Church-run child-care center endures 50 years

But growing from two staff members and six children in January 1955 to 11 staffers and 70-plus children has not been easy, according to Janice Sartin, the center’s director and preschool children’s minister for the church. For starters, opening a day-care center was unconventional in the 1950s, when stay-at-home moms were the norm. It was even more difficult as a church venture – some church members believed that providing day care would encourage mothers to leave their children, Sartin said.

“Of course, we all know that the ideal thing would be that all moms stay home with their children. But that isn’t possible today,” said Sartin, who began working at the center in 1971 – after the founder, Cave, had moved to Kansas City.

At times, the demands of maintaining the center may have conflicted with other church objectives, Sartin said, citing building wear and tear and space discord. “But I feel, personally, that the day-care center has been maintained for 50 years because the church sees this as a ministry and a way of sharing God’s love with children who need to feel safe and loved.”

The child-care center is a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation. It is owned and maintained by the church.

Back to school

Teacher Amy Davis attended the child-care center from the time she was 6 months old through kindergarten. After graduating from Southwest Baptist University in spring 2004, Davis came back as a full-time employee to find that the day care hasn’t changed much. “It’s the same caring environment,” she said. “I felt it as a kid, and I still feel it now.”

John Deeds, who attended the day care as a child from 1974 to 1976, has enrolled three of his four children in the program. “We knew it was a great place for them to go, from my own experience,” said Deeds, a Kraft Foods employee.

He also believes that the program has stayed the same since he attended. “And some things are identical, like Janice (Sartin),” said Deeds.

The center has maintained its original location, 1033 N. Grant Ave., with few physical changes. Sartin said that when the program first started, it used three floors of the church. Because of fire codes, only one level is used now.

About 19 years ago, the church spent approximately $28,000 to convert two large rooms into four smaller classrooms and create two additional exits, Sartin said. Pastor John Justice said that building and equipment upgrades – new beds and cabinets, flooring and paint – have been made possible through donations.

The day care is state-licensed. “We don’t have to be, but we ... want the parents to know that we’re willing to submit ourselves to the rules and regulations of the city and state for running day care so that they will have a better sense that their child is protected,” Justice said.

During the school year, the center offers day care and classes for approximately 70 children from 2 years old through kindergarten age. In summer, the center also offers daytime care for children up to 11 years old, bringing attendance levels above 80.

Approximately 25 years ago, the center offered infant and toddler care as well. After four years, the program was dropped because of maintenance expenses.

“At the time, we wanted the program to be affordable for parents. To continue offering infant care, we would have had to charge twice as much, or maybe more” than the $70 per child per week rate, Sartin said.

Now, several church members feel that there is a critical need for infant and toddler care in Springfield. They are putting together a study to decide if the center should offer it, evaluating need, cost, equipment, staffing and licensing considerations.

Growing up

Sartin said that in the 1950s, more than 300 children attended the center. “They grew pretty rapidly, and at one point there were three kindergarten classes. That would have been before kindergarten was in the public schools,” Sartin said.

“Of course at that time, there were not day-care centers in Springfield … . Now, there are new situations opening all the time. Plus, we have (Ozarks Area Community Action Corporation) Head Start now,” Sartin said.

Not only has the industry changed over the years in the amount of day care available but also in specialization, for instance, offering infant care and field trips, Sartin said.

Early revenue numbers are unknown, according to Sartin. She estimated the cost of maintaining the program today at a little more than $10,000 per month. “And it pretty much breaks even,” said Sartin, who attributes the day care’s success to its staff.

“The building is old, and there are a lot of nice new buildings that sometimes I wish we had. But it’s the people that matter. And we have all good teachers,” she said.