Child-care center backed by Bernhardt earns 5 stars
By Furniture Today Staff -- Furniture Today, October 15, 2001
LENOIR, N.C. — LENOIR, N.C. — A child-care center sponsored by Bernhardt Furniture received the first five-star rating in Caldwell County for centers serving over 25 children.
The facility opened in September 2000. It serves 120 children from 6 weeks to age 5 and employs 30 teachers and support staff.
Once the center reaches full capacity, it will serve 100 more children.
The Bernhardt Creative Beginnings Model Child Development Center was developed in partnership with the furniture maker, Smart Start of Caldwell County, Duke Endowment, and Caldwell Community College and Technical Institute as a model of best practices for current and future child-care teachers.
The center is operated by Creative Beginnings of Lenoir.
A five-star rating is the highest possible from the Division of Child Development in North Carolina, and indicates the center meets rigorous criteria in staff education, teacher-child interaction and child health and safety issues.
"We are extremely proud of Jan Wyatt and her staff for achieving the coveted five-star rating within the first 10 months of operations," said Alex Bernhardt Sr., chairman and chief executive officer of Bernhardt.
"We are proud that the center, from it's inception, has provided working families of Caldwell County with a convenient, high-quality solution to their child-care needs," he said.
