Joyful Noise currently operates four employer-sponsored, on-site child development centers in the Portland metropolitan area. Beginning in 1989 with Joyful Noise-Downtown, the non-profit corporation has expanded to include Joyful Noise-MetroKids (1994), Joyful Noise-CityKids (2000), and Joyful Noise-East (2005).

From its inception, Joyful Noise has been a regional leader in providing quality early childhood education programs to children. Our centers have been are accredited by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Programs seeking accreditation undergo an intensive self-study and an on-site visit followed by an independent review by national experts. The process carefully considers all aspects of a program including interactions between teachers and children, health, safety, staffing qualification, and physical environment. Each center is licensed by the State of Oregon, Employment Department, Child Care Division.

As we continue to evolve and grow, foremost in our mission is a commitment to provide a high-quality program for young children and their families. Our ultimate goal is to convey significant, positive and lasting benefits to the life of a child.

Joyful Noise Child Development Center – Downtown

(503) 326-6827
Center Director: Quinn Mees — Email Quinn
Education Director: Tiara Thorpe

• NAEYC Accredited
• 5-Star Quality Rating & Improvement System (QRIS)

MetroKids Child Development Center

(503) 797-1702
Center Director: Courtney Zeggert — Email Courtney
Education Director: Joy Valenzuela

• NAEYC Accredited
• 5-Star Quality Rating & Improvement System (QRIS)

CityKids Child Development Center

(503) 823-6163
Center Director: Valerie Morlan — Email Valerie
Education Director: Tiara Thorpe

• NAEYC Accredited
• 5-Star Quality Rating & Improvement System (QRIS)

Joyful Noise Child Development Center — Eastside

(503) 230-4114
Center Director: Patty Strobel-Alsbury Email Patty
Education Director: Joy Valenzuela

• NAEYC Accredited
• 5-Star Quality Rating & Improvement System (QRIS)

Corporate Office — Off-site

info@joyfulnoisecdc.org
Executive Director: Alice Smith
HR Director: Susan Chaney

The management team of Joyful Noise Child Care Centers, Inc. is comprised of an Executive Director, four Center Directors and two Education Directors that serve the Joyful Noise sites. The Executive Director is responsible for the overall operations of the corporation, including oversight of center management and guidance of the program philosophy through meetings with directors and staff. The Executive Director serves as a liaison to parent boards/committees, contract managers and parents. The Center Director holds a full time, on-site position and is accountable to the Executive Director. The Center Director supervises the day to day operations of the center, including oversight of staff, parent relationships, financial/clerical records, meetings, the center environment, purchasing and the program. The Education Director’s focus is primarily staff development, program development and evaluation, curriculum development, program documentation and ongoing accreditation/review in collaboration with the Center and Executive Directors.

Staff members are experienced childhood educators who participate in continuous professional development in the field of Early Childhood Education. They remain alert to the ever-changing needs of today’s families and to the findings of current research and advances within the profession.

We exceed the guidelines set forth by the State of Oregon’s Child Care Division and the National Accreditation for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) teaching qualification standards with approximately 70% of our staff specializing in Early Childhood Education or related field with an AA, BA or MA.

Administration and a majority of Joyful Noise staff members are active in our state and local professional early childhood associations, NAEYC, and are members of several local private school associations.

Our program is amply staffed and organized to assure that the needs of individual children are met, and to maintain positive interactions and constructive activity among the children and staff. Our ratio of adults to children in the program meets or exceeds the regulatory standards required by the State of Oregon, to ensure adequate supervision, frequent personal contact, and time for meaningful, individual interactions. Staffing patterns are planned so that the same adults have primary responsibility for the same children each day.

Due in part to our contractual agreements in which the sponsoring agencies pay all or part of the rent, janitorial and utilities for our centers, Joyful Noise continues to attract and retain a more highly qualified staff by paying a higher-than-industry-standard wage and offering a healthy benefit package. Our programs employ and support a teaching staff that has the educational qualifications, knowledge, and professional commitment necessary to promote children’s learning and development and to support families’ diverse needs and interests.