Building Blocks Earns Five Star Rating

With the Olympics dominating news, a steady stream of world class athletes recited themes that led to their success: Hard work, training, dedication, focus, desire and determination.

They are common ingredients for excellence by high achievers across many disciplines, which is why Gladys Barber, Family Services Director at NOAH, used the same words to explain what propelled NOAH’s Building Blocks program to the top of Quality Counts’ new Five-Star rating system.

"We were assessed by Family Central, and we got our Five Star rating,"” Barber said. “This is the first year for the Five-Star, and we’re pretty pleased about that. The top rating had been four stars, but they were looking for more quality, so they upped the requirements.”

Barber wanted to be among the first in line to achieve the new, higher standard and talked about the hard work of her staff, the extra training they get to keep abreast of advancements in early childhood education, their dedication to the children, their focus on development of the whole child and their desire to improve living conditions for families in the Glades. They were determined to meet the higher standards – and they did. 

Quality Counts is a voluntary rating system for early care and education providers, which uses clearly defined methods to help prepare children to be eager and ready learners when they enter school.

Building Blocks Infant and Family Center of Noah, Inc. was evaluated by program administrators in January and assessed in the areas of administration, professional development/staff qualifications, classroom environment, staff-to-child ratio, family engagement and curriculum.

In conducting the assessment, Family Central Inc. used the Infant Toddler Environment Rating Scale (ITERS) for children ages 0 to 30 months and the Early Childhood Environment rating scale (ECERS) for children 30 months to 5 years old. Family Central is, a non profit agency charged with administering subsidized child care funds for the Palm Beach County.

In addition to the Five-Star rating, Building Blocks is nationally accredited by the National Accreditation Commission and — in keeping with the Olympic gold theme — it holds a Florida Gold Seal Quality of Care from the Department of Children and Families Childcare Services.

Parents, you want your children to be in this program! There are spaces available in all classrooms. Visit the center and enroll your child today. 

For more information, call Gladys Barber at (561) 996-3889 ext. 21211.

Return to Newsletter »