Higher Education: SWIC Kids’ Club honored by state

Southwestern Illinois College’s Kids’ Club has earned the Gold Circle of Quality designation from ExceleRate Illinois.

ExceleRate is the state’s new quality rating and improvement system for early learning and development providers.

“We are very proud to have been awarded the highest rating,” Kids’ Club Director Suzette Hechst said. “Our goal is to nurture and develop the whole child while providing hands- and minds-on play experiences in a safe environment. Earning the Gold Circle of Quality means we are exceeding expectations in our curriculum, programming and assessments.”

Gold Circle quality benchmarks rate learning environment, instructional quality, and all program administrative standards; group size and staff-to-child ratios; staff qualifications; and professional development.

“Every early learning and development provider who participates in ExceleRate Illinois makes quality a priority,” said Theresa Hawley, executive director, Governor’s Office of Early Childhood Development. “Providing quality in early learning and development will help our children in Belleville be better prepared for success in school and in life.”

Kids’ Club is only available to registered SWIC students and offers care for children ages 3-12 who are able to use the restroom unassisted. Day and evening hours are available, and both Pell Grant and CHASI are accepted.

For more information about Kids’ Club, call 618-235-2700, ext. 5KID(5543), or visit swic.edu/kidsclub.

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Southern Illinois University Edwardsville’s Mary Weishaar, associate dean in the School of Education, Health and Human Behavior, has been named the executive director of International Affairs, effective Wednesday.

As executive director, Weishaar will provide university-wide leadership for all activities and initiatives that support the advancement of SIUE’s global mission. She will report directly to Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs Parviz Ansari.

“Dr. Weishaar will bring her extensive background in internationalization to the position,” Ansari said “She will work collaboratively with deans, members of senior staff, faculty and other university constituents to implement strategies that advance international initiatives in accordance with the academic affairs vision and the university’s strategic plan.”

Weishaar said it is an honor to lead the program.

“I am excited about working with talented staff and faculty who share my enthusiasm for internationalization,” Weishaar said. “I am a student-centered leader and will listen, discuss, provide leadership and develop consensus on difficult issues.”

Weishaar’s responsibilities will include strengthening SIUE’s study abroad program, promoting global industrial and scholarly partnerships and supervising international student services such as immigration matters, advising and cultural advancements.

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Lindenwood University has renamed its evening accelerated learning program.

Formerly known as Lindenwood University’s College of Individualized learning, LCIE for short, the program that allows non-traditional students to get their education in the evening while continuing to hold down a full-time job will now be known as the School of Accelerated Degree Programs.

“While the name Lindenwood College for Individualized Education has served us well for the past 40 years, our new name better represents what students want and what we currently offer,” said Gina Ganahl, dean of the School of Accelerated Degree Programs. “Today, the school offers 10 bachelor’s degrees, 11 master’s degrees, and two certificate programs in highly desired fields. We offer classes at 11 locations in the greater St. Louis Metropolitan Area as well as online classes. The future of the School of Accelerated Degree Programs is just as exciting as when we started in 1975.”

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Timothy J. Richards, associate professor in the McKendree University School of Education, attended the Golden Apple Scholarship program’s annual summer institute held at DePaul University in Chicago on July 10.

Richards is McKendree’s faculty liaison to Golden Apple, a non-profit organization that works to inspire, develop and support teacher excellence in Illinois, especially in schools of need. Golden Apple Scholars take part in summer programs that include teaching internships and enhanced teacher preparation. After the institute, Richards met with four of McKendree’s Scholars who are currently completing their six-week summer internships in Chicago public schools.

This story was originally published July 15, 2015 at 10:40 AM with the headline "Higher Education: SWIC Kids’ Club honored by state."