Primrose Schools® Launches Social-Emotional Development Tool Amid Pandemic
The Ages & Stages Questionnaires® Track Developmental Milestones and Social-Emotional Learning to Build Parent-Child-Teacher Relationships and Complement Primrose Schools Whole-Child Approach to Learning
ATLANTA, Oct. 25, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- To continue its mission of providing the best high-quality early education and care, Primrose Schools announced today the launch of the Ages & Stages Questionnaires®, Third Edition (ASQ®-3) and Ages & Stages Questionnaires®: Social-Emotional, Second Edition (ASQ®:SE-2) – evidence-based screening tools aligned with American Academy of Pediatrics early childhood screening recommendations – in schools nationwide. Primrose Schools is the first and only national system of preschools to utilize these in all schools, and the ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 will serve to enhance the Primrose-exclusive Balanced Learning® approach by tracking developmental milestones and learning holistically in children from birth through age five.
Primrose is the first national provider of early childhood education and care to implement Ages and Stages Questionnaires® across all Primrose schools.
ASQ® and ASQ® Social-Emotional are developmental screening tools used by Primrose schools to help teachers provide more personalized support to children.
One of the greatest strengths of ASQ® is the collaboration it offers between teachers and families to help offer the best path for each child.
ASQ® is commonly used by pediatricians and is supported by the American Academy of Pediatrics for the developmental screening of young children’s learning gains holistically.
"We know the first five years of a child's life represent a critical period of learning and brain development, during which an estimated 85 percent of brain growth takes place," said Dr. Laura Jana, fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics and member of the Early Learning Council for Primrose Schools. "The addition of these tools in Primrose Schools system-wide stands to further strengthen the brand's leadership in fostering collaborative relationships between families, early educators and health care providers to better serve the educational, health and developmental needs of children."
Commonly used by pediatricians, ASQ provides accurate, reliable developmental and social-emotional screening with input from parents' observations. The tool uses milestones, like when a child communicates, gross and fine motor skill abilities, and problem solving, to identify developmental milestone achievement and inform meaningful next steps. The ASQ:SE-2 offers the additional ability to assess seven areas of social and emotional development, highlighting strength areas and opportunities for more individualized support.
The pandemic has made clearer than ever before the need to address social-emotional development in early learning, as children have had to adjust to remote learning and greater social isolation. It is well recognized that the earliest years of life are vital to early childhood development, and evidence has shown that the earlier potential development delays are identified, the greater the likelihood of improving children's developmental outcomes and increasing their chances of reaching full potential. Launching ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 in schools across the nation is one way that Primrose Schools is working to mitigate the effects of the pandemic on the country's youngest learners and provide the highest-quality standard of care.
"At Primrose, we celebrate each individual child and are committed to nurturing a culture of belongingness. We know that every child develops at his or her own pace," said Dr. Lauren Starnes, Vice President of Early Childhood Education Research and Development for Primrose Schools. "Adding this type of screening to our curriculum and comprehensive approach to assessment is not only beneficial for each child but also for their families. Bridging the gap between home and school will allow families and Primrose teachers to partner together seamlessly to help each child be prepared for kindergarten and beyond."
The ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 screenings are the latest addition to Primrose Schools comprehensive curriculum and Balanced Learning® approach. This year's Star Early Literacy assessment results from the Primrose Kindergarten students showed that 96% of Primrose Kindergarten students met or exceeded early literacy and math standards in the 2020-2021 school year. Primrose Schools expects to see improved outcomes across all learning domains, including math and literacy, with the enhanced ability to identify and customize learning needs of children as ASQ-3 and ASQ:SE-2 are implemented in Primrose schools across the country. To learn more about Primrose Schools approach to learning, visit the website.
About Primrose Schools®
Primrose Schools is the leader in providing premier early education and care to children and families in the United States. Founded in 1982, there are more than 450 Primrose schools in 33 states today. Ranked the No. 1 child care franchise by Entrepreneur for five consecutive years and named as one of the best franchises to buy in America by Forbes, Primrose offers Franchise Owners the opportunity to invest in a financially rewarding and emotionally satisfying business that delivers an unparalleled early learning experience for children and families in their community. Each school is independently owned and operated by Franchise Owners who are provided a proven and time-tested business model and exclusive approach to early education, called Balanced Learning®. Through Primrose on Premise® Primrose Schools and Franchise Owners enable companies to provide employer-sponsored early childhood education and care at or near their worksites. Primrose has franchising opportunities available in markets throughout the U.S., and is seeking qualified potential Franchise Owners to join the brand's rapid expansion and mission to transform the future of early education. For more information, visit www.Franchise.PrimroseSchools.com, follow us on LinkedIn and Twitter, and explore our news site.
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