The Lil’ Clubhouse at the Bridesburg Boys & Girls Club has earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children – the nation’s leading organization of early childhood professionals.
“We’re proud to be accredited by NAEYC and recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards,” said Adria Peta, director of the preschool program. “NAEYC Accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experience,” adds Jerry Houck, director of the Bridesburg Boys & Girls Club, “We are very proud of the hard work of our Lil’ Clubhouse staff and commend Miss Peta and her staff on this achievement”.
In the 20 years since NAEYC Accreditation was established, it has become a widely recognized sign of high quality in early childhood education programs. More than 10,000 programs – serving over 850,000 young children – are currently accredited by NAEYC. “In recent years, we’ve seen a growing number of child care and preschool programs earning NAEYC Accreditation,” said Mark Ginsberg, Ph.D., executive director of NAEYC. “By earning accreditation, the Lil’ Clubhouse has become a leader in a national effort to raise the quality of early childhood education, and to help give all children a better start.”
Responding to the growth of the system, in 1999 the NAEYC Governing Board appointed a National Commission on Accreditation Reinvention to conduct a comprehensive review of NAEYC’s Accreditation system. Building on their work, NAEYC is making many changes to increase the reliability and accountability of the accreditation system and promote higher program quality. In April 2005, the NAEYC Governing Board approved new NAEYC Early Childhood Program Standards and Accreditation Performance criteria, which will be the foundation of the reinvented accreditation system. The new system will be fully operational in 2006.
NAEYC created its accreditation program in 1985 to set professional standards for early childhood education, and to help families identify high-quality childcare and early education programs. To earn NAEYC’s accreditation, a program conducts a self-study to determine how well it meets the standards. After necessary improvements are made, the program is observed by independent, professional validators, and then reviewed by a national panel. Programs are accredited by NAEYC for a five-year period.
The Lil’ Clubhouse opened in 1997 and offers full day childcare for children ages 6 weeks to age 5. Call 215-535-3923 for additional information and weekly rates.
