Campus Connection

Campus Child Center receives re-accreditation from national organization and celebrates Week of the Young Child

The Campus Child Center has received re-accreditation through the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). 

NAEYC is a professional membership organization, working to promote high-quality learning for all young children. Re-accreditation happens every five years, consisting of a full-day visit from a validator and a review of policies and procedures in each classroom.

Participation in NAEYC's Week of the Young Child further underscores the center's commitment to early childhood education. During the week of April 6, the Campus Child Center organized various activities aligned with NAEYC's themes, such as Music Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Work Together Wednesday and Artsy Thursday. The week concluded with a special Family Friday event, where families were invited to join their child for breakfast.

Ashley Franzo, director of the Campus Child Center, says the center has held its accreditation for many years. It is also the only NAEYC-accredited child center within a 50-mile radius of La Crosse.

Celebrating the center’s teachers is important to Franzo. She says their dedication and longevity is what make the Campus Child Center great. 

“Two of our teachers, Angela Dingel and Kim Amundson, have been employed here for over 25 years! We have seven professional teachers, four of which were student staff and went through the teaching program here at UWL.” 

Franzo started her role at UWL in July 2023, after having prior experience as director of various child centers. 

“Since 2014, I’ve been in a leadership role within the childcare setting,” Franzo says. “Most recently, I was a director for a multi-site large non-profit child center.”

At the start of her career, Franzo worked in various settings as a teacher with experience in pre-kindergarten to third grade classrooms after graduating from the University of Hartford with a degree in early childhood education. 

Building relationships and an administrative-focused summer are two things Franzo is looking forward to in her current role. 

“I was and am still looking forward to building relationships with the staff, children and families that attend the Campus Child Center,” Franzo says. “I am also excited that we follow the campus calendar, giving all our staff a much-deserved reprieve over the summer. This is where I look forward to delving into administrative projects!” 

Franzo is already making improvements to the Child Center, even though, she admits, there are few that need to be made. 

“This is a nationally accredited program, so I came in knowing that there would not be too much I would want or need to change,” Franzo says. “One slight change I made is revamping the student staff break room. Campus facilities built us a large coat rack. We purchased a shelf for backpacks, as they are too heavy for the hooks. We acquired a small couch. And we added a tables and chairs that fit that space.” 

Much like the NAEYC’s vision statement, Franzo is ready to settle into her role and ensure every child and student staff thrives at the Campus Child Center. She is driven to maintain the high standards required for accreditation, while adding her presence to the campus community.