Celebrating 5 Years

🥳 Five Years of Growing Little Roots: Celebrating Valley Preschool & Childcare! 

October 19th, 2025:

In the fall of 2020, the community of Elgin faced a major challenge. Several home childcare providers were closing their doors, leaving many working parents—including crucial NFV elementary teachers—in a lurch. Without someone to care for their infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, careers were on hold, and the community felt the strain.

The dedicated board members of Valley Preschool recognized the urgent need. They turned to the North Fayette Valley (NFV) school district with an innovative idea: opening a new childcare center. The NFV school needed teachers in its classrooms, and the community needed a safe, nurturing place for its children. A win-win solution was born through powerful collaboration.

This October, Valley Preschool and Childcare is proudly celebrating its 5-year anniversary of learning, laughter, and care!

A Mission Rooted in Partnership

Located conveniently within the Valley Elementary School (23493 Canoe Rd. Elgin, IA 52141), the center's success is a testament to extraordinary community support.

“This milestone is possible because of the incredible families who have trusted us with their most precious little ones. To every parent, caregiver, and child who has walked through our doors, thank you for believing in our mission, supporting our teachers, and becoming a treasured part of the Valley Preschool and Childcare family. Your partnership is everything. Here’s to many more years of watching little roots grow and celebrate big milestones.”

From Vision to Reality

The project began with the vision, persistence, and dedication of a handful of residents. Their goal was simple: solve the childcare problem by creating a center within the elementary school. This collaborative effort between local communities, the NFV School Board, and administrators ensured the new center would be a resource available to all parents and teachers, regardless of whether they lived within the NFV school district.

Special credit goes to the residents who got the project up and running: Tricia Anderson, Micah Gearhart, Alyssa Gearhart, and board members Heather Davis, Heather Staley, Susan Wenger, Kirsten Lerch, Melanie Bilden, Hope Cline, and Royale Torkelson. This only would go on to be possible with not only the help of staff at the Center, but also many more in the community.

The Perfect Location

The decision to locate the center in the school's early childhood wing made perfect sense. As Director Kali Wenger explains:

“In 2001, Valley added an early childhood wing to the school. In 2014, the pre-school moved from the trailers behind the school into the wing. It only seemed logical to have a childcare center located next door to the preschool. Children could go from childcare to preschool located in the room next door and parents wouldn’t have to worry how their children got from one place to another.”

The co-location offers other tremendous benefits:

• Convenience: Meals provided by the school’s lunch program.

• Resources: Use of the playground and the elementary library.

• Preparation: During the school year, 4-year-olds eat in the lunchroom, giving them a valuable glimpse into kindergarten life.

• Support: Proximity to experienced elementary teachers who can offer guidance.

Overcoming Challenges and Looking Ahead

Bridging the gap between vision and reality required significant effort. The center needed room modifications to safely accommodate infants, toddlers, and preschoolers. Furniture, toys, supplies, and, most importantly, dedicated staff were required.

Community members rallied with fundraisers, collected donations, and wrote grants to finance the renovations. After licensing paperwork was completed and staff was hired, Valley Preschool and Childcare opened its doors on October 19, 2020.

Initially, finding staff was the main hurdle, but today, that's no longer the case! The center is staffed with 18 full-time and part-time personnel, including trained high school students, and has an overall capacity to care for 75 children across its four rooms (Infants, Toddlers, 3-year-old Childcare, and Preschool).

Flexible and Focused Care

Valley Preschool & Childcare offers flexible enrollment policies and operates M-F from 6:15 am to 5:30 pm. They also provide:

• Before and after school care.

• Care on "no school days" and during the summer (excluding holidays).

• Potential for one-time "drop-off" care for parents in a pinch.

• Participation in a subsidized childcare program.

The center utilizes the ProCare App to bridge the communication gap, allowing staff to easily document a child's day and share updates with parents. The structured childcare program focuses on developing routines through activities like greeting time, story time, crafts, outdoor play, and more.

Support Our Mission: Upcoming Fundraisers!

Keeping daycare affordable while retaining excellent staff is a constant challenge. To finance day-to-day operations, the board holds several fundraisers annually, including the beloved Spring Pancake Supper and Silent Auction which will be held on March 27th this year..

This holiday season, the center is launching an exciting new event!

🎄 Santa’s Shopping Event

The board is trying a new fundraiser this year: Santa’s Shopping Event where kids can shop for presents without their parents!

• When: December 6th, 9:00 AM to 1:00 PM

• Where: Clermont Opera House (Santa is expected to be on hand!)

To make this event a success, the center is asking for donations of new or gently used items that can be sold as gifts, along with wrapping paper, ribbon, and volunteers to help price, organize, and operate the store.

To volunteer or for more information, please email valleychildcaredirector@gmail.com. Items can be dropped off at the Valley Preschool & Childcare Center or at local community businesses where collection boxes are located.

Do you need high-quality childcare in the Elgin area?

Valley Preschool & Childcare currently has openings available for all age groups! Check out their facility and learn more about their rates and programs on their webpage today!