\u200b\u200bMaria Jesus Cervantes\u2019 initial experience with a poor quality child care center left her toddler crying every time she dropped her off.<\/p>\n
Through Quality First \u2013 First Things First\u2019s early learning quality improvement and rating system \u2013 Cervantes researched other potential child care settings for her child and found Phoenix Day, which has achieved a Quality Plus rating.<\/p>\n
Cervantes\u2019 fears were quickly alleviated.<\/p>\n
Natalia quickly learned all of her colors and shapes and had a smile on her face when she was dropped off and when she was picked up at the end of the day.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere was instruction going on every day; there was a plan and I had meetings with her teachers,\u201d Cervantes said. \u201cI was amazed that they were teaching her science and math.\u201d<\/p>\n
Natalia also gained confidence every day as she shared new information with her mother of things she had learned.<\/p>\n
As Natalia moved on to kindergarten, she excelled in her class. The first grader is reading Junie B. Jones books. At her age she is expected to read around 20 words per minute, Natalia is reading 80, Cervantes said.<\/p>\n
\u201cShe looked forward to going to school every day, she was ready for kindergarten,\u201d Cervantes said. \u201cEarly education makes a huge difference in preparing kids for school. Natalia is testament to that.\u201d<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"