Two Child Care Colleagues Nominated for Prestigious State Awards

The Pennsylvania Child Care Association has recognized the excellence of two women associated with Pennsylvania College of Technology’s Early Childhood Director Competency Credential.

Linda S. Fallon, of Lewistown, a 2012 graduate of the certification program, is nominated for PACCA’s 2013 Educator of the Year Award. The award is presented to a child care teacher or staff member employed by a PACCA member facility who works directly with children and serves as a role model for colleagues. Fallon is among 23 Educator of the Year nominees. She is employed at Snyder Union Mifflin Child Development: Susquehanna Children’s Center in Reedsville.

Tracy A. Baxter, of Mechanicsburg, a student in Penn College’s director credential program, is among only five nominees for the PACCA 2013 Award of Excellence. The Award of Excellence is presented to an owner, director or administrator of a PACCA member facility who has demonstrated vision, teamwork and leadership. Baxter is employed at The Children’s Garden at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Shiremanstown.



Awards will be presented at the Early Childhood Education Summit in State College on Oct. 23.

The Pennsylvania Early Childhood Director Credential was developed by the state in response to business and industry needs. It is designed to provide a standard by which to measure program and fiscal management and leadership abilities of early childhood (and school-age) directors and administrators. Penn College was one of the first institutions approved to offer the required course work in 2005.

To earn the Penn College Early Childhood Director Competency Credential, participants must satisfactorily complete nine credits of course work. To be eligible to pursue the Early Childhood Director Competency Credential, a student must have received an associate degree in state-designated related fields, such as early childhood education, child development or human services.

To learn more about the early childhood education major at Penn College, call 570-327-4521 or visit www.pct.edu/childhood.

For more about Penn College, which will mark 100 years as an educational institution of national reputation in 2014, visit www.pct.edu, email admissions@pct.edu or call toll-free 800-367-9222.