North Adams Public School Early Childhood Education Earns Accreditation

12:00AM / Tuesday, June 06, 2006Print Story | Email Story

North Adams - Two city public school pre-school programs and the city's kindergartens have earned accreditation from the National Association for the Education of Young Children. The NAEYC is a nationally known, well respected organization of early childhood professionals. "We are proud to be accredited by the NAEYC and to be recognized for our commitment to reaching the highest professional standards," said North Adams Public Schools Superintendent James E. Montepare. "NAEYC accreditation lets families in our community know that children in our program are getting the best care and early learning experiences." Over 11,000 early childhood programs serving over one million young children are currently accredited by the NAEYC. "In recent years, we've seen a growing number of child care and preschool programs earning NAEYC accreditation," said NAEYC Executive Director Mark Ginsburg in a prepared statement. "By earning accreditation, North Adams 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." Programs reviewed for accreditation must meet a wide range of criteria that speak to program quality. These include standards for the physical environment, health and safety practices, involvement of families in the education process,staff qualifications, and instructional quality. As part of the evaluation process, the city's pre-kindergarten and kindergarten faculty completed an extensive self-study. NAEYC evaluators also spent several days observing North Adams programs and reviewing documents. Feedback about the city program provided by on-site evaluators suggests that quality of staff and instruction was particularly strong. 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. Programs are accredited by the NAEYC for a five-year period. Montepare said that to retain accreditation, city public schools must continue to review and improve their programs on a yearly basis. "Continual improvement is our goal for the North Adams Public Schools. No matter how good we are, we're always looking for ways to be even better."

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Weekend Outlook: Crafting, Concerts and More

By Breanna SteeleiBerkshires Staff
12:31PM / Friday, January 30, 2026

Check out the events happening this weekend, including shows, crafting, and more.

Editor's Pick

Murder on the Menu
197 East St., Lenox
Time: Saturday, 6 to 8 p.m.

Join the drama department at Lenox Memorial Middle and High School for a comedic, interactive murder mystery. Try to solve the mystery by interacting with the cast.

Tickets are $20 and include a dinner of pasta, salad, and dessert.

More information here.

Friday

Vivaldi & Mozart Candlelight Experience
Zion Lutheran Church, Pittsfield
Time: 6 to 7, 8 to 9 p.m.

Enjoy a candlelight concert of music by Mozart and Vivaldi. Tickets are $30 to $70.

More information and tickets here.

Common Craft Night
165 East Main St., North Adams
Time: 6 to 8 p.m.

Bring a craft you have been working on and join others to socialize.

More information here.

Guthrie Family Singers

Stationery Factory, Dalton

Time: 7:30 p.m.

Guthrie Family Singers are Sarah Lee, Serena, and Robin Guthrie, all granddaughters of Woody Guthrie. They offer a blend of folk, indie, country, gospel, and classic girl-group sounds. Suitable for all ages.

Tickets can be purchased here.

'The Little Shop of Horrors'

Bennington (Vt.) Theater

Time: 6 p.m.

The theater at 331 Main St. screens Roger Corman's classic 1960 horror-comedy, which spawned the Broadway musical and a 1986 film.

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