For 18 years EFS has partnered with existing childcare and preschool centers, working to provide the ingredients needed to help children overcome the barriers of poverty using our “Four Steps to Excellence” approach:

Step 1: “Probation”- This step lasts for up to 6 months. All centers enter the EFS program on Step 1. Training and weekly mentoring from EFS is given.

Step 2: “Working Toward Excellence”- Centers in this step are working to improve quality to the standards of national accreditation. Training and weekly mentoring from EFS is given. Scholarships and materials are provided.

Step 3: “Maintaining Accreditation Standards”- This is a one year period following accreditation. Regular support from EFS continues during this step.

Step 4: “Community Partner”- Centers in this step have reached accreditation or maintain a quality equal to accreditation. Support from EFS is given on an as-needed basis.

*Enrichment programs and training are offered at every level.

  • Mentoring:
    EFS provides consistent onsite mentoring and consulting. Well-trained Education Specialists lend their expertise and hands-on guidance to affiliate child care center directors and teachers in all areas of their programs which affect children ages 0 to 5.
  • Accreditation:
    EFS guides affiliate centers through the process to accreditation by an established accrediting organization such as the National Association for the Education of Young Children ( NAEYC ) or The National Association of Child Care Professionals ( NACCP ).
  • Quality Learning Materials:
    EFS provides necessary age-appropriate materials and furnishings to ensure the classroom environments are conducive to learning.
  • Enrichment Programs:
    EFS provides learning opportunities outside of the child care centers for children, families, teachers and directors.

Field trips are currently offered to the Dallas Zoo, the Dallas Arboretum, the Museum of Nature and Science, and the Nasher Sculpture Center at no cost to the centers.

Each year Family Literacy Day is held to offer families a chance to experience a day of fun that centers around literacy based activities. Well-known authors and children's entertainers are on hand to encourage the message that reading to children is fundamental.

An annual Director Resource Fair is held each fall to share EFS' Program and Education offerings for the upcoming school year. Directors have the opportunity to network with other EFS affiliate directors as well as other community agencies and vendors. Lunch, door prizes and educational materials are provided to the directors in attendance.

  • Training
    Director/Teacher Trainings:
    We offer trainings throughout our community for our affiliate directors and teachers. There are Administrative trainings once a month for the directors. There are also 2-3 trainings weekly for teachers and directors on a variety of topics. We place high priority on teaching the importance of ‘hands-on' activities, which is the way our young children learn.

    Touchpoints:
    EFS is a Touchpoints site. We offer the directors and teachers these 16½ hour trainings implementing Dr. T. Berry Brazelton's approach. “Touchpoints” are the predictable bursts, regressions and pauses in a child's development. They typically precede a spurt in a particular line of development. They are often accompanied by parental frustration and self-doubt. These are times of disorganization that we value as opportunities to support family strengths. We learn how to reach into the parent/child relationship to form a partnership focused on the child's care and development.

  • College Scholarships
    EFS offers the teachers and directors of our affiliate centers college scholarships at any one of our community colleges. This enables them to get their Child Development Associate Certificate and an Associate's Degree in a related field. We also offer On-Line CDA scholarships.
  • Parenting
    EFS offers parent trainings in the different daycare centers. We offer three different KERA trainings which focus on literacy, attachments, and temperaments.

 

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Educational First Steps -214-824-7940