Local businesses join Parent Aware organization – Alexandria Echo Press

DOUGLAS COUNTY — A select group of child care programs are the newest local programs to earn their Parent Aware ratings.

Parent Aware’s mission is to help families find the quality care and education their children need to succeed in school and life. These child care programs all volunteered to go above and beyond basic health and safety requirements and use best practices to support child development.

The experiences children have during their first years of life will shape the adults they become, making it especially important for all children to have access to quality care and early education.

The business owners who received ratings in Douglas County include: Holly Anderson, Michelle Covel, Janell Gronholz, Alisha Hoekstra, Kia Kisthart and Courtney Highdale, Joy Larson, and Amy Weller.

“These early childhood educators have gone above and beyond to provide quality care for the children and families in their programs,” Marianne Smith, professional development advisor, for the Northwest Child Care Aware District, said in a press release.

“Congratulations to all the programs that received a Parent Aware Star Rating. I applaud your dedication to improving the quality and best practices of your early childhood program for the children and families that you serve. Your work is so important in the lives of children and you are appreciated very much. Again, congratulations on your accomplishment,” Dawn Block, Parent Aware quality coach for Douglas County, said in a press release.

With few exceptions, any licensed child care provider is eligible to go through the Parent Aware process and receive a rating. They receive coaching, training, grants, higher child care assistance reimbursement rates, and the ability to accept early learning scholarships. More than 2,900 programs in Minnesota are rated.

A full list of rated programs is available through an online search at

www.ParentAware.org

.