Nokomis Child Care Center of Fargo-Moorhead
They take kids on a first come first serve basis and give priority to children of families with financial difficulties, children at risk of abuse or neglect and children with emotional and behavioral problems. The child care uses the North Dakota State Department of Human Services standards for class size, teacher to student ratio’s and other rules set forth by the state as a guide for how the day cares run. They are a licensed day care and strive to ensure the children receive the best care possible.
The day care centers are administered by a volunteer board of interested local people who strive to run the day care to the fullest potential for the benefit of the children. The centers are a non profit organization and they get their funding from the fees for childcare as well as grants , fund raising events and community donations. Funding is always a concern as some of the guardians and families do not make up enough of the cost for their child to be in the center but the day care sees the need of the community and seeks those funds elsewhere. Workers are always participating in fund raising events such as sales and annual banquets as well as grant applications from various organizations to get their funding.
The center is an important part of the community in many ways, the center allows children who might not otherwise receive child care an opportunity at a licensed day care. Parents and guardians are allowed valuable time to further develop themselves by attending classes and work while their child is in a safe and secure setting. Nokomis also works with local universities with in the field experience for people working towards degrees in education or child related fields. People are hired and volunteer at the center from local colleges during the summer who are working towards a degree in childhood education or early education and there are also others who volunteer at the centers who just love to work with kids.
Teachers are required to continue their education and further develop themselves in the day care setting by attending not only required classes such as first aid and CPR but child and child care oriented classes and seminars. The child care ensures it’s staff are trained and maintain it’s continuing education by attending national conferences on early childhood education such as the North Dakota Association for the Education of Young Children’s annual conference on child care and youth education professionals.
This year in 2005 they are getting a break and not having to send a couple of representatives of the centers like they normally do when the conference is in another city. The conference is in Fargo and the entire daycare is using it’s regular cleaning day that they normally would shut down to do extensive cleaning and allowing all the child care employees the opportunity to attend the conference.
The child care center encourages play as well as learning, they are required to keep a lesson plan of each days activities and the head teacher of each room must develop this plan and have it posted. Not only for the other workers in the room but the parents and guardians of the children can see what their children are doing each week by looking at this lesson plan and the newsletters each parent receives from the head teacher of each age group. Communication is important to the workers and staff with the parents and guardians for the benefit of the children. Not only for the required things like if the child is low on diapers or needs a new set of extra clothes at the center, but for the understanding and friendship that is developed so that the parents or guardians and the children feel they are part of the center.
The day care is required to serve meals that are nutritious and follow the Department of Human Services guidelines for health and cleanliness. Children can receive breakfast, lunch and snacks at different times of the day as well as any special needs for nutrition requirements. The day cares get their food from their own funding as well as through various North Dakota services and donations.
Workers are trained in special needs for children for things like diabetes testing and administering insulin injections as well as physical needs of children with special difficulties. They have the facilities available for on site special needs assessment and counseling with special outside services such as Department of Human Services counselors or any other special professionals that a child may need.
Parenting groups are offered the opportunity to meet at the facilities in the evenings for group parenting counseling offered by outside parties and the daycare will provide free child care for the event. This encourages parents and guardians of the center and others to seek and get help and support outside of the normal day care setting and benefits the community at large. Nokomis child care offers the community the needed help that many low income families as well as special needs children in the area would not otherwise receive.
The day care has annual events such as picnic’s, Halloween and Christmas parties where parents, guardians and friends are invited to attend and have fun with the kids and staff. The day care strives to better not only the child but the family and guardians of the children.
To contact the Nokomis Child Care Center with any questions you can call the following numbers for information:
Nichole Nelson Executive Director 701-232-0426
Jane Greminger Assistant Director 701-232-5635
Nokomis Child Care Center I
618 23rd Street South
Fargo North Dakota 58103
Nokomis Child Care Center II
1620 16th Avenue South
Fargo North Dakota 58103
