergarten.
Of 32 students tested, 22 received scores placing them in the end-of-kindergarten level even though they start kindergarten in September. Three preschoolers ranked as ready to begin first grade, while seven were at the mid-year of kindergarten. The preschoolers were assessed by an independent screener using a kindergarten screening tool that measures their school readiness.
“The GLCAC’s Child Care Center follows a researched, evidence-based curriculum called ‘Success for All.’ Our highly qualified staff continually assess each child’s development and tailor educational experiences to meet the children’s individual needs,” said Robin Lynch, Program Director, of the GLCAC’s Child Care Center, located at 581 Andover Street in Lawrence.
The testing, conducted on a randomly selected number of students, was funded through the state’s Universal Pre-Kindergarten Quality Grant. The annual testing has shown a consistent, marked advancement in scores over the past three years. The testing assesses each child’s development level and screens for a variety of skills, including:
- Gross-motor and visual-motor skills
- Color and number recognition
- Understanding numbers, arithmetic and counting objects
- Visual and auditory memory
- Language cognition
- Identification of body parts and human figure drawing
The GLCAC’s Child Care Center provides quality care and education to children through a positive, nurturing environment that supports children in reaching their full potential. Accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the program offers full-time, full-year comprehensive and educational services for toddler, pre-school, kindergarten and school-age children. The Center is open to all families and offers competitive rates. Subsidies are available for qualifying families.
For more information, call the Center at (978) 681-4910 between 7 a.m. and 5:30 p.m., Monday to Friday, or email daycare@glcac.org. Additional information is available online at www.glcac.org.
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