Professional standards are the highest at Playmates Preschools & Child Development Centers. Our staff is made up of well-educated individuals. The director and teaching staff are carefully chosen, and our staff turnover rate is very low, offering experience and continuity. The average experience level of our teachers is seven years with an average education level of a bachelor's in education or other child related field. Our staff brings Playmates excellent academic backgrounds, communications skills and maturity.
All staff is required to be:
Yearly trained in CPR/First Aid (specializing in children and infants)
Food Handler certified
Continuous monthly staff development
Our staff have onsite access to an Education Coordinator who:
* Provides technical assistance to directors, staff, and professional development committees through local and state planning processes in the alignment of professional development activities. * Provides staff in early childhood settings with career and educational counseling including assisting and advising of admission requirements, entrance exams, financial aid, trade or technical schools, and apprenticeship programs. * Works with other individuals and organizations to promote the academic, career, personal and social development of staff. * Helps staff evaluate their abilities, interests, talents, and personality characteristics in order to develop realistic academic and career goals. * Assists staff in locating financial opportunities that will help pay for further education. * Guides staff in the development of their professional portfolio and maintain and submit documentation, and other pertinent information to the WV STARS Career Pathway Advancement System to help staff become credentialed or advance on the pathway. * Works with individual staff to develop a five year professional development plan for each staff member to meet new accreditation staff requirements and to increase educational skills to improve quality of care. * Oversees the AmeriCorps Project.
All staff are credentialed on the West Virginia STARS Career Pathway, an early childhood framework to encourage higher levels of skills, credentials and wages. All training are registered where staff receive credit in Core knowledge and Core Competencies for Early Care and Education Professionals.
