Awards & Cudos
The State of Florida through its Department of Children and Families inspects all child care centers in Florida at least on a quarterly basis. Their inspection sheets are multiple pages long and the requirements are extremely stringent as established by Florida statute. The inspectors are highly trained and experienced and know what they are looking for. It is most common for childcare centers to be non-compliant on several issues every inspection with 100% inspections being virtually unheard of.
The Magellan Academy at Deerwood Park has a perfect inspection record of a string of 100% inspections since 2007. The Durbin Crossing campus, which began operations in Fall of 2008, has had perfect 100% inspections for the past two years. The Deerwood Park campus was recently singled out by the state for its exemplary record with a Certificate of Excellence. Both Magellan campuses consistently earn 100%s on their health/safety and fire safety inspections.
In 2010, The Magellan Academy was recognized by the Honorable John Peyton, Mayor of Jacksonville, Florida at the Kindergarten-Preparatory/VPK Graduation. In his proclamation, read by his aide in front of a packed audience, he declared June 11, 2010, to be "Magellan Academy Day" in Jacksonville to honor Magellan for its outstanding contributions to the families of North Florida over the past 10 years.
A leading childcare and private school trade publication for Northeast Florida, takes an extensive poll of Jacksonville parents every year. In only their first year of existence, The Magellan Academy was recognized as a finalist in their "Best for Families" award competition in the "Best Preschool Program" and "Best Childcare Center" categories.
The Magellan Academy has been awarded similar distinction every year since, culminating in a "clean sweep" in 2004 in which The Magellan Academy won First Place in all four competitive categories, "Best Childcare Center", "Best Day Camp", "Best Private School" and overall "Best for Families." Additionally, The Magellan Academy was singled out as a "Family Friendly" company. The trade publication from which Magellan won these awards year after year has subsequently merged with another publication and no longer offers the awards. Surely, similar accolades would still be accumulating had the publication continued their program.
2005 brought home honors again for The Magellan Academy, receiving recognition as the "Best Childcare Center" and being mentioned again as a "Family Friendly Company." Once again, The Magellan Academy was among the winners for "Best Day Camp" and "Best Private School."
According to the National Network for Child Care, "Quality child care can make a significant difference in children's development."
Jacksonville's #1 Early Learning Center - June 11, 2010 - "The Magellan Academy Day"
