Note: As of July 2023, the Greater Philadelphia YMCA has partnered with Montgomery County Community College to open an Early Learning Center on the Blue Bell Campus. For information, visit the child care webpage.

Parents and guardians of young children have a reason to choose Montgomery County Community College as a child care provider.

MCCC’s Children’s Center has received reaccreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). More than 7,000 programs are currently accredited by NAEYC—less than 10 percent of all child care centers, preschools, and kindergartens nationally achieve this recognition, which must be renewed every five years.

In order to receive a NAEYC accreditation, a child care center must meet 10 standards including: positive relationships between adults and children; curriculum; teaching; assessment of child progress; health; staff competencies, preparation and support; families; community relationships; physical environment; and leadership and management.

Lisa Lindquist, Children’s Center Director, praised the work of the Children’s Center’s staff for this highly coveted recognition.

“I’m very proud of our entire staff at the Children’s Center,” she said. “It is a testament to the professionalism of everyone involved.”

The facility prides itself on providing a safe, educational home away from home for children ages 2-5 years. It serves the children of MCCC students, staff and faculty, as well as those from the community on a space-available basis. The facility currently serves 70 children.

In addition to its reaccreditation, there are several other highlights of the Children’s Center. It offers small student to teacher ratios, it holds a distinction as one of 10 programs in the nation recognized by NAEYC as an “Engaging Diverse Families Exemplary Program,” it provides good preparation for kindergarten and features highly qualified teachers and assistant teachers. The Children’s Center was also awarded the highest rating, "STAR 4," by Pennsylvania Keystone STARS program.

 

The lengthy NAEYC reaccreditation process began last August when the Children’s Center applied for its renewal and began preparing portfolios of the facility and its individual classrooms for review. In February, the school was given a 15-day window as to when an assessor would arrive on campus for a full inspection of the facility.

The assessor visited the Children’s Center Thursday, March 12, the same day Pennsylvania Gov. Tom Wolf made an announcement that a stay-at-home order would go into effect the following day due to the COVID-19 pandemic, forcing the closure of the facility located on MCCC’s Central Campus in Blue Bell.

“There was a lot going on with Coronavirus,” said Lindquist. “However, we were still able to pull together and exhibit the wonderful program we have.”

For more information about NAEYC accreditation, visit the NAEYC website at https://www.naeyc.org/accreditation.

Updated: 9/27/2023