Teacher Training and Awards

In order for The Seed to function as the kind of school that we, the staff, wanted to offer to the community, it was necessary for us to build our own solid educational foundation. Masters Degrees in early childhood education at the State University of New York at New Paltz became the means for 10 of the staff members to get the training we were looking for. Piaget, Dewey, Montessori, Vygotsky and other great thinkers in child development have all influenced the educational philosophy and practice of the staff at The Seed.

Another source of inspiration in the field of early childhood education for us has been the project approach made famous by the schools in Reggio Emilia, Italy. We have adapted many ideas from this approach into The Seed’s curriculum. Two teachers were invited by the New York State Association for the Education of Young Children to give a workshop presentation on the topic at the annual meeting. Much interest was expressed by the participants.

As New York State-certified teachers, we continue broadening our education each year in evening and weekend courses which keep us updated on new theories and practices related to early childhood education.

The Seed was one of the first schools in the area to participate in Kids-to- Kids International, an organization founded by Yorktown resident Pat Kibbe. Children made books, at their own age level, and sent them to refugee children in Cambodia.

The Seed Day Care Center has been accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children continuously since 1994. This represents both an honor for The Seed and extensive work by the staff, since updating the accreditation means the staff must engage in periodic in-depth self study which involves every aspect of the school, from management, to physical environment, to curriculum and program planning.

The Seed has also been awarded a number of grants over the years:

  • 1991 IBM computer center
  • 1992 Readers’ Digest “Share a Book”
  • 1993 Readers’ Digest “Seeds of Peace”
  • 1994 NYSAEYC “Watch Me Move” fitness program
  • 1995 AT&T “Scientists of the 21st Century”
  • 2003 New York State Health and Safety Grant for outdoor play equipment
  • 2007 Dell/NFIB Small Business Excellence