CDA (Child Development Associate) CERTIFICATE PROGRAM

This course runs in 3 separate parts.  Each part includes 45 clock hours of formal Early Childhood Education that can be transferred to college credits should the student choose to pursue a degree at Lackawanna College.  Course work will review the infant-toddler/pre-school CDA standards in professionalism, code of ethics, and parent involvement.  Students will be assisting their parent/community skills and in preparing that section of their portfolio.  At the end of the sequence students should be prepared to take the Credentialing Assessment.

The program is run in coordination with Community Services for Children, Inc./Northeast Key., which is the administrative organization for Pennsylvania Dept of Public Welfare, Office of Child Development and Early Learning.  This organization has the responsibility to provide professional development opportunities to Early Learning and School Age practitioners throughout the Commonwealth.

FACULTY:
Gail Laskowski received her AA Degree in Psychology from Keystone College.  She graduated from Lebanon Valley College, in Annville, PA, with a BS degree in Sociology and from Marywood University with an MS in Early Childhood Education.  She is a Ph.D. candidate at Seton Hall University, in South Orange, NJ., majoring in Clinical Psychology.

She overseas the program, which is taught by faculty members who are certified by the PA Keys to Professional Development.  This organization has implemented a system for certifying individuals who provide instruction or technical assistance to early childhood and school-age professionals in Pennsylvania. The Pennsylvania Quality Assurance System (PQAS) maintains a registry of approved Professional Development Instructors (PDIs) to help ensure that professional development activities meet quality standards. All faculty are PQAS approved.

ENROLLMENT:  A minimum number of 15 students is required to run this program.

TUITION and FEE:
Individuals working at a licensed Day Care Center, participating in STARS, may qualify to take the program for free through a Grant.  All qualified students must pay a $30 registration fee and submit a completed registration for each module of training prior to the start of class.

The cost for those not working at a Day Care Center is $500 per module.

To register or for more information contact the Continuing Education Office at 570-961-7813.