GREENVILLE, Wis., Nov. 11, 2015 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Childcraft®, the award-winning early childhood education brand of School Specialty, Inc. (OTCQB:SCOO) ("School Specialty", "SSI" or "the Company"), is proud to kick-off its 70th anniversary celebration at the National Association for the Education of Young Children's Conference & Expo, November 18-21 in Orlando, Florida. Childcraft® will mark its milestone birthday at NAEYC's premier annual conference with various events highlighting the brand's achievements over the last seven decades. These events include an exclusive sponsorship of NAEYC's own 30th anniversary celebration of its Accreditation program.

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Since 1946, Childcraft® prized manipulatives, furnishings and accessories have helped early childhood educators cultivate the lives of little learners from birth to grade 2. Childcraft® has broken ground with educationally-based, top-quality products that support early childhood standards – including aligning with STEAM principles – and act as a second teacher in the classroom. With a full selection of early childhood educational products, School Specialty continues to be a leader in creating complete and effective learning environments that meet the needs of all children by building crucial "C" learning skills for the 21st Century: Communication, Creativity, Critical Thinking, Collaboration and Character Building.

"This is an exciting time in School Specialty's history as we pay tribute to the outstanding accomplishments of the Childcraft® brand in advancing early childhood instruction and learning," stated Andrea Johnson, Director of Marketing – Early Childhood and F&E at School Specialty. "Over the years we have seen the transformative effects the full range of Childcraft® curriculum and furniture solutions have had on our children, starting with the teachers who are entrusted to guide young minds and who require the supportive tools to help them succeed."

As part of the 70th anniversary commemoration, School Specialty and Childcraft® will be hosting a number of insightful presentations, product demonstrations, and fun drawings and giveaways at Booth #403 on the show floor, including opportunities for visitors to win prizes by tweeting or posting on Facebook their captivating selfies with special birthday wishes. Especially exciting is Childcraft's collaboration with NAEYC to host its Accreditation program's 30th birthday celebration on Friday, November 20 at 7:00 p.m. EST – Party Like It's 1985 – by flashing back in time to 1985; the year NAEYC Accreditation began. Celebrating the many achievements of the last 30 to 70 years and looking ahead to many more to come, this fun-filled, 80s-themed party will feature a DJ playing favorite 1980s tunes and attendees all dressed in their zany 80s-inspired gear. Plenty of beverages and refreshments will be served.

Johnson further commented, "We look forward to having a memorable birthday celebration with the Childcraft® and NAEYC families and in particular, with the educators dedicated to fostering lifelong learners from the earliest and most crucial stages of their lives. We look ahead to another amazing 70 years of developing and delivering the best in class tools and resources that ensure students of all ages receive the scholastic support they need to expand their learning and reach their full potential."

NAEYC Accreditation of programs for young children represents the mark of quality in early childhood education. The goal of providing an accrediting system is to raise the level of early childhood programs. Today, over 7,000 programs are NAEYC Accredited. Early childhood experiences—from birth to age 8—have an enormous impact on children's lifelong learning and positively contribute to their health and development. Early childhood education programs with the NAEYC quality stamp benefit children with greater readiness for and success in school. Additional insights may be found at www.naeyc.org/accreditation.

The NAEYC Annual Conference & Expo brings together thought leaders, classroom teachers and faculty, administrators, researchers, and other critically important practitioners and contributors in early childhood education. Whether you are a newcomer to the field or an experienced professional, the conference provides the opportunity to help advance shared work on behalf of children during their most critical period of development and learning. For more information on NAEYC 2015, visit www.naeyc.org.

About School Specialty, Inc.

School Specialty is a leading distributor of innovative and proprietary products, programs and services to the education marketplace. The Company designs, develops, and provides educators with the latest and very best school supplies, furniture and both curriculum and supplemental learning resources. Working in collaboration with educators, School Specialty reaches beyond the scope of textbooks to help teachers, guidance counselors and school administrators ensure that every student reaches his or her full potential. For more information about School Specialty, visit www.schoolspecialty.com.

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CONTACT: Company Contact:
         Andrea Johnson
         Director of Marketing - Early Childhood and F&E
         Tel: 920-882-5659
         Email: andrea.johnson@schoolspecialty.com
         
         Media Contacts:
         Glenn Wiener and Dionne Manchester
         GW Communications (for School Specialty)
         Tel: 212-786-6011 / 212-786-6068
         Email: gwiener@GWCco.com / dionne@GWCco.com

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