TUMPS = Family

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COVERSTORY
www.ChildCareExchange.com
EXCHANGEJANUARY/FEBRUARY2014
TUMPS=
Family
Trinity United Methodist Preschool
Phoenix, Arizona
bySusanWeedman
PHOTOGRAPHS BY BONNIE NEUGEBAUER
WhatisTUMPS?Itisanacronymfor
TrinityUnitedMethodistPreschool,butif
youasktheparentsofcurrentandformer
students,theiranswerisfamily,community,aplacewherechildrenlearn,notjust
abouttheABCs—butaboutlife.TUMPS
isa51-year-oldpreschoolwithanaveragetenureforteachersof23years.
TUMPShasseveraltraditionsoffamily
eventsandspecialactivitiesforthe
childrenthatgoback30ormoreyears
andstillcontinuetoday.Theseactivities
includetheThanksgivingFeast,Breakfast
withSanta,andFamilyPicnic,tonamea
few.
TUMPSisfamily.Sincethemajorityof
thestaffhasworkedtogetherfor14years
ormore,wetrulycareabouteachother.
Wecelebratebirthdays,promotions,and
supporteachotherduringotherlife
events.AstheDirector,Idonotjusttell
mystaffwhattodo,orpresentthemwith
newpoliciesandprocedures;Iaskfor
theirinputandweshareourthoughts
andopinionsanddecidetogetherwhatis
bestforthechildren,staff,andfamilies.
Asastaff,weareflexible.Weworkwith
familiesandtheiroften-changingschedulesregardingwhenthechildrenwillbe
withusforclassorextendedhours.We
alsofillinforoneanotherwhenastaff
memberisunabletobeatwork.
Sometimesbeingflexiblewithschedules
ischallengingandstressful,butthatis
howitcanbeinafamily.
Inthisageof
age of
technology and
technologyand
telecommuting, some partelecommuting,someparentsdon’talwayshavethe
opportunitytospeakwithotheradults.
Weemployan‘opendoor’policy,and
ourparentsareabletosharetheirconcernsandjoysaboutparentingwiththe
staffattimesthatareconvenientfor
them.Myofficeisoftentheplacewhere
adviceandapositivewordarefoundfor
parentsstrugglingwithfinances,marriage,andparenting.Parentssharewith
ushealthconcerns,upcomingsurgery
schedules,andmanyotherprayer
requests.
TUMPSisacommunity.Wecurrently
haveeightstudentswhoaresecond-generationstudents.Thereareanumberof
familieswhereallthesiblings,cousins,
andcousins’cousinshaveattended.Once
afamilybecomespartoftheTUMPSfamily,theyareforeverinourcommunity.
Wereachouttoouralumnifamiliesfor
fundraisingsupportandinvitethemto
attendourspecialevents.Lastmonthwe
hadourAnnualFamilyDinnerandSilent
Auctionandwerehonoredtoseesomeof
thechildrenwhoonceattendedTUMPS,
nowinelementaryschool,juniorhigh,
highschool,andevencollege.
TUMPSisaplacewherechildrenlearn
notonlyacademics,butlifelessonsas
well.Ourgoalistotakeeachchildfrom
wheresheisacademically,socially,and
where she is
developmentally,andmoveherfordevelopmentally,
ward.Wedoourbesttohaveasmany
ward.
We do
one-on-oneinteractionswiththe
studentsaspossible.Wefeelthatif
childrenlearntolovegoingtoschool
andhavefunwhilelearninginpreschool,theywillbesuccessfulin‘big’
school.Weteachthechildrenhowto
respectthemselves,theirclassmates,
andadults.Weworkwithchildrento
overcomefearsandtodiscovertalents.
WithallthegreatthingsatTUMPS,we
stillfaceddecreasingenrollmentmainly
duetotherecessionandoureconomicallychangingneighborhood.Webegan
dedicatingmoreofoureffortstofundraising,advertising,andprayingfor
morefamiliestofindus(andtobeable
toaffordus).Ourbudgetwasextremely
tightandwedidn’tdreamofreplacing
oldfurnitureorbuyingnewmanipulatives.Weweredoingourbesttopaythe
billsandourmeagersalaries.
ThenalongcameFirstThingsFirstand
theQualityFirstprogram.Thisprogram
didthreegreatthingsforTUMPS.First,
throughevaluationofourprogram,we
arebuildingonourstrengths–likededicatedstaffwhointeractmeaningfully
withchildren–toimprovethequality
ofourearlylearningprograms.Second,
ithelpedimproveourclassroomenvironmentsbyhelpingusafforddevelop-
COVERSTORY
www.ChildCareExchange.com
mentallyappropriatelearningmaterials,
likebooks,dollsandmanipulatives.
And,third,itfundedscholarshipsfor
morechildrentoaccessourprogram.By
earlySeptember,wewerefull.
Additionalscholarshipshavehelpedus
openanotherclassroom,andweare
currentlyfivestudentsawayfrombeing
fullagain—praiseGod.
TUMPS’sfutureisbright.Becauseofthe
amazingfoundationthathasbeenlaid
overthelast50years,thedeepsenseof
loyaltyandcommunitywebuildeach
yearwithourfamiliesandwiththe
assistanceoftheQualityFirstprogram,
weareconfidentthatTUMPSwillcontinuetogrowandthrive.Wearededicatedtocontinuingtoimprovethe
qualityofpreschooleducationand
hopefullyinthefutureIwillbeableto
reportthird-generationstudents.
—n—
JANUARY/FEBRUARY2014EXCHANGE
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In November 2006, Arizona voters passed a citizen’s initiative that funds high-quality early childhood development and health.
With its passage, the initiative created a new state level board known as First Things First to highlight the importance of early
childhood. Quality First is a signature program of First Things First. Quality First partners with regulated early childhood providers to make quality improvements that research shows help children, ages birth to 5 to thrive. Currently, more than
900 child care centers and homes, as well as preschool programs in communities across Arizona, participate in Quality First.
These programs are committed to quality improvement, going beyond regulatory requirements to help the infants, toddlers,
and preschoolers in their care to be ready for success in school and beyond.
First Things First supports child care and preschool programs enrolled in Quality First with:
n coaching to build on what’s great about a program and to identify opportunities to improve.
n funding for the purchase of educational materials, equipment, and other resources.
n financial support for teachers and caregivers to gain expertise in early childhood and to learn how to nurture the development of young children.
n specialized assistance from a team of experts in child health, mental health, and supporting
children with special needs.
Quality First is about continuous improvement. The quality of each program participating in
Quality First is assessed by highly-trained early childhood professionals using valid and reliable
tools that focus on what research shows are the key components of quality early care, including
adult-child interactions, learning environments, and staff qualifications. Based on these assessments, each program is given a Quality First Star Rating.
Quality First Star Rating helps guide the improvement process by providing both an objective
measure of each program’s quality and a goal to achieve. Through QualityFirstAZ.com, the program also offers parents information about the importance of quality early care and education
and what to look for in child care and preschool settings that promote learning.
It also empowers parents with information on what they can do to support their child’s learning.
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