[Congressional Record Volume 161, Number 123 (Friday, July 31, 2015)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E1200]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATING THE ROBERT E. SIMON JR. CHILDREN'S CENTER ON THE 
                    OCCASION OF ITS 25TH ANNIVERSARY

                                 ______
                                 

                        HON. GERALD E. CONNOLLY

                              of virginia

                    in the house of representatives

                         Friday, July 31, 2015

  Mr. CONNOLLY. Mr. Speaker, I rise to congratulate the Robert E. Simon 
Jr. Children's Center on the occasion of its 25th Anniversary and its 
relocation to a new facility.
  The education and well-being of our children are among the highest 
priorities that we as a community share. The Robert E. Simon Jr. 
Children's Center provides a safe, nurturing, instructional atmosphere 
that promotes creativity, curiosity, independence, and cooperation.
  The Simon Center is a nonprofit organization located in the 11th 
Congressional District in Reston, Virginia, and named after Mr. Robert 
E. Simon, the founder of Reston. The Center was founded in 1990 as part 
of the Reston Area Child Care Consortium. The consortium was made up of 
employers, community residents, parents, educators, and professionals 
concerned about child care needs in our community. The Simon Center 
fulfilled Mr. Simon's original vision for providing quality childcare 
in his master plan for Reston.
  Mr. Simon's original plan placed the Center adjacent to an elder care 
facility to add an ``inter-generational'' component. That feature was 
part of the Center's original space as it was connected to a 
rehabilitation center and a close walk to an assisted-living facility. 
For 24 years, this arrangement flourished and both the children and the 
senior citizens in the neighborhood benefitted greatly.
  The Simon Center is dedicated to meeting the emotional, social, 
physical, and intellectual needs of children aged three months to five 
years in a safe, child-oriented environment. Since 2000, the Center has 
held an advanced accreditation by the National Academy of Early 
Childhood Programs, a division of The National Association for the 
Education of Young Children.
  The Simon Center prides itself on helping children grow through the 
exploration of their environment and the community. Its caring and 
highly qualified staff, low teacher turnover, parent-run board of 
directors, and low children-to-staff nursery ratios create a stable, 
nurturing environment for our children. The Center provides families 
greater flexibility with a year-round program and convenient hours with 
minimal closings.
  The benefits of quality early education programs are indisputable. 
The Center for Public Education has conducted extensive research into 
both the short term and long term effects of Pre-K educational 
programs. In every measurable area including kindergarten readiness, 
high school graduation rates, test scores at various points throughout 
elementary and high school, average income at age 40, even in home 
ownership rates, children who had participated in Pre-K programs fared 
much better than their counterparts who did not.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that my colleagues join me in congratulating the 
Robert E. Simon, Jr. Children's Center on the occasion of its 25th 
Anniversary and commending its staff and supporters for their 
unwavering devotion to our children.

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