Sneads Ferry Quality Childcare & Preschool
About this Nominee
From language and literacy development to social skills and creative expression, the children at Sneads Ferry Quality Childcare Center & Preschool are constantly being exposed to new activities and environments in which to thrive. Children are provided with the love and care to feel safe and secure each day. We use the strengths and interests of each child to help build a solid foundation where they can develop their futures.
From providing full scholarships for all employees to earn associates, bachelor’s, and master’s degrees in the field of early childhood education to including a fantastic benefits package that includes retirement, health insurance and paid time off, SFQCC has always worked to enhance our employees’ position as early childhood educators and to remove the stigma often placed on ECE professionals to that of a desirable career. In the past year, several teachers graduated with their associate and bachelor’s degrees using our full scholarship initiative and partnership with the TEACH Program. Because of this, our interest teachers will receive promotions to higher positions within the company and in turn, continue to provide quality education and care for our students.
We now have three locations in the Sneads Ferry and Holly Ridge areas to provide more childcare and
preschool services to the surrounding community. Our newest location, Holly Ridge Quality Childcare &
Preschool, was awarded five-stars in the beginning of 2023. HRQCC provides quality care and education for children ages three through twelve in the form of preschool, before and after school care, and summer camp programs. Our fantastic teachers and staff have been complimented again and again by the families they serve.
OnePlace of Onslow County and Duke University selected our three centers as partners for their 2022-2023 ITTI Care initiative. Through this partnership, ITTI Care supported our centers by promoting “strong and resilient early care and education workforce and early childhood system of care.” The partnership with Duke University’s ITTI Care Project provided training and support to our early childhood professionals providing coaching which in turn promoted an understanding of the impacts of stress and trauma on infants and toddlers, developing skills to form supportive, resilience-building relationships and learning environments, and identifying strategies to support childcare provider health and well-being.
SFQCC is partnered with Cape Fear and Coastal Carolina Community Colleges to provide real-world classroom and teaching experiences for their students’ internships, in-service learning, and practicum experiences. Their ECE students have shown tremendous growth after spending time with our mentor teachers and working in our classrooms. These future educators have complimented and raved about our center after working with our mentor teachers and spending time in our classrooms.
Earlier this year, SFQCC was accepted into ApprenticeshipNC’s Building Better Futures Apprenticeship Program. This program collaborates with SFQCC to create a training program that is designed to meet the needs of our center by providing the Apprentices and Pre-Apprentices with structured on-the-job learning, related instruction, and a progressive wage scale. Our mentor teachers will work closely with Apprentices and Pre-Apprentices through this program and guide them to be successful early childhood educators.
Each year, Sneads Ferry Quality Childcare & Preschool and its sister centers are accepted in the Quality Enhancement Initiative through Onslow County's OnePlace. With this initiative, our center continues to improve the quality of education and care through sponsoring continued teacher education and professional development. In addition, the centers receive support from OnePlace's Technical Assistance Specialists, and work collaboratively to enhance the indoor and outdoor classroom learning environments. QEI provides grant monies to purchase materials that enrich the classroom, students, and teachers. Our teachers receive bonuses through this initiative based on their length of employment with the company.
Each year, SFQCC hosts several free community events for families in the surrounding area. From our annual Trunk-or-Treat to Kick-off to Summer events. In the last year, over four hundred children attended these events with their families. These occasions provide opportunities for the families in our community to learn about available support resources, browse local small businesses, engage with emergency service workers, and enjoy free entertainment and activities with each other in a safe and fun space. SFQCC sets aside funding for these events as we feel they are a meaningful method to give back to the community we serve.
Over the past six years, SFQCC has grown from one to three centers. Two of which have been awarded five-star licenses through the Environmental Rating Scale of North Carolina. We sponsor and donate to local causes such as The Onslow County Police Department, The Annual Sneads Ferry Shrimp Festival, The Turkey Creek Fire Department, local school fundraisers, and more. We feel it is essential to give back to the community and support those who make Sneads Ferry a wonderful place to live, work and raise a family.