Kids’ Corner finds a new home

• Zion Lutheran Church

The Kids’ Corner School Age Childcare program will have a new home this fall, at Cloquet’s Zion Lutheran Church. The church has a large education wing in addition to its distinctive sanctuary and is located only blocks from Washington School. Jana Peterson/jpeterson

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The Kids’ Corner School Age Childcare program will have a new home this fall, at Cloquet’s Zion Lutheran Church.

The program, administered by Cloquet Community Education, was split between Washington and Churchill elementary schools last year, but the school board’s decision to add a new section of first grade this fall filled Washington School’s available space, forcing the move.

Zion – which has a large education wing in addition to its distinctive sanctuary – was a perfect fit. Of course, even with numerous classrooms and a convenient drop-off and pick-up point, there are still a number of challenges presented by the move.

“It is a different setup,” said Cloquet Community Education Director Ruth Reeves, who recently took over the Community Education program after Sarah Liimatainen retired. “There is also transportation involved because we were on-site at Churchill and Washington before.”

In the fall, the morning program at Churchill will stay there. Kids who went to Washington in the past for morning day care will go to Zion instead for that service once school begins, and will be bused to school from that location.

“If you have a need for care in the morning and you usually go to Churchill, take your child there as normal after school starts,” Reeves said. “After school begins, those who went to Washington will now go to Zion.”

However, the entire after-school program from both schools will be housed at Zion once school begins due to the size of the group. Children will be bused to Zion from both schools after classes are dismissed.

For the present, the entire Kids’ Corner summer program is still housed at Washington, but the program will be closed from Aug. 27-31 to allow for the move from Washington to Zion. The program will re-open at Zion on Tuesday, Sept. 4.

However, to further complicate matters, Reeves said that day is one of the Cloquet School District’s 10 reduced-contact days this fall so the Kids’ Corner program will be open all day.

The preschool program for 4-year-olds will also continue, at Zion, in the fall.

“It’s all working out beautifully,” Reeves said. “We had a transportation meeting last week and I think we ended up with the best possible options. Zion and Washington are near each other so the rides for students there will be short.”

Parents with questions should call 218-879-0929 until Aug. 24, when a new phone number will be announced.

“The main thing we want to assure parents about is that things are still going on at Washington,” Reeves said. “Nothing has changed for them. But moving to Zion could be a bonus for us. There are nice facilities there.”

Tags: news, cloquet, education, updates