The Learning Lamp @ GJCTC Renews National Accreditation

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Johnstown, PA (January 11, 2021) – At a time when many child care centers are operating at reduced capacity and struggling to stay afloat, The Learning Lamp Center for Children @ the Greater Johnstown Career and Technology Center (GJCTC) earned national accreditation—and with near perfect scores.

The center, located in Richland, first earned accreditation by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in 2016. Accreditation, awarded for a five-year term, is a hallmark of quality for early learning programs.

“We have great staff, and they work hard to provide our families with the highest level of care and education,” said Erica Ponczek, director of child development and early learning at The Learning Lamp. “Renewing NAEYC accreditation is a way to show our commitment to the kids and families we serve.”

To earn accreditation, the center had to meet 10 standards, scoring at least 80 percent in each category. The standards include relationships, curriculum, teaching, assessment, health, teachers, families, community relationships, physical environment, and leadership and management. During NAEYC’s visit, The Learning Lamp received scores of 100 percent in eight of 10 categories. NAEYC reviewers also conducted observations and looked at classroom portfolios put together by staff and program portfolios assembled by directors. The Learning Lamp received a 95% for the completed portfolios.

“NAEYC accreditation has been the gold standard for excellence in the field of early childhood education since 1985,” explained Ponczek. “Families with children enrolled in NAEYC-accredited programs can be confident that their little ones are receiving the highest quality care and early education.”

The Learning Lamp Center for Children @ GJCTC is one of only a handful of NAEYC-accredited programs within 50 miles of Johnstown. The center is also a Keystone STAR 4A facility, the highest level in Pennsylvania’s continuous quality improvement model for early learning programs. To learn more about The Learning Lamp’s child care programs, or to enroll your child, call Erica Ponczek at 814-262-0732 extension 222.

The Learning Lamp is a nonprofit organization with a mission to engage all children in the support they need to succeed. We deliver high quality programs that are affordable and accessible to families of all income levels. In 2019, The Learning Lamp served 31,329 youth/adults from 53 public school districts and 78 other schools and organizations in 19 Pennsylvania counties.

 Our programs include: one-to-one tutoring; before/after school programs; portable classrooms aimed at building math and science skills; alternative education programs for at-risk students; evidence-based prevention programs; online learning and credit recovery; SAT preparation; educationally-focused child care; literacy-based preschool programs; and grant writing and project consulting for schools.