Newton child care center's $1M expansion means more jobs, more kids
Jun. 22—Peck Child Development Center is planning a $1 million expansion of its child care center in Newton, which is not only an unprecedented move for the 52-year-old organization but it is also addressing a need in the community by increasing the volume of children served from 54 to 95.
Ashton McPherson, the child development director of Peck, said the new addition would be built on the playground area just north of the existing building. Much of the playground equipment would then be moved to a southwest corner of the property, which is currently made up of green space and an alleyway.
In addition to the renovation work, designs show that staff and visitors will have access to a new parking lot with 15 stalls. Currently, cars are able to park along a sidewalk on the south side of the building, but it is next to an alleyway commonly known for fast traffic. It is likely to be abated when the project is complete.
Peck will also be able to provide up to three more full-time positions and five part-time or summer positions. There are currently 11 staff members working in three classrooms with students ages 2 to 10. Apart from small remodeling work, the facility has not seen structural upgrades this significant in its entire lifetime.
As long as Peck can get the funding it needs, McPherson estimated the project could begin as soon as fall 2023, with a completion date of around spring 2024.
"I'm really excited about it," she said. "...Our goal is to raise the $1 million. We do have some matching funds that we can get, and we've applied for some grants. If we can't get the funding — which I'm hoping we can — we are going to take out a loan just because it's definitely something our community needs."
As of June, Peck has 47 kids on its waitlist. Other child care facilities in Newton are experiencing similar situations. The demand is high for child care, but every place is at capacity. McPherson said the expansion is something Peck's board members have been working on for some time to address the issue.
"We've got a lot of people wanting to come to Newton. I get calls all the time from Des Moines and they're like, 'I'm moving and I need a daycare.' They're moving from big towns to small towns and can't find daycare. That's not normal to them," she said. "If we open 70 percent more spots, we can get in a lot of these kids."
Children who are enrolled in Peck are going on field trips to the library, to Living History Farms and to splash pads and pools. But they are also learning and using a curriculum shared by the Newton Community School District and Newton YMCA, which also offer preschool services.
The partnership with the school district using the same curriculum has proven to be very successful in preparing children for primary school. McPherson said she's received positive feedback from families whose kids are learning the necessary skills needed to start kindergarten.
"We know it works," she said. "The kids are prepared and they enjoy coming here. They want to come back for the summer and can't wait to go on these field trips. They do get a little sad when they're 10 and have to go find somewhere else. We just don't have the room for that."
At this moment, Peck is uncertain if it will change its age limit when the new addition is constructed.
McPherson stressed that the expansion will not have a detrimental financial effect on Peck families, but they can expect a small increase. At most, she said tuition would be raised by no more than $5 to $10. On average, McPherson said a family pays $110 to $140 a week to enroll their child at Peck.
"I'm very excited to get these kids off the waitlist and get them into a good quality and affordable child care ... and show them our Peck experience."
To donate to the Peck expansion, please visit https://secure.qgiv.com/for/peckchilddevelopmentcenter.
