Step 5 spotlight: Christine Rippe’s commitment to quality child care in the panhandle

Meet Christine Rippe, director and owner of Christine Rippe Daycare in Alliance, Nebraska. Christine’s early childhood education career began with child care challenges that grew into a love for providing a high-quality, safe learning environment to many of her community’s children over the past two decades. Learn more about Christine’s journey to Step 5.

What inspired you to work in the early childhood field?

During my last year of nursing school, my son faced several health scares and complications that ultimately pushed me to become a child care provider to ensure my children and others’ received high-quality care in a safe environment.

My child care provider at the time, who was licensed, broke her back. While she recovered, her friend’s sister decided to help provide care in the interim. She was unlicensed, but we knew and trusted her.

My son was on non-stimulant ADHD medication at the time. I left his pill bottle with labeled dosage instructions for her to administer at breakfast. While I was out doing clinicals an hour away, I got a call notifying me that my son was in the emergency room. I had to stop and pick up my other child from her before going to the ER, and when she handed me my son’s backpack, I noticed his pill bottle was completely empty. She had given him all of the medication at breakfast without reading the bottle. The medication is also used to lower blood pressure, so my son was bottoming out from an overdose. I told the doctor the cause right away, and after a few days in the hospital, he came home.

Even when my original provider was able to take over again, my son later dealt with other health complications that needed more of my attention. I decided I was going to become a certified provider while working on my nursing license. That was 26 years ago, and I care for 15 children today.

What is your child care philosophy?

Child care is a partner relationship. Every child deserves the very best in quality, play-based, child-led learning. Children are motivated learners when they have opportunities to make choices, to explore and to be creative. My goal as an educator is to provide an environment where children feel free to explore every aspect of learning in a safe environment.

How did you learn about Step Up to Quality? Why did you decide to join?

When the Step Up to Quality program started around 2014, I attended a brief overview training. It intimidated me at the time — I had thought, “Why are people trying to tell us how to take care of children?”

Eight years ago, I got an opportunity to join Sixpence. The coordinator said she thought the program would be an excellent fit for me, so I decided to sign up. The program’s requirements include enrolling in Step Up to Quality, which they said would be a vital part of participation in Sixpence.

I’ve always been a hands-on provider, but until I joined Sixpence and Step Up to Quality, I hadn’t intended to be a true teacher. It was a huge shift for me. Much of what I was already doing was teaching, and with more intent and some improvements, I could see that I really was an educator for the children in my care.

How does it feel to have achieved a Step 5 rating?

I secured my Step 5 rating in February of this year. I had been at a Step 4 for two years, which I worked very hard for, and it felt so good to get to Step 5 while completing my CDA.

Did you work with a Step Up to Quality coach? How was the experience?

I had a coach through Sixpence who knew Step Up to Quality very well. I assumed a coach would come in and tell me everything I was doing wrong and would have rigid guidelines for how things needed to be. But she was very encouraging. She acknowledged everything I was doing correctly and just suggested tweaks.

In what ways has Step Up to Quality helped boost the quality of your child care practices? What have you learned and implemented?

Step Up to Quality boosted my confidence. It’s reassuring to know that what I’m doing is proven as quality care. I just needed to tweak a few things, like letting children take the lead in their learning.

I feel more professional. I call myself a teacher now, not a daycare provider, because I’m truly teaching. When people say they need a babysitter, that’s not me. I am a teacher, an educator. So if that’s what they want, then we can talk.

What words of encouragement do you have for providers considering joining Step Up to Quality or are still working through the steps?

Don’t be intimidated. Coaches are here to help you, encourage you, keep you on track and hold you accountable. Just take it step by step.