Sherman -- On Wednesday, October 30, Workforce Solutions Texoma recognized area Texas Rising Star providers in Cooke, Fannin and Grayson Counties. The Texas Rising Star program is a quality-accreditation program of the Texas Workforce Commission and is operated locally by Workforce Solutions Texoma for the three-County area.

A Texas Rising Star provider has achieved a state-certification for their program. This is a voluntary process that uses an assessment with a standard set of five categories that exceeds the minimum standards that are required by child care licensing.

(L-R) Chiniqua Hill, Pre-School for Little Zebras; Dr. Jennifer Quong, Texas Rising Star Mentor; Julie Craig, Child Care Contracts Manager, Workforce Solutions Texoma; Mary McDowell, Children's Tree Learning Center; Beverly Bethel, Footsteps and Fingerprints; Angela Magers, Montessori Academy of North Texas; Haleen Parrish, School Zone Academy; Cassie Troxtell, School Zone Academy; Sheila Smith, Lil Leopards Learning Ladder; Kitie Hermes, Lil Leopards Learning Ladder

The five categories of assessment include:

1. Director and staff qualifications and training;
2. Caregiver-child interactions;
3. Curriculum;
4. Nutrition and indoor/outdoor activities; and
5. Parent involvement and education.

Child Care providers who become accredited as a Texas Rising Star provider are assessed annually to ensure they continue to meet the standards. There are three levels of certification, 2 star, 3 star and 4 star. Each star reflects a higher level of quality that has been achieved by the provider. A 4 star provider has met the highest quality standards for this accreditation.

Workforce Solutions Texoma presented each 4 Star Texas Rising Star provider in attendance with an incentive check of $2,750 with the 3 Star provider receiving $2,000. The incentive will be used to assist the Texas Rising Star provider in maintaining their current Texas Rising Star accreditation or improving their current star level, if appropriate.

Workforce Solutions Texoma currently has seven Texas Rising Star providers in the three-county area and three facilities that are working towards their certification. The seven local Texas Rising Star providers are:

Growing Smart Learning Center, Sherman, 3 star provider

Footsteps and Fingerprints, Bonham, 4 star provider

Lil Leopards Learning Ladder, Gainesville, 4 star provider

Montessori Academy of North Texas, Sherman, 4 star provider

Pre-School for Little Zebras, Sherman, 4 star provider

The Children's Tree Learning Center, Whitesboro, 4 star provider

The School Zone Academy, Howe, 4 star provider

These Texas Rising Star child care providers give our community a valuable service --- taking care of our community's children!  These caring people ensure our children are in a safe and nurturing environment, all while offering early education, even to the littlest of infants. Congratulations to the area Texas Rising Star providers on their dedication to quality child care!