Federal and State Officials Visit Smith Hill Early Childhood Learning Center

In June, our Smith Hill Early Childhood Learning Center was visited by members of the US Department of Human Services as well as officials from the United Way, The Rhode Island Foundation, Kids Count and the RI DHS. The visit was coordinated by BrightStars, the national rating service that assesses the quality of childcare programs and provides valuable information to parents who are selecting where to enroll their children. During this past year, the Smith Hill staff and Chief Operating Officer Susan Stevenson have been leading one of several BrightStars’ funded “Peer Groups.” These groups have come together to identify and imbed best operating practices across BrightStar-rated providers. BrightStars selected Smith Hill to showcase the work we are doing to prepare inner city children for success in school. Visiting officials participated in discussion with our staff, expressed their praise for our program, and enjoyed mingling with our young students.