BROOKINGS — “Like many of the churches in town, a lot of the week our building is not being used,” explained United Church of Christ Rev. Mark Johnsen regarding the genesis of a new day care center coming to his church at 828 Eighth St. S. “Primarily Sunday morning and primarily Wednesday night was our specific situation. So we said to ourselves as a council, ‘Are we being the best stewards that we can be of what God has given us, including this building and the use of this building?’ The answer was, ‘No.’

“We thought about how we could help this community in some kind of way with what God has entrusted us with. We had conversations about a day care center (and) the crisis of child care. That started us talking about what that would look like. Was it something that maybe we were equipped or had even the resources or the skills set to start on our own?

“So Ambuer (M Vandel-Jaacks), down at the (South Dakota Department of Social Services), she came over to our church, walked around the church, and said this would make a great day care center.”

Then about a year ago, Abbie Ryan contacted Johnsen. Come summer 2023, she visited UCC. And things have moved forward since then, “to make things a reality for Ryan and the church.” And she’s ready to take on the challenge.

Loved and enjoyed

Challenges Ryan faced included finding a location within the community: “Right size; other regulations; number of bathrooms for different genders; space outside for a playground; all sorts of things.”

“I actually grew up in a family of six kids,” Ryan explained of her personal background and how it relates to what she’s undertaking. “My mom ran an in-home day care for over 20 years. That’s kind of everything I’ve always known.

“Living in a college town, with the university here, I have a child. I wanted to start up a day care, so I could provide for my family and do something that I loved and enjoyed and always knew growing up.”

In May 2019, Ryan opened an in-home day care facility in Brookings. “I’ve always had this vision of having an early childhood experience: doing crafts, learning their A,B,Cs, getting them ready for kindergarten,” she explained. “I did start out doing that myself, with some help here and there. I had infants all the way up to 4 and 5 years old. I start looking for helpers and I had a part-time helper come in and help me.

“That’s been going rather well; however, there are still a lot of challenges: with 12 kids, mixed ages and still trying to implement a full and pre-school curriculum. For probably the past six months to a year, I’ve been looking for opportunities in ways that I can grow and not only help these kids in my day care but also help more kids within the community.”

The center she is readying for opening will serve up to 75 children, ages newborn up to 12 years old. The focus will be on newborn up to 5 years old, with before-school and afterschool options for older children up to 12 years old. The early childhood learning curriculum will include such elements as an option for a second language plus incorporating some music education with piano and stringed instruments

Hours of operation will be 5:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Breakfast, lunch and snacks will be provided.

Ryan’s venture is named Learning Tree Academy. Prior to opening, it will be licensed following inspection by the Department of Public Safety; and Jaacks, licensing agent for Brookings County, will do a final inspection.

“I do have four part-time helpers who come in and out of my home day care now,” Ryan said. “I’ve now hired a program director: she’s got four-plus years experience in a center setting. She does have child care accreditation.”

Ryan continues seeking additional full-time and part-time staff positions and is seeking to enroll additional families. She may be reached at: Learning Tree Academy (ltabrookings@gmail.com) or telephone 605-697-8888.

Best case scenario, Ryan anticipates opening LTA in early February.

Contact John Kubal at jkubal@brookingsregister.com.