April 9, 2021

April 10-16 is the Week of the Young Child, a time to recognize the remarkable young children in Decorah and their wonderful early learning experiences at home, in child care, at school, and throughout the community.  Bill Gates once said, “The first five years have so much to do with how the next 80 turn out.”

Decorah has an abundance of high quality child care programs and preschools that teach, support, care for, and inspire the community’s youngest learners.  The impact of these quality programs will last a lifetime.  Shanna Putnam Dibble, Elementary Learner Advocate, shared, “This week we celebrate young children and these (and many other) amazing programs as well as the daycare providers, teachers, families, and community members who help care for our wonderful kids!”

Decorah has six Collaborative Preschool Partners.  Each of these preschools are part of the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program and provide free preschool (a minimum of 10 hours per week) to four-year-olds in the community.  They are all open for registration for the 2021-2022 school year.  For more information, people can view their websites below or give them a call. 

Kinderhaus: http://kinderhausdecorah.com – (563) 379-7303

Nisse Preschool: https://www.nissepreschool.org – (563) 382-4794

NE Iowa Montessori: https://www.neim.us – (563) 382-6491

St. Benedict Preschool: http://www.st-ben.pvt.k12.ia.us – (563) 382-4668

Sunflower Child Development Center: https://www.sunflowerchildcare.org – (563) 382-5717

West Side Early Childhood Center: https://decorah.k12.ia.us/school/west-side-early-childhood-center/ – (563) 382-4451