Local community and education leaders honored Kids’ Kountry Daycare in Rienzi as Alcorn County’s first Excel by 5 Daycare.
Excel by 5 is a community-based certification designed to improve a child’s wellbeing by the age of five. The program emphasizes the important roles communities play in educating their children during their most formative years — birth to five.
Kids Kountry joined the Excel by 5 program as a result of several Excel by 5 outreach events in the county, including the health fair at the Alcorn County Fair last year. The program provides guidelines to help its member organization better prepare children for school
“We’d like everyone to sign on for Excel by 5,” said Denise Webb-Harrell, elementary curriculum coordinator for the Alcorn School District. “These are the best practices to help our children succeed in school and in life.”
This spring Kids’ Kountry Daycare will add its 19th class photo to the wall. The daycare currently has 15 kids on roll from ages two to school age. Owner and operator Mitzi Potts has spent her life caring for children.
“I like teaching and helping them learn,” Potts said. “I’ve always loved kids. I’ve been in it since high school.”
She said the philosophy of Kids’ Kountry is to provide a loving environment for children in which a child can grow mentally, physically, socially, academically and spiritually.
“I was honored to be invited to be part of Excel by 5,” said Potts. “I work hard to prepare kids for school.”
Also on hand for the event were Rienzi Mayor Walter Williams, Rienzi Elementary Principal Stan Platt and Alcorn County Superintendent Gina Rogers Smith.
“We are so excited about all this,” said Smith. “Mrs. Mitzi Potts’ program has been excellent for a long time, and we’re excited to have her as part of the Excel by 5 community to improve education for our children.”
Excel by 5 establishes a variety of standards for parent training, community participation, child care and health to help communities focus on supporting young children and their families. The certification process helps identify available resources and existing best practices to help Excel by 5 communities reach their goal — having all children ready to learn when they start school by age five.