GLENDALE–St. Mary’s Richard Tufenkian Pre-School in Glendale is one of the first early childhood programs to earn accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) ‘s the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals. The NAEYC Accreditation system was created in 1985 to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high-quality preschools, child care centers and other early education programs. Richard Tufenkian Pre-School was an accredited program since 1998 under the old NAEYC standards, and is one of the first in the nation to receive this official recognition under the new standards.
"We’re proud to be one of the select few schools in the country to have earned the mark of quality from NAEYC, and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards," said Arsine Aghazarian, Director of St. Mary’s Richard Tufenkian Armenia Pre-School. "The NAEYC Accreditation process is a long, demanding process that requires years of dedication, commitment and hard work from teachers, staff, administrators and the families who have entrusted their children to our preschool. Our success in having achieved and having to maintain the Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences possible."
To earn NAEYC Accreditation in the new system, Tufenkian Pre-School went through an extensive self-study process, measuring the program and its services against the ten new NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and more than 400 related Accreditation Criteria. The ten new standards comprise of the following topic areas: relationships, curriculum, teaching, assessment of child progress, health, teachers, families, community relationships, physical environment, and leadership and management. After a long demanding process including an on-site visit by NAEYC Assessors to ensure that the program meets each of the ten NAEYC Program Standards, Tufenkian Pre-School received NAEYC Accreditation by impressively scoring 100% under all ten Standards. The hard work does not end there, as an accredited program, Tufenkian Pre-School will be subject to NAEYC unannounced visits during their accreditation, which lasts for five years.
Richard Tufenkian Pre-School is one of only 8 percent of all preschools and other early childhood programs currently accredited by NAEYC. In the 20 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high-quality early childhood education. "The new NAEYC Accreditation system raises the bar for preschools, child care centers and other early childhood programs," said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. "Tufenkian Pre-School’s NAEYC Accreditation is a sign that they are a leader in a national effort to invest in high-quality early childhood education, and to help give all children a better start."
Since its inception in 1975, the driving force of the administration, teachers and board members at St. Mary’s Richard Tufenkian Armenian Pre-School has been to nurture children and educate future generations. Thirty years later, Richard Tufenkian Pre-School continues to strive for excellence by providing a quality early childhood program. The success of the school can be attributed to dedication and commitment. Indeed, it is because of this strong commitment, dedication and the collaborative efforts of the administration, teachers, school committees, Western Prelacy and the Tufenkian family that the school has been able to excel.