In its first year of assessment, Cross Roads Preschool and Kindergarten is awarded an unheard of 3 star rating by Quality First. 

Cross Roads Preschool and Kindergarten (CRPSK) continues to hold itself to the highest standard of early childhood education by voluntarily enrolling in First Things First’s signature program, Quality First. By participating in this voluntary program, CRPSK commits to ongoing assessments in the following areas:

• Health and safety practices
• Staff qualifications
• Teacher-child interactions
• Learning environments
• Curriculum
• Class size
• Child assessment and parent communication

All assessment areas go beyond regulatory requirements and are proven to help children thrive in school and in life. 

Standards set by Quality First are high. It is rare for a program to receive a quality rating (3 stars or higher) in their first year of assessment. Cross Roads has reached this achievement with a 3 star rating and is committed to further success in the future.

In addition to evaluations, Cross Roads receives resources through Quality First to continually raise the bar. A highly-trained coach was partnered with the school during assessments to offer personalized guidance. CRPSK continues its relationship with this coach through specialized training and mentoring to achieve and maintain higher quality. Areas of support can include:

Improving child health and well-being

• Safety and injury prevention
• Nutrition and physical activity
• Policies that reduce the spread of illness
• Caring for children with special health care needs
• Immunizations
• Recognizing and reporting child abuse

Managing difficult behaviors

• Manage difficult behaviors (such as tantrums, biting, naptime issues)
• Identify and provide referrals for children who may need additional support
• Aid effective communication between staff and children and their families

Supporting children with special needs

• Screening for developmental concerns
• Tips for talking with parents about developmental concerns
• Strategies to support the success of a specific child
• Community resources for early intervention for children with delays (therapists, school districts)

Quality First also provides Cross Roads with funding for the purchase of educational materials and equipment. Recently CRPSK has used funds for various functional and educational items for the classrooms and the playground.

Cross Roads Preschool and Kindergarten has always taken pride in the loving community it provides. As one of the first programs in the area to offer early childhood education, CRPSK also emphasizes a high quality of learning. Through this partnership with Quality First, Cross Roads continues its reputation of excellence in providing a great beginning to its students.

About Cross Roads Preschool and Kindergarten (CRPSK):
CrossRoadsPSK.com 
Cross Roads Preschool and Kindergarten is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing a safe, comfortable and nurturing where children learn to love school while mastering age-appropriate concepts and skills needed for further success. CRPSK believes there are three interconnected areas in a quality-learning environment: mind, body, and family. CRPSK has been a part of the North Central Phoenix community for more than 50 years and is licensed by the State of Arizona Department of Health Services.

About Quality First:
QualityFirstAZ.com 
Quality First – a signature program of First Things First – partners with child care and preschool providers across Arizona to improve the quality of early learning for kids birth to 5. Quality First has established a statewide standard of quality for early care and education programs and funds quality improvements that research proves help children thrive. This includes training for teachers to expand their skills in working with young children and coaching to help programs provide learning environments that nurture the emotional, social, language and cognitive development of every child.