The Fayette County Family YMCA Kid’s World of Learning at Sugar Creek will be celebrating achieving a 5-Star Rating from the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services with an open house from 3:30-5:30 p.m. today.

Step Up To Quality (SUTQ) is a rating and improvement system administered by the Ohio Department of Education and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services. SUTQ recognizes and promotes learning and development programs that meet quality program standards that exceed licensing health and safety regulations.

The program standards are based on national research identifying standards which lead to improved outcomes for children. They include incorporating curriculum into each classroom, regular assessments of each child’s progress, maintaining lower ratios, having staff with higher levels of training, and much more.

“This is a great accomplishment by YMCA Child Care Director Jennifer Sells and her staff.” said YMCA CEO Doug Saunders. “By integrating Creative Curriculum, involving staff and parents in assessing the development of each child, maintaining lower teacher-student ratios, and having staff that have worked hard to reach higher levels of education, we are able to provide a high quality environment for all of our children and their families.”

Serving kids ages 6-weeks to Pre-K, The YMCA Kid’s World of Learning is located at Sugar Creek Packing Company, 2101 Kenskill Ave., and has been operated by the Fayette County Family YMCA since 2000. Care is available to the public and the YMCA accepts Job and Family Services reimbursement for eligible families. YMCA Early Learning programs help children grow physically and mentally, while emphasizing and modeling the character development values of Caring, Honesty, Respect and Responsibility.

For further information on YMCA child care programs, call 740-333-3959 or go to faycoymca.org. To learn more about Step Up To Quality go to http://education.ohio.gov/Topics/Early-Learning/Step-Up-To-Quality-SUTQ