The Gardner School is pleased to announce the accreditation of two of its Tennessee schools by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The Gardner School of Midtown-Nashville and The Gardner School of Nashville received this well-deserved honor thanks to the efforts of their executive school directors Lauren Glasson of TGS Midtown-Nashville and Vernise Wilson of TGS Nashville and each of the schools’ teachers and staff.
Both school directors are incredibly grateful for and proud of their teams, knowing that none of this would be possible without the wonderful people taking care of their TGS students and families.
“Once I received the accreditation decision email, I was thrilled! I could hardly wait to share it with the staff. I printed off the email and went around to each room, and shared the news. We celebrated with a catered lunch for the staff the following week,” said Glasson (TGS Midtown-Nashville).
Wilson (TGS Nashville) and her team had a similar reaction: “The excitement about receiving our accreditation announcement was uncontainable! We went to each classroom to share the news, and it was in our daily news to the teachers, thanking them for their hard work and dedication. We celebrated with a special afternoon treat the next week,” she said.
The NAEYC Accreditation Board identifies schools that rigorously seek and apply the highest level of engagement and educational best practices. They assess schools based on ten research-based standards to find learning institutions that bring an exceptional level of excellence to their students.
The extensive accreditation process takes place over up to two calendar years. Candidates for accreditation must prepare teaching portfolios that showcase intentional lesson planning, careful curriculum planning, and even the classrooms’ physical design. At the same time, school leadership must put together a compendium of documents that explains everything from the school’s educational philosophy to detailed rationales for every policy and procedure. Compiling this evidence takes time and intentionality to ensure every facet of the school operates to the highest possible standard.
“Going through the NAEYC accreditation, we have developed a stronger team of teachers and administrators who are working to provide high-quality learning and care for children. The process confirmed that our families were already receiving high-quality care,” said Wilson (TGS Nashville).
After an on-site visit and intensive interviews at The Gardner Schools of Midtown and Nashville, NAEYC awarded full accreditation to these schools in November and December of 2020. These accreditations support the thorough and caring ways that our TGS teams take care of their students.
“This process really gave us an opportunity to showcase what we do and who we are. Unlike other assessments we have completed, NAEYC requires every single person to contribute and do their part. Accomplishing the NAEYC accreditation is truly a team effort,” added Glasson (TGS Midtown-Nashville).
Accreditation by the NAEYC is a true honor in the field of early childhood education. A little more than 7,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC. In total, fewer than 10 percent of all child care centers, preschools, and kindergartens nationally achieve this recognition. This puts The Gardner School at the forefront of providing the best educational experiences for children under the age of six.
“With only less than 10 percent of all child care centers, preschools, and kindergartens in the country achieving this recognition, it is a true reflection of the dedication that our teachers have for the education and care of young children,” explained Wilson (TGS Nashville).