What is U.M.A.P.?What is U.M.A.P.?

The United The United Methodist Methodist Association of Association of PreschoolsPreschools

Building Excellence…Building Excellence…Hand in Hand….Hand in Hand….

Where we started…Where we started…

The United Methodist The United Methodist Association of Preschools was Association of Preschools was founded in 1983 to connect, founded in 1983 to connect, support and accredit support and accredit preschools in United preschools in United Methodist churches in the Methodist churches in the Florida Annual Conference.Florida Annual Conference.

Who we are now…Who we are now…

UMAP is now a national UMAP is now a national Gold Seal accrediting Gold Seal accrediting organization, able to organization, able to accredit high quality accredit high quality Christian programs.Christian programs.

UMAP Gold Seal

UMAP Accreditation can help you UMAP Accreditation can help you and your school affirm it’s quality and your school affirm it’s quality standards and become eligible for standards and become eligible for the Florida Voluntary Pre-K the Florida Voluntary Pre-K program.program.

More then 3 million children are cared for in church preschools each year!

UMAP can help you connect with UMAP can help you connect with other programs like yours and other programs like yours and other professionals like you, for other professionals like you, for professional training, spiritual professional training, spiritual growth, and fellowship.growth, and fellowship.

Sharing information, problems, Sharing information, problems, and solutions means stronger and solutions means stronger programs for everyone – and the programs for everyone – and the very highest quality of care for very highest quality of care for ALL of God’s children!ALL of God’s children!

You can become a You can become a UMAP UMAP individual memberindividual member for $25.00 for $25.00 per year. This meets the per year. This meets the requirement for CDAs that you requirement for CDAs that you must be a member of a national must be a member of a national early childhood organization!early childhood organization!

What are UMAP’s What are UMAP’s Standards like?Standards like?

The Accreditation Standards that The Accreditation Standards that UMAP has adopted are not that UMAP has adopted are not that different from those required by different from those required by NAEYC…..NAEYC…..

BUT…………BUT…………

We include the We include the Christian Christian componentcomponent in our standards, in our standards, helping you to define helping you to define youryour place in the ministry to the place in the ministry to the children you serve.children you serve.

You DO NOT need to be at a You DO NOT need to be at a United Methodist Church to be United Methodist Church to be accredited by UMAP.accredited by UMAP.

You DO need to be a Christian You DO need to be a Christian preschool program ministering to preschool program ministering to children infants through age five.children infants through age five.

You DO need to hold a stateYou DO need to hold a state

license for your program.license for your program.

What do UMAP’s What do UMAP’s Standards include?Standards include? Our standards evaluate the Our standards evaluate the

following areas:following areas: Staff QualificationsStaff Qualifications

Staff need to be practicing ChristiansStaff need to be practicing Christians Meet educational qualifications, Meet educational qualifications,

including college degree or CDA for including college degree or CDA for lead teachers.lead teachers.

Be loving caregivers, sharing Jesus’ love Be loving caregivers, sharing Jesus’ love with the children in their carewith the children in their care

A Statement of A Statement of school philosophyschool philosophy An examination of the An examination of the

relationship between the church relationship between the church and the preschool,and the preschool, looking at looking at issues such as sharing space, issues such as sharing space, fitting in to the church’s mission fitting in to the church’s mission statement, communication statement, communication between pastor & school and between pastor & school and involvement with church involvement with church activities.activities.

Appropriate Appropriate health and safetyhealth and safety requirements, including liability requirements, including liability and school accident insurance.and school accident insurance.

Documented Documented parent-teacher parent-teacher conferencingconferencing

Curriculum Standards for children Curriculum Standards for children include:include:

– Low ratiosLow ratios 4-5 year olds 1 to 104-5 year olds 1 to 10 3 year olds 1 to 83 year olds 1 to 8 2 year olds 1 to 62 year olds 1 to 6 ToddlersToddlers 1 to 5 1 to 5 InfantsInfants 1 to 4 1 to 4

Developmentally appropriate Developmentally appropriate curriculum for all ages, including:curriculum for all ages, including:– Balance between active & quiet Balance between active & quiet

activitiesactivities– Age appropriate Christian education, Age appropriate Christian education,

worship and celebrationworship and celebration

– Reading readinessReading readiness

activities in the following areas:activities in the following areas:– Visual developmentVisual development– Visual motor activitiesVisual motor activities– Tactile developmentTactile development– Linguistic developmentLinguistic development

Math ReadinessMath Readiness At the appropriate age:At the appropriate age:

– Learned with hands-on manipulativesLearned with hands-on manipulatives– Counting – rote and one-on-oneCounting – rote and one-on-one– Sorting, classifyingSorting, classifying– Ordering positioningOrdering positioning– Sets & groupsSets & groups– MeasuringMeasuring– Recognizing quantity & sizeRecognizing quantity & size– Indentifying numeralsIndentifying numerals

