LA CYGNE, Kan. — In October, the Prairie View School District in La Cygne opened the doors of a new daycare center.
The former district bus barn, remodeled into a 24-student capacity daycare center, is the only childcare facility in all of Linn County.
"For every childcare opening in Linn County, there's 40 kids in the county that need that spot," explained Prairie View School District Superintendent Chris Johnson.
According to Childcare Aware of Kansas, Linn County has 234 potential childcare slots needed. Current data shows Little Buffs Daycare, the lone facility in La Cygne, is meeting 27% of county demand.
"The biggest thing in rural counties; is you don’t have the options," said Jake Johnson, a parent at Little Buffs Daycare.
Johnson is the son of Superintendent Johnson, his wife also teaches in the school district. They live in Mound City about 30 minutes away.
"With both of us working, neither one of us could pick him up at 11:30 and take him to daycare because it kills the workday," Johnson said. "This gave us the opportunity to send him to preschool because he can come here."
Superintendent Johnson said Little Buffs Daycare came to fruition in a matter of months. It was part of a collaborative effort of local grants from United Way of Miami and Linn Counties and Heartland Rural Electric Cooperative.
The project was bid at $353,000. Johnson told KSHB 41 it came in $28,000 under budget.
"You have to look at your community. We talked with in-home daycares first and did not want to step on their toes. We looked at what parents are already used to paying," Superintendent Johnson explained. "Then we started looking at salaries, it was the main thing the board wanted. This must sustain salaries... It really is a numbers game and that's the part I don't like. I want to fill the need, it's the fun part.... business-wise, I have to look was makes this place sustainable."
Earlier this month, the Osawatomie School District, approximately 20 miles northwest of La Cygne, recommended to its school board to cancel its daycare program. The board cited it was not financially sustainable for the half-day students it serves.
The Prairie View School District believes a viable long-term option to address a rural childcare shortage is in its students.
"I thought it was super interesting and I love the kids," shared Violet Hudec, a junior at Prairie View High School. "It’s so amazing to see where they started and where they are now."
Hudec participates in Youth Development Pathways courses at the high school. She's unsure if she wants to have a career in early childhood development but said students at the high school are interested in the program.
"This daycare helped me see the small business aspect. A lot of the high school students want to be a part of this," Hudec explained. "I think that they can definitely take this with them and learn how to do the small business side in town and carry that to other little towns.”
Bonnie Hobson is the Little Buffs Daycare director and praises the handful of high school students that participate in the program.
"They have energy, equal measures of kindness, fun, dance party, and reading abilities and engaging with the children," Hobson said. "I discuss everything that we do here with them so that they can take that with them. I wish that we could have them here all day long."
Superintendent Johnson said enrollment numbers at Little Buffs Daycare are down to start its inaugural year because it opened its doors later than anticipated. It's hoping to boost those enrollment numbers in the next school year.
Hobson told KSHB 41 that her goal for the next year is to create more involvement from its high school student population—creating work-study opportunities and real-life parenting experiences.
"We have special people," Hobson added. "I'm hoping the more interaction and volunteer time with our kids at the center we can expand."
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KSHB 41 reporter Ryan Gamboa covers Miami County in Kansas and Cass County in Missouri. He also covers agricultural topics. Share your story idea with Ryan.
