Illinois AEYC and the Statewide Accreditation Mentoring Project (SAM Project) recently partnered with the KinderCare schools in the Schaumburg area during their Professional Development Day on February 17th. Teachers were trained on ways to effectively prepare their classrooms in pursuit of NAEYC Accreditation. Teachers participated in small group discussions, focusing on the NAEYC “Relationship” Standard. The topic areas covered were: “Building Positive Relationships Between Teachers & Children” and “Helping Children Make Friends”. The class also covered the NAEYC Classroom Observation tool, giving teachers a better understanding of the NAEYC Accreditation visit. There were a total of 68 teachers and managers in attendance that walked away with resources to further support accreditation and the important work they do, each day for children.