Physical DevelopmentPhysical Development– Gross Motor activitiesGross Motor activities– Fine Motor activitiesFine Motor activities– Body awarenessBody awareness– Five SensesFive Senses

MusicMusic– Variety of experiences in musicVariety of experiences in music– Rhythmic activitiesRhythmic activities– Opportunities for singingOpportunities for singing– Musical gamesMusical games– Listening & respondingListening & responding

Science & DiscoveryScience & Discovery– Living thingsLiving things– The earthThe earth– The universeThe universe– Experiences with magnets, Experiences with magnets, magnification, energymagnification, energy– Seasons, weatherSeasons, weather– God’s amazing creationGod’s amazing creation

ArtArt– Opportunities to use a variety of Opportunities to use a variety of

materialsmaterials Easels and a variety of paintsEasels and a variety of paints Scissors, paper, crayons, chalk, paste, glueScissors, paper, crayons, chalk, paste, glue Clay, playdoughClay, playdough ““Found” objectsFound” objects Children’s art displayed at Children’s art displayed at their their heightheight Children experience, enjoy, express and Children experience, enjoy, express and

their own creativitytheir own creativity Coloring sheets and “dittos” are NOT Coloring sheets and “dittos” are NOT

appropriateappropriate Emphasize process, not product!!Emphasize process, not product!!

Health Nutrition & SafetyHealth Nutrition & Safety– Food & nutritionFood & nutrition– Safety educationSafety education– Exercise, rest & cleanlinessExercise, rest & cleanliness– Positive self esteemPositive self esteem– Concepts about human relationshipsConcepts about human relationships

Social DevelopmentSocial Development– Opportunities to establish routine of physical Opportunities to establish routine of physical

habits, work habits, discipline, guidance, etc. habits, work habits, discipline, guidance, etc. individually and in a group.individually and in a group.

– Opportunities to develop social values, Opportunities to develop social values, sharing, group acceptance, independence, sharing, group acceptance, independence, dependability, following through, cooperation, dependability, following through, cooperation, etc.etc.

– Opportunities and encouragement to develop Opportunities and encouragement to develop interactive communication skills with peers interactive communication skills with peers and adultsand adults

Why choose UMAP Why choose UMAP National Gold Seal National Gold Seal Accreditation?Accreditation? UMAP Gold Seal demonstrates commitment UMAP Gold Seal demonstrates commitment

to excellenceto excellence Gold Seal is a marketing tool to use with Gold Seal is a marketing tool to use with

parentsparents Accreditation procedure raises staff morale Accreditation procedure raises staff morale

and commitmentand commitment UMAP has a faith based component built into UMAP has a faith based component built into

each age level curriculumeach age level curriculum UMAP has been accrediting centers for over UMAP has been accrediting centers for over

20 years!20 years!

What other benefits What other benefits are there?are there? Your school will be listed with the State Your school will be listed with the State

as a Gold Seal Accredited program.as a Gold Seal Accredited program. If you accept subsidized children, Gold If you accept subsidized children, Gold

Seal can qualify you for higher rates.Seal can qualify you for higher rates. UMAP Newsletters, discount rates at UMAP Newsletters, discount rates at

our annual Conference, voting rights our annual Conference, voting rights and support.and support.

You will be eligible for VPKYou will be eligible for VPK

How do I become How do I become accredited by UMAP?accredited by UMAP?

Become a general member of UMAP by Become a general member of UMAP by sending application and $50.00 annual sending application and $50.00 annual duesdues

Send for your copy of the accreditation Send for your copy of the accreditation packet, including UMAP Standards. The packet, including UMAP Standards. The cost for the packet is $100.00.cost for the packet is $100.00.

Implement the Standards at your center. Implement the Standards at your center. Complete all forms, including self-studies Complete all forms, including self-studies for director and staff, and parent for director and staff, and parent questionnaires.questionnaires.

Send validation fee (based on number Send validation fee (based on number of enrolled students) and request a of enrolled students) and request a validation visit.validation visit.– Validation fees (renewable every three years) are:Validation fees (renewable every three years) are:

– 1 – 60 children1 – 60 children $300.00$300.00– 61 – 120 children61 – 120 children $500.00$500.00– 121 and more children 121 and more children $600.00$600.00

A validator will contact you to set up a A validator will contact you to set up a date to visit your center.date to visit your center.

The validator will meet with the The validator will meet with the director, visit classrooms, meet with director, visit classrooms, meet with the pastor, if possible, and validate the pastor, if possible, and validate your paperwork.your paperwork.

The validator will send your The validator will send your application and other paperwork application and other paperwork to the Accreditation Committee.to the Accreditation Committee.

The committee and the UMAP The committee and the UMAP Board will meet four times per Board will meet four times per year and confirm National UMAP year and confirm National UMAP Gold Seal certification.Gold Seal certification.

Celebrate your UMAP National Celebrate your UMAP National Gold Seal Accreditation!!Gold Seal Accreditation!!