Leadership from the MJCCA and the MJCCA's Sunshine School Attend the Quality Rated Ceremony at the Georgia State Capitol
Governor and First Lady Deal Also in Attendance
On Tuesday, July 16, Gail Luxenberg, CEO, Marcus JCC of Atlanta (MJCCA) and Raye Lynn Banks, Director, Sunshine School of the MJCCA (the MJCCA’s East Cobb preschool) attended the Quality Rated Ceremony in the Georgia State Capitol North Wing. Governor Nathan Deal joined Bobby Cagle, Commissioner for Bright from the Start: Georgia Department of Early Care and Learning at the news conference recognizing more than 230 child care programs in Georgia that were among the first to be ranked by Quality Rated (including the MJCCA’s Sunshine School). First Lady Sandra Deal also took part. For information, please contact Lora Sommer at 678.812.4078.
Quality Rated
Quality Rated is a systematic approach to assess, improve, and communicate the level of quality in early and school age care. It assesses the quality of education programs through ratings, ranging from one to three stars, to indicate how these programs exceed the state’s minimum licensing requirements. The goal: to help parents choose the right program for their child’s early education.
Governor and First Lady Deal
At the ceremony, Governor Deal encouraged more child care and early education programs to join Georgia’s Quality Rated assessment program, calling it an invaluable aid to parents and a tool for creating a better workforce of the future.
“It is so exciting to see our children learning so young,” said Sandra Deal, who told stories of her experiences across the state with children learning to read. “We want every child to have that skill as they go forward. We see the eagerness in those children because they're engaged and they love learning. And we're so glad that you're giving them that opportunity."
The Sunshine School was among the child care programs to participate in the voluntary Bright From the Start Quality Rated program. The Sunshine School subsequently received the highest quality rating — 3 stars — one of only a few centers in the state to do so.
Sunshine School Director Raye Lynn Banks explains, “It was such an honor to attend the Quality Rated Ceremony. We do see the enthusiasm in the faces of our children every day. Listening to Governor and First Lady Deal announce the program at the state Capitol only affirmed our efforts.” Banks adds, “We feel so fortunate that we can continue to provide the best early childhood experience to the East Cobb community.”
About The Sunshine School
The Sunshine School, one of the MJCCA’s two preschools, is located at Temple Kol Emeth, in Marietta. It has more than 60 years of expertise in early childhood learning; and a nationally-acclaimed, pluralistic, Jewish values curriculum, “An Ethical Start™”. The Sunshine School teachers are highly-trained, loving, and experienced professionals who guide children ages 6 weeks – 5 years through their exceptional program. Limited spaces for full- and half-day preschool programs are available for infants, toddlers, and preschoolers.
Contact Information
For more information or to schedule a tour, call 678.812.3720, or visit www.atlantajcc.org for information.
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