Spring Grove Unites To Tackle Daycare Challenge With Optimism and Teamwork

Following the sudden closure of Spring Grove’s Little Gnome Daycare and Preschool, on the morning of August 10, social media was quickly abuzz with the news. The center shut its doors without any prior notice.

Owner Quentin Thorson shared the following statement with the Fillmore County Journal, “Thank you for reaching out and drawing attention to the financial challenges of daycare centers, as we know we are not alone in this. We made every effort to keep the Little Gnome open. Unfortunately, that has led to bankruptcy. We provided as much notice as we could, given the circumstances. We hope that the community and region can come together to address childcare needs and find sustainable solutions.”

The abrupt closure had an immediate impact: 22 staff members, including the executive director and assistant executive director, found themselves without jobs; approximately 40 families with 64 students were left scrambling for daycare, and the community lost a crucial local resource.

In response to the unexpected disruption, the Spring Grove community immediately rallied together to support the affected families and staff, navigating this challenging and unforeseen situation with unity and determination.

Spring Grove Clerk/Administrator Jana Elton said on Wednesday, August 14, “The recent closure of Little Gnome Daycare has once again brought our community together to find a new path forward. Spring Grove’s greatest strength is our resilience. Although the daycare center had to close its doors, we are deeply grateful for the years of service it provided and the dedicated care its staff offered. As we move forward, we aim to continue this legacy by creating new opportunities that meet our community’s needs.  The City is supportive of a new daycare center for our community. The current focus is on piecing together the right solution to meet the needs of our local families.”

On Monday night, August 12, from 6:30-7:30 p.m., Elton was available at city hall to meet with the parents and community members. Suggestions included identifying possible investors and looking into a community co-op business model for a daycare center.

“The Houston County EDA had a meeting with the Spring Grove EDA, City, and School to discuss the closing and brainstorm possible solutions,” said Allison Wagner, Houston County Economic Development director.

A public meeting is scheduled for Sunday night, August 18, at 7 p.m. at the Fest Building, 110 Division Avenue, Spring Grove to discuss options and possibilities. No decisions will be made at that time.

“The childcare shortage is a nationwide issue in both rural and urban places. While families often are paying a lot for care based on what they can afford that does not mean the business is making a lot of money after expenses. There is also a shortage of workers furthering the problem,” explained Wagner. “Houston County EDA is currently working with a Childcare Core Team to try to address childcare issues in Houston County. We have been working to help existing providers while also helping support new start-ups. Houston County has been helping pay for mandatory trainings and has a facilities grant that is currently open to new and existing providers in Houston County. We also work with partners like WDI.”

The Little Gnome Childcare & Preschool Executive Director Breanna McBride has worked for the center for three years, two years as Executive Director, talked about why it is difficult to operate a sustainable center. She confirmed that daycare centers don’t make a lot of money, state regulations are cumbersome, and the lack of qualified staff is a common problem in the industry.

In Spring Grove there were two daycares – Little Gnome and Little Lions – and four or five in-home with one closing this month in addition to the closure of The Little Gnome.

Spring Grove families are being supported by area daycares during this crisis.

St. Mary’s Little Blue Jays Daycare in Caledonia posted on Facebook that they have 31 months (fully potty trained) to school-age spots open, and long-term or short-term spots available. Little Gnome staff are encouraged to reach out to see if there are any available jobs.

Some families have found childcare at the center in Harmony, some former Little Gnome staff are watching kids in their home, and some are waiting to see what happens.

Sunflower Child Development & Discovery Center in Decorah reached out to McBride to offer their support and share their business model.

McBride, who calls Spring Grove home, is confident that with the support of the community and families, things will improve and be better than ever before.

McBride along with other staff members are planning a Little Gnome Goodbye Party on Sunday, August 24 at 12 p.m. at the Fest building in Spring Grove to see each other and say, “We will see you later.” Staff members, families, and kids are all invited to attend.

When told that the center was closing, McBride said that she immediately started crying and continued crying. She added that she feels shocked and weird, and it feels like it has been a long weekend.