Recently, three La Veta School District teachers welcomed new babies to their families, but struggled to find childcare. They feared they might have to quit their teaching jobs. Many teachers, districts, and communities across Colorado face this issue. But rural school districts have much greater challenges with childcare — or the lack thereof.
This article isn’t about their story. It’s not about the solution. And even though this is our magazine, it’s not about San Isabel Electric either. It’s about La Veta School District Superintendent Dr. Bree Jones, who thought way outside the box, who put her career out on a limb, and who persevered after numerous setbacks. She created a solution that saved jobs, filled a community need, and might even attract more employers to the area.
After months of brainstorming, one day Bree suggested repurposing the building next to the old laundromat by La Veta Propane — which had been vacant for at least the last seven years — into a childcare center. “This shows how well Bree does at strategy and how important it is to her retain fabulous teachers,” President of the Board of Education and the La Veta School Foundation Annalee Hickey boasted.
“Oh, my goodness, you would not believe the amount of work Bree has put in. This was her innovative idea from the get-go,” Hickey exclaimed. The project’s success also relied on the creativity of Jimmy Chambers from Chambers Design, the project’s contractor. “He has been really digging deep to find us solutions we can afford,” Hickey said.
The project had a tight budget from the beginning. But there have been countless unexpected expenses navigating regulatory requirements. Chambers has been able to obtain discounts from local suppliers and various businesses. “It’s no wonder more districts don’t try this. It takes tremendous dedication to see it through. It has taken tremendous dedication and persistence to see it through,” Hickey added.
The Future Redhawks Childcare Center is expected to open this fall. Meanwhile, the school district has been providing temporary childcare. The new daycare, which will be operated by the school district, is accepting applications from teachers and the public. The center will serve children up to age three, and currently has several spots open.
Interested applicants can visit the district office, call, or email for more information.
BACKGROUND
La Veta has always been a wonderful place to live and raise children, but rural living presents many challenges for families. The severe lack of childcare has come to the forefront for many families, schools, and businesses.
Seven years ago, the La Veta School Foundation was created to help recruit and retain high quality teachers. Research identified two major obstacles: affordable housing and the lack of childcare. The foundation addressed housing first and raised $400,000 to purchase a duplex that now houses three teachers and their families. When the childcare issue became urgent, the district and foundation sought funding to create a daycare. Superintendent Jones secured two state grants totaling $279,000 to cover the buildout of the old laundromat, employee training and licensing, and to help with operational costs. The La Veta School Foundation provided the required $40,000 match.
SIEA and Basin Electric Power Cooperative contributed a combined $5,000 toward the installation of electric thermal storage (ETS) heaters, the most efficient heating option for the facility.
For more information on SIEA’s donation program, visit siea.com/donations. To learn more about ETS heaters check out siea.com/ets.
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