Our staff is the heart of our program, and we take very seriously the matters of screening, hiring, developing, and supervising the excellent people who teach and care for your children. We are proud of the longevity and depth of experience of our staff. In a time when the majority of American workers stay in a job for three years or less and in a field noted for its high turnover rate, 44 percent of the Corning Children’s Center’s regular staff members have worked here for five years or more. Our Director, Peigi Cook, has been leading the Center since 1993 and came to us with more than 14 years prior experience in early childhood.
The staff in each room includes:
- 1 Lead Teacher
- 1 Teacher
- At least 2 Teacher Assistants
- Additional staff, student helpers and volunteers as needed
Lead Teachers and Teachers are full-time employees with formal training in Early Childhood Education or a related field. All have earned at least one of the following: Child Development Associate Certificate, or an associate’s, bachelor’s, or master’s degree. Our Teachers have a wealth of knowledge and experience with young children. Because we believe it is important to communicate with parents, we schedule either the Lead Teacher or the Teacher at opening and closing times each day.
Teacher Assistants generally work two or three days a week. On the other days, many take classes that will lead toward degrees or other credentials — often in the field of early education. We encourage them in furthering their formal education; such studies enrich their work with children and enable them to advance in their careers here at Corning Children’s Center.
Substitutes, student helpers and volunteers
Our programs are enriched by those individuals who bring everything from an extra pair of loving arms to unique, specialized skills into the classroom. Just as we carefully select our paid staff, we apply the same rigorous screening process to all those who come in contact with your children here at Corning Children’s Center. These individuals are under the direct supervision of a Lead Teacher or Teacher at all times. We ensure that our child/staff ratios are maintained daily by calling on carefully selected substitutes when any staff members are absent.
