Duluth Childcare Recommendations

squidinsweaters Jan 29, 2015 6 Comments

I seem to be getting much closer to securing the ever-elusive employment (in my career field) in Duluth and I am just so excited. (Hopefully, I haven’t just jinxed myself!)

My next hurdle will be finding and securing childcare for my toddler. I’m hoping that someone here can recommend a few places or at least point me in the right direction (besides Google). I’m interested in, and open to, options such as structured/educational in-home care and the traditional childcare center. References required, obviously, as well as certification.

I appreciate the help!

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6 Comments

duluth_bishop

about 9 years ago

We had an education on the whole "day care" issue after our daughter was born.  Waiting lists for day care?  Really?  Legacy placements?  We ruled out "in home" simply to avoid hurt feelings with friends offering their services and to constrain the choices a bit.  We ended up at Summit School and were very pleased.  They did a wonderful job building community between families.  Our kids loved the teachers and staff.  The building and grounds are wonderful.  It's been a number of years since we have had our kids there, but we still have great memories and keepsakes around our house.  People would shake their heads at the Prioress and I when we told them what we paid ... but "low bid" was not a variable in our decision making process.

On the other side of the argument, as my buddy Phil told me once, "they're young ... pretty hard to screw anything up at this stage of the game ... ______ isn't Summit School by any stretch of the imagination, but the kids are always fed and clean when we pick them up."

Start touring - you'll know when you found the place you want to be.  But get on it early - like I said, I had no idea that most places have a waiting list.

squidinsweaters

about 9 years ago

Awesome -- thank you! I will look into Summit School and add them to my touring list.

We were expecting the whole waiting list issue, but our timing situation is so difficult (my husband is currently transitioning out of the military and our actual date of arrival in Duluth is up in the air ... so it is very hard to plan down to a certain date)

Anyway, one center I found and was fairly interested in has a wait list until next December. What?! Now that's much crazier than I had expected. I hope I don't run into this extreme of a waiting list in our search! Thanks again for your help.

kerc

about 9 years ago

I'm out of the daycare search mostly (youngest is in third grade), but when we had babies and were actively looking we simply could not afford Summit School. Period. So we branched out and looked around.

Lots of families love University Nursery School. My oldest did not love it as a baby. 

Which left me with aaaaak what do I do now?  I was a student, one of my professors had a new baby at home, I called his wife (per his suggestion). She told me about the number you could call to find certified in home daycares. (Twelve years later that resource is available online at parentaware.org).  We ultimately had our kids together at an in-home care center for several years. That mom went back to work out of the home and closed.

For a year we found other parents to swap with. Then we went to an in-home daycare again -- this one was in the next block. She was fantastic, but doesn't take kids under 2.

Our big kid aged out of that after-school option care and we started hiring a part-time after-school nanny. We found her by posting an ad at UMD's human resources webpage. You can do the same. Ours was part time and a college student, which was a great option for after-school care. I see postings for similar kinds of jobs and also folks looking for full-time nanny care from time to time. Students use this listing as do community members.

Meredith Cornett

about 9 years ago

I highly recommend Many Rivers Montessori. Many Rivers is a vibrant, community-based school that is fully licensed for day care by the Minnesota Department of Human Services. Toddler programming begins at 16 months. Lead teachers in each classroom are certified by the Association Montessori International, and our leadership is working toward AMI certification for MRM on a school-wide basis. My daughter has been in Montessori education since she was 3, and Many Rivers is by far the best experience we've had to date. She is in the elementary classroom now, and is thriving. Last I heard there may be some spots available and they are taking applications. Very worth giving a call and visiting the toddler classroom. The mission says it all: "Many Rivers Montessori is a learning environment that fosters independent, academically prepared, and socially responsible citizens who will be lifelong learners and problem solvers. We provide an ideal learning environment that focuses on the whole child during each stage of development from toddlerhood through adolescence â€” the benefits of which last a lifetime." Check out the Facebook page also -- there are some fun photos and links to get another angle on this awesome educational experience (Twitter, too, but I'm not much of a tweeter!) Good luck to you on the job and as you select a school/daycare for your kiddo(s).

Funkenschutz

about 9 years ago

The suggestions above are good.  You should also look into hiddenvalleypreschool.org. Our son had a very positive experience there.

squidinsweaters

about 9 years ago

Great-- thank you all. These all look like great options so far from the research I've done. Have a great weekend.

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