History and Practices

PLOWSHARES EDUCATION DEVELOPMENT CENTER, INC.

PROGRAM DESCRIPTION/GOALS AND OBJECTIVES

Agency Mission: To provide the highest quality child care possible to families who live and/or work in Newton and the surrounding communities; to support families in the education and care of their young children; to promote cooperation and exchange between existing child care programs; to publish professional child care literature; to provide technical assistance; to organize parent and staff workshops/training; and to encourage parental involvement.

Toward these ends, the Board of Trustees has set forth the following goals and objectives: To establish and evaluate governance systems and policies which will meet the above stated missions and objectives; to focus on prioritized needs and offer appropriate support to the agency and staff in carrying out these objectives; to establish in conjunction with administration, staff, parents and community members, short and long range plans and objectives; to evaluate the success of said goals; to raise funds commensurate with these purposeful goals.


Agency History and Experience:

When Plowshares incorporated in 1976 as a tax-exempt, non-profit child care program, there were ten children enrolled. Today the agency operates three locations, housed within Newton public school buildings and provides services to more than 200 families. Programs available include: Toddler; preschool; nursery, school-age child care, summer camps and integrated classrooms. Plowshares is governed by a Board of Trustees that includes parents, thereby insuring parental participation in the policy and decision-making aspects of the organization. The Plowshares site at Newton North High School serves as the lab training facility for high school students majoring in early childhood education. Our other locations are at the Franklin Elementary School in West Newton and the Lincoln Eliot Elementary School in Newton Corner.



Administrative Goals and Objectives: To support and carry out the primary mission and objectives as defined collectively by the Board of Trustees, staff, parents and community members. We believe that the most essential element in ensuring quality child care is the support and development of a dedicated, diverse, educated and nurturing staff, trained in developmentally appropriate education. Staff development, training and advancement opportunities remain a high priority. Currently included as program development priorities are the following: on-going assessment of developmentally designed and multi-cultural curriculum; NAEYC Accreditation; and research and design of curriculum that fosters moral and ethical development in a multi-cultural and diverse society. Other administrative priorities include continued parent participation, membership on the Board of Trustees and our open door classroom and participation policy. Grantsmanship and fundraising for a variety of purposes, including: Tuition assistance for low and moderate income families; facility improvement; playground construction; curriculum design and development; parent/teacher workshops; computers in both office and classrooms; and collaborative work with other social service agencies and support groups to foster professionalization of the early childhood education field.