Spotlight on a Site 

There are over 800 Safe Sitter® teaching sites across the United States. Some are brand new sites and some have been teaching Safe Sitter® for many years.

We are pleased to share with you some of their best practices. . . what they do to make their Safe Sitter® programs hugely successful.

Spotlight on a Site Archive

Talk About a Growth Spurt

For such a young teaching site, the Saranac Lake Youth Center is growing up fast! 

The northern New York-based organization became a site in June of 2011. Since then, they've already graduated 63 students in six classes. 

Husband and wife Ray and Donna Dora, who became board members of the center in 2010 to facilitate its re-birth, know a thing or two about education. Donna is a retired teacher and Ray is an elementary school principal. They knew they wanted a babysitting program (the closest one is 60 miles away) and, as educators, they knew they'd found what they were looking for when they discovered Safe Sitter®. 

"We searched for 'best practices' in child care courses and Safe Sitter® came up repeatedly," said Donna. "We're very happy with the professionalism, procedures, and protocols of the program. We wholeheartedly support the quality controls and requirements for safety for the sitter and the children being cared for." 

Their program grew quickly with an extra set of very qualified hands. School Nurse Shellie Manning also teaches for Saranac, forming the perfect trifecta of Instructors. And, since all three teach every time, there is plenty of individual attention given to all students.  

The Saranac Lake Youth Center teaches two classes per year-one during spring break and the other during summer. "Parents are enthusiastic about signing their children up for the course," said Donna. "Each of our classes have 10 to 14 students."   

Donna said that, as the nurse, Shellie teaches and tests the medical rescue sections and having Ray as an Instructor adds to the class's appeal for both boys and girls. All three Instructors appreciate how teaching Safe Sitter® keeps them in contact with the young teens in their community. As Instructors, they also have their favorite parts of the course.  

"In addition to the rescue techniques, our favorites are the five tips for preventing problem behaviors," Donna said. In fact, they find the techniques so beneficial, they actually teach them to beginning elementary school teachers for use in their classrooms! 

The youth center gives so much to its community that it's nice to see the community gives back. The center borrows manikins from Saranac Lake High School and a local drug store, Kinney Drugs, donated the funds needed to purchase dolls for Child Care Essentials. 

"We charge only the cost of the student kit as the registration fee and we pursue sponsors for scholarships," Donna said, adding the youth center has a goal of "leveling the playing field" for boys and girls of all income levels.  

Saranac Youth Center also makes sure it blankets the communities of Saranac Lake, Lake Placid, and Tupper Lake with advertising about its upcoming classes. Registration packets go out to all three middle schools and information is distributed through letters to the editor in the local newspaper. The center also sends letters to parents "and we always list our names as the Instructors," said Donna, who adds that parents of graduates are extremely happy with the program. 

"One parent shared with us that her daughter and daughter's friend were so proud of being Safe Sitter® graduates they wore their messenger bags around town the rest of their spring vacation."

Featured in the April 2013 Safe Sitter® Spot