Parents as Teachers of Catawba County, administered by Hickory City Schools, has earned Blue Ribbon Affiliate status from Parents as Teachers National Center. Awarded in October 2026, the designation is the organization’s highest recognition for quality and fidelity to the Parents as Teachers model.
The recognition follows a comprehensive review through the 2025–2026 Quality Endorsement and Improvement Process. To earn the endorsement, affiliates must meet all Essential Requirements, required Quality Standard 1, and at least 80 percent of the remaining quality standards. The Catawba County program exceeded that threshold and met all 12 quality standards in the personal visits category.
“We are so thankful to have Parents as Teachers as part of Hickory City Schools,” said Dr. Jennifer Griffin, superintendent of Hickory City Schools. “Our parent educators build caring, trusting relationships with families and provide practical support during some of the most important years of a child’s development. They help parents feel confident in supporting their children’s learning and connect families with resources they need. This program makes a meaningful difference for the families we serve, and we are proud to celebrate our team’s well-deserved recognition.”
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Parents as Teachers is an evidence-based early childhood home visiting program that supports parents and caregivers as their children’s first teachers. Through personalized home visits, group connections, developmental screenings and connections to community resources, parent educators help families support their children’s development and prepare for school.
The final report highlighted the team’s ability to tailor visits to each family’s culture, language, interests and learning preferences. Reviewers also praised parent educators for following up on resource referrals, checking whether families accessed services and helping address barriers when additional support was needed.
Group connections give families opportunities to learn together and build relationships with other parents and caregivers. Developmental screenings help identify potential concerns and guide next steps. Together, these services support children’s early learning and strengthen families’ connections to their community.
The report also recognized staff members’ familiarity with the community and the availability of program information in English and Spanish, helping families understand and access available support.
The affiliate will be honored at the 2027 Parents as Teachers Conference. Its Blue Ribbon endorsement is valid through September 30, 2031, provided ongoing program requirements are met.
