NAEYC, the National Association for the Education of Young Children, sponsors the Week of the Young Child each April to focus public attention on the rights and needs of young children. The early childhood programs in the Catholic schools of the Archdiocese of Chicago provide high quality early education and care. These programs have proven their commitment to excellence by successfully meeting nationally recognized standards and becoming accredited through NAEYC.

Fifty-one early childhood programs in Catholic schools have achieved this prestigious benchmark-something only 7% of all early childhood programs nationwide achieve. Another 34 Catholic schools' early childhood programs are working towards accreditation . Over ¼ of all the NAEYC accredited early childhood programs in the city of Chicago are in Catholic schools (go to www.naeyc.org and do an accredited program search )! Let us celebrate the accomplishments of these programs, their administrators, teachers, aides, and support staff and all they do for young children and their families.

To view the April issue of the Early Childhood Newsletter, go to http://schools.archchicago.org/pdf/newsletter/early_childhood.pdf

Of the 242 Archdiocese of Chicago elementary schools: 212 schools have a preschool program (88% of all schools), 239 offer Kindergarten, 183 offer before school care and 224 offer after school care.

For additional information, contact Julie Ramski, Program Director of Early Childhood Education at (312) 751-3868 or at jramski@archchicago.org .