HopeCare Happenings

The days are getting shorter, the weather is getting cooler, and the leaves are falling, but the kids remain busy catching as much outdoor time as they can before winter is upon us.

We are excited to share that HopeCare was selected as one of fifty programs in South Dakota to participate in the South Dakota Quality Recognition and Information Systems (QRIS) Pilot. This initiative supports quality in child care and school-age programs under the direction of the South Dakota State University Quality Collaborative in collaboration with the South Dakota Early Childhood Enrichment System and support from the South Dakota Department of Social Services. The goal of this pilot program is to establish a baseline of quality for early childhood education and school age programs in our state.

There are three areas that we were assessed in Early Childhood: environment rating scale, infant/toddler environment rating scale, and school age environment rating scale. After these assessments were completed, each classroom meets monthly with their coach to review quality standards, upcoming training, and actions to improve their classrooms.

We work hand-in-hand with our coach to ensure successes for each teacher and their classroom. We set monthly goals and review progress. Being a part of this pilot will help us prepare for when the state decides to implement it into action. HopeCare also received $8,000 in funding to use for curriculum materials and equipment.