Early Care and Education Center

Central Lakes College, in partnership with the Brainerd School District, now offers quality childcare and learning opportunities for those going into the childcare field.

The Early Care and Education Center on the Brainerd campus has opened to initially provide full-time childcare for the children of CLC staff and students as well as Brainerd School District employees’ children. Future plans call for serving the public as well.

The Center provides high-quality childcare and offers an avenue of learning for students enrolled in the college’s child development program. The Center follows the academic calendars of both CLC and the school district. The childcare facility, formerly known as Playhouse Day Care, is located at the west end of the Brainerd campus.

“The Center is a community partnership and investment,” said Connie Nelson, director of the district’s Early Childhood Family Education program. Through the collaboration her department will also bring a parent education piece to the table.

“This is an expansion of our existing partnership with the school district,” said Jeanette Rydberg, a child development instructor at CLC and coordinator of the facility's activities. Child Development program courses are now taught at the Center.

“We have combined two entities with a proven investment in the well-being of children, ” Rydberg added. “This is a unique approach of bringing two institutions together and building on what we both do best, which is promoting quality education and programs to children and families in our area.”

The Center employs full-time, high-quality staff to provide a consistent, non-disruptive and safe educational opportunity for children. Students enrolled in Central Lakes College’s child development program work with and observe young children and provide quality education and care for children ages six weeks until their first day of kindergarten.

“Not only do we educate the children in the Center,” said Nelson, “but also the staff and students working with those children.” Initially the Center is licensed for up to 55 children.