The Burlington Elementary Preschool team recently received regional recognition for its commitment to high-quality early childhood education through Colorado’s Quality Rating and Improvement System, known as Colorado Shines.
Burlington Elementary Preschool currently holds a Colorado Shines Level 4 rating out of 5, placing the program among the higher-quality early childhood programs in the state. Participation in Colorado Shines is voluntary and is open only to licensed programs that choose to engage in the state’s continuous improvement process.
In addition to the program’s quality rating, the Early Childhood Council of Yuma, Washington, and Kit Carson Counties (ECCYWK) recognizes individual early childhood professionals across the three-county region for their participation in professional learning and leadership opportunities beyond what is required for licensing.
This year, Burlington Elementary Preschool staff members earned regional silver and gold recognitions based on their involvement in trainings and initiatives throughout the year. Opportunities included professional learning meetings, coaching initiatives, strategic planning opportunities, and specialized training programs focused on supporting student growth and development.
One initiative completed by the entire Burlington Elementary Preschool staff was the 10-week LENA Grow program, one of the organization’s most extensive professional development opportunities.
LENA Grow focuses on increasing meaningful adult-to-child conversational interactions throughout the school day. Research shows that consistent back-and-forth conversations between adults and young children play a major role in vocabulary development, communication skills, confidence, and long-term academic readiness. Through the program, staff reflected on classroom interactions and implemented strategies to intentionally increase purposeful conversations and language opportunities with students each day.
Staff members receiving recognition included:
Cassie Hughes-Hundley
Elisa Freeze
Madelene Witzel
Leann Carlin
Giselle Hernandez
Irma Reents
Casey Herrera
Burlington Elementary leadership praised the preschool team for its commitment to continuous growth and dedication to supporting students and families.
“These recognitions reflect a team that is deeply committed to high-quality early learning experiences for students,” Burlington Elementary Principal Matt Kastner said. “Our preschool team is loaded with experience and talent, but most importantly, they support each other and constantly work to improve our system to provide the best experience possible for kids.”