Staff

Building Blocks is extremely proud of all its teachers, directors and support staff. Our dedicated, professional and consistent team works together to build happy and healthy children in a caring and nurturing environment. All Building Blocks staff members are required to become CPR & First Aid certified within their first 90 days of employment and are re-certified yearly. Infant and Toddler staff are certified in SIDS prevention, our school age staff is trained in Basic School Age Care and every staff member completes the required yearly in-service training.

As a strong advocate of education, Building Blocks offers scholarships to provide tuition assistance and other benefits to all staff in order for them to pursue their higher education.

Many teachers are already degreed, and those who are not are actively pursuing their degrees at both the community college level and the four-year college level. All Building Blocks Lead Teachers have their North Carolina Early Child Care Credentials and several years of relevant experience in the education of young children. Each classroom is staffed with the same teaching team on a daily basis in order to further provide the consistency that is so important to our children and families.

Ami Medlin - Director, Center #1
director@bbchildcare.net

I have been employed at Building Blocks since December 10, 1996. I have always had a passion for children and knew this was the career for me. I began taking course work in Early Childhood after my employment here and have since achieved my Associate Degree in Early Childhood. I completed my Bachelor Degree in Early Care Education in May 2010 and became a Level 3 Administrator.

Through my years at Building Blocks, I started as a floater in a preschool classroom and then became a Lead Teacher in the Toddler Room. A short time later, I worked my way to Lead Teacher in the Three’s room and was promoted to Assistant Director. I am now the Director at Building Blocks #1.

I enjoy working for Building Blocks and feel we provide the highest quality of care to the children.

     Karen DeWolf - Director, Center #2
     kdewolf@bbchildcare.net
     director2@bbchildcare.net

In 2003, my family and I moved to North Carolina from New York. I have been in the childcare field for over ten years. I began my journey with Building Blocks in March of 2007. I started out as the Assistant Director. I also worked in one of our NCPK rooms to complete my co-op for my second associate’s degree. I then began working on my bachelor’s degree. I received my bachelor’s degree in management in January 2011. I became Director in the spring of 2011. I love interacting with people and most importantly children. They have such an innocence and willingness to learn.

I have two children. My daughter is in college and my son is finishing up high school. Family is very important to me. We often take vacations together and spend a lot of quality time with one another.

Building Blocks is like a second family to me. I love the family orientated environment our center provides. I can honestly say that I love my job and co-workers!

Michelle Jones - Director, Center #3
mjones@bbchildcare.net

I have been working with Building Blocks since we opened our first facility in 1993. During my Developmental Psychology classes in college, I began to learn how a child’s brain develops and how important the early years of learning are. I knew then that I wanted to continue working with children.

After graduating from Barton College, I began working as Director and continued course work through a local community college in order to become a Level 3 Administrator.

Through the years, I have enjoyed working as Assistant Teacher, Teacher, School Age Program Coordinator and Director. I am also very proud to be working along with my mother, Lois Stephenson, Founder and Owner of Building Blocks. The family environment of Building Blocks is further enhanced by the unique opportunity I have to work with my sister, aunt, sisters-in-law, husband and several nieces. It is also a wonderful benefit to have my son attending one of our facilities.

Building Blocks provides the highest quality of care to children in all three of our Five Star centers and I consider it a privilege to be a part of this wonderful program.

     Wanda Toole - Assistant Director
     Center #3


Hello, my name is Wanda Toole. I am the Assistant Director at Center #3. I’ve been working at Building Blocks since January, 2001, and as a “people person,” I love interacting with the children, teachers and parents.

As a mother of three, I understand and realize the importance of education in a child’s life. I love watching the children grow and mature and helping them in any way that I can.

While at Building Blocks, I returned to college and received my Associate of Arts degree in Early Childhood Education. I am thankful to be a part of the Building Blocks family and look forward to making a difference in the lives of children.

Camille Altman - Director, Center #4
caltman@bbchildcare.net

My adventure with children began in March 2001, when my first daughter was born. At that time, I was the sales manager for a wholesale nursery that sold plants in twelve different states along the East Coast. My second daughter was born in December 2002. I had a little boy in November 2004, and he has given me a whole different experience than the girls have! My love for watching things grow blossomed even more as I watched my own children develop.

The changes that children make in their early years are nothing short of magical. Watching my own children grow left me feeling passionate about working with young children, which led me to my working at Building Blocks in February 2004. Here I am privileged to work with my mother (Lois Stephenson) and my sister (Michelle Jones), as well as many other incredible people.

I began working towards an Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Development and a Bachelor’s Degree in Management soon after I started to work. I earned my Associate’s Degree in May 2008, and finished my Bachelor’s in 2009. After I completed the Bachelor’s Degree I became a Level 3 Director, and since August 2010 I have been the director of our 4th center.

Professionally speaking, my goal is to be able to fill any position that Building Blocks needs me to. Personally, I simply enjoy working with people, especially children. I like to bring a smile to someone’s face. There is nothing like the feeling I get when a child sees me and comes running to give me a hug, a teacher stops me to tell me how a technique that I showed them worked, or a parent calls years after their child has graduated from Building Blocks to tell me how much the child still thinks about me even after they have grown. Building Blocks is truly a blessing to me and I am humbled to touch the future that these children are.

Building Blocks Child Care & Development Center. PO Box 1379, Clayton, NC 27528