Masonic Village Child Care Center Renews Commitment to High Quality through National Accreditation

Erin Hodgson, toddler teacher assistant, with (l-r) Owen Weisser, Isaac MacDerment and Ryan Beck

To provide parents a high quality early child care and education option, the Masonic Village Child Care Center in Elizabethtown has renewed its accreditation with the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). The center received high scores for going above and beyond requirements.

The accreditation process includes a self-study to determine strengths and weaknesses and, if needed, the development of improvement plans. A site visit determines whether a child care center meets NAEYC's 10 program standards. Required criteria include teaching staff supervising infants and toddlers up to age 2 by sight and sound at all times; using no physical punishment, psychological abuse or coercion; and the presence of at least one staff member successfully trained in pediatric first-aid training.

To receive accreditation, a program must meet at least 80 percent of the criteria in each standard, and each group (classroom) observed must meet at least 70 percent of criteria across all standards. Masonic Village's overall program score in the 10 standard areas was 97.8 percent, and the average classroom score was 95 percent. Many areas rated higher than 100 percent due to the non-required items demonstrated in the program.

"We continue to work together as a center family to achieve goals and reach new heights of quality," Rose Snyder, center director, said.

The Masonic Village Child Care Center, managed by Hildebrandt Learning Centers (HLC), is open to the community and accommodates 116 children who are divided into classrooms according to their developmental age. The center cares for children from 6 weeks through 6 years. In addition, the center offers a full-day Pennsylvania Department of Education licensed kindergarten program and a summer camp for children in 1st - 5th grades.

Staff plan the environment and curriculum to provide opportunities for children to learn by directing, talking, listening and exploring concrete objects and real-life experiences. The importance of "child initiated play," as well as teacher-facilitated and directed activities, is recognized as a major way through which young children learn basic skills.

HLC has been providing high quality, on-site child care centers to employers in Pennsylvania since 1991. HLC is dedicated to establishing a partnership among parents, educational staff and employers to build a solid, positive and consistent experience for children.

Founded in 1926, NAEYC is the world's largest organization working on behalf of young children with nearly 80,000 members, a national network of more than 300 local, state and regional affiliates, and a growing global alliance of like-minded organizations.

For more information about the Masonic Village Child Care Center, visit their web page or call (717) 367-1121, ext. 33375.

For more information, please contact:
Debra L. Davis
public relations coordinator
(717) 367-1121, ext. 33529
ddavis@masonicvillagespa.org

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