Editor's note: This is the latest in the Co-op Cares series on organizations that do great things in the communities served by the Southern Plains Co-op. Thanks to the co-op for sponsoring this article, and to all of the organizations doing great things in the southeast.
Bailey Fleck hasn’t been part of Weldon Childcare Inc. since its inception, but she’s been there almost since the beginning.
And so she had a really good grasp of the centre’s importance for the area.
Fleck, who is the director at Weldon Childcare Inc., joined their team 10 years ago, a little more than a year after the childcare centre in Bienfait opened. She became the director a few months after joining their team.
Weldon Childcare opened in the spring of 2010, and was licensed for 18 spaces. It didn’t take long to realize it wasn’t nearly enough spots, because their wait list was so long. So they upped the number of slots to 23, including six infant spaces, which was huge, she said.
“A lot of moms are looking to go back to work after their first year,” said Fleck, who noted that all daycares don’t take infants.
In 2014, Weldon Childcare grew to 36 children.
They occupy three classrooms at Bienfait Weldon School, and while they have a separate entrance, they like to participate in activities with the school.
Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, if there was a guest speaker or presentations happening, the childcare centre was welcome to sit in on them.
“The kids really loved that, and it’s great for those older kids, because it gives them a little more comfort for when they’re going to school, because they’re already familiar with it. They already spent the past three-plus years of their life in the same building. So it’s nice the relationship is established for them.”
While the childcare centre wasn’t deemed an essential service at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, Fleck has no doubt about their importance. Many children was spend 9, 10 or 11 hours a day at the day care, so they might spend more waking hours at the Weldon Childcare than at home.
“We really are helping shape the future with these young minds,” she said. “We’re giving them the most learning opportunities. We’re teaching them how to socially engage in different activities. We’re ensuring they’re meeting those milestones, and if they’re not, we are the ones who are looking out for them.”
Days at Weldon Childcare are a lot of fun. The kids are usually dropped off at 8 a.m., and an hour later, they enjoy a nutritious morning snack.
They will usually have a circle time, singing songs, discussing weather and the days of the week. Then they have a craft or a hands-on science experiment. In the summer, they spend a lot of time outdoors.
After lunch, there might be a nap, and then they enjoy another snack. Further activities will follow.
“We have little stations set up for the kids to do a variety of different things and activities, whether it’s arts and crafts, or more building and manipulative stuff. They have all the toys they could ever imagine.”
About 12 staff members work at the centre. They’re fantastic, Fleck said, and they’re always eager to work with the kids.
The centre has a good reputation in the area, and a lot of parents have been willing to be part of the wait list. Many of the families come from Estevan, and are worried about the drive from Estevan to Bienfait each day, but she reassures them the drive isn’t too bad.
“They fall in love with the centre and everything that we offer,” said Fleck.
Weldon Childcare Centre is a government-funded childcare site. It is open from 6:30 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday, and most kids are there from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. a
