Holy Family Early Learning Center to remain open

By RENEE WEBB, Globe editor
May 20, 2004

The doors of Holy Family Grade School may be closing for the last time this spring, but Holy Family Early Learning Center - a Catholic preschool and daycare - will remain open next year.

Housed on the first floor of Holy Family School's St. Boniface Center in Sioux City, the daycare and preschool will close for the summer but will be up and running again by about the third week of August.

According to Stacy Wielenga, director, Holy Family Early Learning Center offers an excellent curriculum. It includes areas of language development, nutrition and health, creative and dramatic play, pre-science, pre-social studies, cultural activities, art, music and physical development of gross and fine motor skills.

The center was founded in the spirit and tradition of the Catholic community and seeks to provide a developmentally safe place where all children are allowed to develop spiritually, socially, mentally, emotionally and physically.

The associate director of the center, Colleen Homan, brings the students together every Monday for religion classes.

"There is a Gospel story and activities," she noted.

While a specific religion lesson is only offered on Mondays, the faith-filled environment is promoted all week long through morning prayer, prayer before meals as well as in the environment through such things as a crucifix in each room and a religious-theme bulletin board.

Along with the curriculum, Wielenga mentioned that the teachers are equipped with up-to-date training and the overall building layout make for an excellent facility. She holds an associate's degree in early childhood.

The early learning center recently received a $10,000 grant from the Missouri River Historical Development.

"We are going to get a new stove, dishwasher and freezer," said Homan, who holds a degree in elementary education. Funds from the grant will also enable the center to make other improvements such as computers, window blinds, table and chairs, file cabinet and cordless phone.

During this past year she mentioned that preschool parents and parishioners from St. Boniface Church also gave of their time to man a food booth at the new Tyson Event Center. They raised over $8,000 this year to help offset expenses.

Homan pointed out that this school year they offered three classrooms. Ten students were enrolled in the 3- and 4-year-old class and there were two classrooms of 12 students for a total of 24 4- and 5-year-olds.

The center is presently accepting registrations for next year's daycare and preschool services. The hours of the daycare run 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. and the preschool is offered from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. Preschoolers can attend from two days to five days a week.

In addition to the preschool and daycare, Holy Family Early Learning Center will continue to offer its After School Care program for children ages 6 to 12. These children receive a nutritional snack, homework assistance if needed and have access to various crafts and activities.

Holy Family Early Learning Center will be open for the next school year and possibly beyond, depending on what decisions are made about the future of the building.

For more information call (712) 255-1760. Wielenga will be in the office through June and messages will be checked regularly until the start of the new school year.