As local schools expand options for voluntary full-day preschool, child care providers and centers often have to pivot and adjust their offerings.
The Learning Tree Childcare Center in Hallock used grant funding through the Northwest Minnesota Foundation (NMF) to reconfigure its preschool space to create a combined toddler and preschool room, allowing the center to accept more children aged 2 to 4.
“Although this reorganization will reduce our licensed capacity from 20 preschoolers, it will increase overall enrollment by allowing us to accommodate a broader age range of children below that 4-year-old preschool age,” wrote Marcella Bowman, the center’s director, in the grant application to NMF. “This change will help us fill available spots, optimize resources, and meet the growing demand for child care for younger age groups, ensuring that we continue to provide valuable services to the families in our community.”
The center, which is the only child care center in all of Kittson County, opened in July 2020 with two infant rooms, a toddler room, and two preschool rooms. Due to the school’s new pre-K programming, the center recognized that families could be better served with additional toddler space, Bowman wrote.
“We are estimating that we will be able to take on approximately 6-7 new children,” she wrote. “We have a waiting list of children in this age group that are committed to these spots if we are able to open this combination room.”
NMF awarded The Learning Tree $8,500 through the state’s Department of Employment and Economic Development Child Care Economic Development Grant to support the project.
“Voluntary pre-K is becoming a popular option for our local schools to get more funding from the state,” said Missy Okeson, who manages the NMF Child Care program. “Unfortunately, as schools open their doors for 4-year-old children, the family child care providers and centers throughout our region are losing the children that help their businesses prosper.”
With the funds, The Learning Tree was able to build a half-wall separating the preschool space from the additional toddler space, which was approved by the state licensor. The center was also able to purchase additional supplies.
“Their ability to adapt as needed to benefit their community is a great story to tell,” Okeson said.
