Clark County Preschool has earned a top rating in the Kentucky ALL STARS program.

The program is Kentucky’s expanded five-star quality rating and improvement system serving all early-care and education programs — including childcare centers, Head Start and public preschool — that receive public funding. The unified system is based on Kentucky’s Early Childhood Standards and research-based indicators of quality.

The rating takes into account several factors, including family and community engagement, classroom and instructional quality, staff qualifications, administrative and leadership practices and more.

Five stars is the highest rating possible.

“It is an absolute honor to receive a five-star rating,” preschool principal Scott Loscheider said. “I could not be prouder of the Clark County Preschool staff for their daily efforts in building a strong educational foundation for the students that attend our school.”

Loscheider said others in Clark County Public Schools and Clark County also deserve credit for the rating.

“We would not be here today if it were not for the hard work and dedication from the Clark County School Board, Superintendent Paul Christy, Preschool Director Bridgett Mann, John Roden and the KY River Foothills Head Start and all past and present Clark County Preschool employees,” he said. “I would also like to recognize the efforts of our Partners in Education, PNC Bank and Winchester Parks and Recreation. Thank you for being an avid supporter of the students and families that we serve.”

Jill Brinegar, a teacher who has worked at the preschool for 10 years, said she has seen the preschool come a long way during her tenure, with one of the biggest changes being when preschool was given its own school on Beckner Street instead of operating out of the elementary schools.

“I have seen the program grow immensely,” Brinegar said. “We now have 18 classrooms. Our main focus is the babies and getting them ready for school.”

She said the preschool gets a lot of support from the families of the students as well. Preschool staff make home visits to each family before the school year begins to help ease both parents and students into the first day of class.

“A five-star rating shows that we have a high-quality program,” Brinegar said. “I hope parents will be proud of that high quality.”

Preschool students Christopher Settles and Caleb Johnson said during their time at the preschool they have learned number, letters, shapes and colors, and they like spending time there getting ready for kindergarten.