QUALITYstarsNY

Congratulations to Tri-Town Kids Childcare Center for receiving the 2026 Business of the Year award from the Tri-Town Chamber of Commerce! We celebrate them for their commendable work in their community and for being a consistent resource for families in need of child care. Check out the spotlight we did on Tri-Town Kids when they were beginning their journey with QUALITYstarsNY: https://qualitystarsny.org/tri-town-kids/

Executive Director Erik Sweet and Supervisor Tanya Amodio-Kovacs of the New York State Education Department Office of Early Learning recently joined Quality Improvement Specialist Sarah Houde for a visit to the Greater Amsterdam School District (GASD), which has four of their schools participating in QUALITYstarsNY. In April, we celebrated one of their programs, Marie Curie Institute of Engineering and Communications, for receiving a 5-Star Rating! GASD Assistant Superintendent Sandra Polikowski and Patricia Garner of GASD, were also in attendance.

Pictured are some of their classroom setups!

New York Association for the Education of Young Children - nyaeyc hosted a screening of Make a Circle - a love letter to early educators and a rallying cry for a childcare system in crisis, at the Buffalo History Museum last month. There was a panel discussion after the screening about what the film means to the early childhood field, and the children we serve. Diane Abrams, group family childcare provider and QUALITYstarsNY participant, was one of the panelists.

Western New York team members Sara Lamoreaux, Susan DiNatale, Jennifer Falletta were joined by our New York Early Childhood Professional Development Institute colleagues, Amy Toy, Kim LoDico, and Charla Smith.

Meet Shanna VanPatten, our new Quality Improvement Specialist in the Southern Tier!

Shanna grew up in the Buffalo area and has worked in the early childhood education field for more than 20 years. She earned her undergraduate degree in elementary education with an extension in early childhood education from SUNY Fredonia and her master’s degree in education from SUNY Buffalo State University. Throughout her career, Shanna has taught in early childhood classrooms ranging from toddlers to pre-K students. She later advanced into leadership roles as a preschool specialist and child care center director. While overseeing a staff of 70 employees, she partnered with her QUALITYstarsNY Improvement Specialist to maintain a 4-Star rated program. She is excited to join the QUALITYstarsNY team and looks forward to supporting programs throughout the Southern Tier in reaching their highest potential.

We're excited to announce the launch of the QUALITYstarsNY Regional Spotlight Series! Over the next few months, you'll get to know our Quality Improvement Specialists through the local partners they collaborate with, highlights from their work, and their favorite local food and activity recommendations. First stop: the Capital District. Learn what makes it unique to be a Quality Improvement Specialist in this region and the best place to get ice cream: https://qualitystarsny.org/regional-spotlight-qualitystarsny-in-the-capital-district/

In May, Miradelia Rojas-Garza, the owner of ABC Soup, received the Council Award of Excellence at the Champions of Child Care Garden Gala hosted by The Child Care Council of Dutchess and Putnam, Inc. Presented by Executive Director Himali Pandya, this honor recognized her exceptional dedication, heartfelt compassion, and unwavering service to children and families in the Cold Spring community for more than a decade. Her commitment to nurturing and supporting local families has been instrumental in fostering a positive environment for children. Veronica Marrinan, Maria’s assistant, was also recognized with a milestone award, celebrating her 10 years of service in childcare.

Meet Lisa Gilroy, our new project assistant!

For the past decade, Lisa has worked at nonprofits such as the American Red Cross, Lawyers for Children, and Church Street School for Music & Art. Her other experiences include working as a para-substitute in the NYC Department of Education’s elementary and high schools, and as a licensed NYS real estate broker. She holds a bachelor’s degree in English literature from the City University of New York. In her free time, Lisa loves spending time with her family, traveling, going to the city’s museums and galleries, reading, and cycling or walking along the Hudson–no matter the weather.

Earlier this month, Maria G. Cuapio Mendoza and Claudio Herrera Ramirez, a husband-wife team and owners of Ximena's Playground Day Care Inc, received the Partners in Learning Award at the 2026 Dream Big event hosted annually by the Child Care Council of Westchester, Inc. They were recognized for their deep engagement with the Child Care Council, participation in many trainings, and ongoing commitment to learning, creating a trusted and growing network of childcare programs with plans for continued expansion.

Maria and Claudio expressed gratitude to various partners, including the Child Care Council, QUALITYstarsNY, and their dedicated staff. Claudio also shared the story of his wife's dream, which began six years ago with the vision of opening her own child care program. Ximena's Playground remains grounded in family partnership, thoughtful growth, and a deep belief that children thrive when they are given a learning environment of choices, responsive care, and love.

In Head Start's 61st year of service, QUALITYstarsNY attended the NYS Head Start Association Annual Professional Development Training Conference. During the event, Quality Improvement Specialist Kathy Moss talked with Head Start program staff about how working in a high-quality Head Start program can positively support and enhance overall employee wellness.

Yesterday, QUALITYstarsNY's Senior Director Erica Doherty and Regional Quality Improvement Coordinator Jenna Pettinicchi presented at the NYS Council on Children and Families (CCF) Early Childhood Leadership and Policy Summit. They spoke about QUALITYstarsNY's model and impact across the state as part of New York's fundamental infrastructure to ensure the quality of our early childhood system. It was a great opportunity to engage and share with stakeholders and leaders invested in the future of NYS' ECE policies.

(Pictured left to right, presentation co-facilitator Kathryn Tout, Child Trends Vice President for Early Childhood Research and Partnerships, QUALITYstarsNY's Erica Doherty and Jenna Pettinicchi, CCF's Director of Data and Policy Analysis Najm Alsadat Madani and Patricia Persell, NYS Director of Head Start Collaboration Office.)