New Year, New Beginnings, New Spaces

At the McCormick Center, we are big on change. Very big. We have an entire leadership academy dedicated to embracing change and taking charge of it. At times, embracing change is easier said than done, especially when faced with unexpected challenges. The pandemic has put us all to the test, and our team managed change with fortitude and grace. Despite the chaos of the past year, we have had many significant achievements, including:

  • Pivoting our in-person offerings and services to be fully virtual, including our leadership academies, program evaluation, technical assistance, quality assessment, and our national conference, Leadership Connections™;
  • Assisting with the development and piloting of new Illinois ExceleRate Quality Rating and Improvement System standards and supports as a key partner in the state of Illinois’ Preschool Development Grant Birth to Five—ExceleRate Pilot;
  • Developing consensus recommendations for a unified professional framework for program leaders; and
  • Launching Aim4Excellence™2.0 , the online national director credential for early childhood administrators with new content and a completely redesigned format.

As we move into 2021, there is a sense of change in the air. One of the changes taking place at the McCormick Center is that we are on the move—figuratively and literally! This month, we are closing our training center in Wheeling and the McCormick Center will be expanding to three National Louis University campuses, including:

Chicago Campus (The Gage Building)
18 S. Michigan Avenue, Eighth Floor
Chicago, IL 60603

Lisle Campus
850 Warrenville Road
Lisle, IL 60532

Wheeling Campus
1000 Capitol Drive
Wheeling, IL 60090

Phone : 1-833-LEAD-ECE

Mailing Address:
McCormick Center
c/o National Louis University
122 S. Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60603

Our main office will be the Chicago Campus location. Please visit our Team page to learn more about the new locations of our team members.

We will always remember our 10 years at 6200 Capitol Drive fondly, yet we are excited about the new opportunities ahead. Our various locations provide us with new spaces and resources to continue and expand the work we do. When the time is right, we look forward to seeing you at one of our new locations!

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Let’s Talk About Bullying

By Sherry Rocha • June 12, 2025
Bullying has been around for ages. That doesn’t mean it’s ok, or we should get used to it. It is a persistent problem for all ages, and now it’s reaching into our early childhood programs. What can program administrators do? Some definitions and tips are below. WHAT IS BULLYING? Bullying has been described as a student’s repeated exposure to negative actions on the part of one or more students in which there is an imbalance of power between bullies and the victim. Some children learn that by bullying others, they can get ahead. It can affect the goals of education if not handled well. While the behaviors of young children can sometimes be aggressive, they lack the more strategic and deliberate actions that typically define bullying. Still, early behaviors can be precursors to later behavior, so awareness and positive interventions are needed . Bullying prevention can be embedded into SEL practices, diversity awareness, and behavior guidance practices of early childhood programs. HOW COMMON IS BULLYING? Most studies look at bullying as something that involves older children. Research on early childhood bullying is still developing. The Olweus Bullying Prevention Program (OBPP) is considered one of the most effective school-based anti-bullying programs that schools and centers study. Its founder, Dan Olweus, Ph.D, found that 35-40% of boys characterized as bullies in grades 6-9 had been convicted of at least three officially registered crimes by the age of 24. Bullies sometimes teach their children to be bullies. PREVENTION AND GUIDANCE CONCERNING BULLYING There are things parents, teachers, and friends can do to prevent or stop bullying . During the early childhood years, programs to help prevent bullying are helpful. Teachers and parents should be role models of caring behavior. Children raised in safe and nurturing environments will learn to be caring individuals. As children’s abilities develop, they can learn anger management, problem-solving skills, and decision-making skills. TEACHERS AND PARENTS CAN ALSO: Dispel myths that bullying is part of childhood. Encourage a positive environment by stating desirable behavior instead of negative behavior. Emphasize respect, fairness, caring, and responsibility in classrooms. Incorporate lessons about appropriate social skills in classrooms and everywhere; provide words for children to use. Understand the seriousness of bullying. Encourage children to consider the needs of others. Parents can arrange play groups for their children. A COMPREHENSIVE PROGRAM SHOULD: Promote a caring, respectful environment Help victims help themselves Challenge the bullies’ thinking Consider the effects of peer pressure Elicit students’ input FOR FURTHER INFORMATION: Assistant Secretary for Public Affairs (ASPA). (2025, February 5). Get help now. StopBullying.gov. https://www.stopbullying.gov/resources/get-help-now The Institute on Family and Neighborhood Life. (n.d.). Olweus bullying prevention program, Clemson University. Olweus Bullying Prevention Program, Clemson University. https://clemsonolweus.org/ Temkin, D., & Snow, K. (2015, August 18). To prevent bullying, focus on early childhood. NAEYC. https://www.naeyc.org/resources/blog/prevent-bullying-focus-early-childhood
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