The Learning Center: Charles City, IA

Welcome to a dream coming true!

TLC: The Learning Center is a community’s investment in itself and its future. Born from a need identified from the residents of Charles City a few years back at a series of town meetings, this community day care center is a true community effort. The all-volunteer task force formed to study the feasibility of such a center did its homework and found there was not only the need for this type of facility, but also the desire in town to make it happen.

A board of community members was established to carry the project forward and the non-profit entity known as TLC: The Learning Center was created.

An Artist's Rendition of the New Center

Our Mission

To provide a safe, loving and nurturing environment available to all children of the community, with educational opportunities provided by a professionally qualified staff.

Our Goal

To ensure there is ample quality day care opportunities in Charles City for all children, both for our existing families and for new families coming to town. This includes infant and possibly even sick child care, as well as hours to better match today’s working moms and dads.

We are not here to supplant private day care providers in the area, but rather to supplement the local child care choices and to prevent unsafe overcrowding of our home-based private providers.

Our Home

TLC: The Learning Center will be housed in the former Fareway grocery store building at 404 North Jackson St., conveniently located right downtown in the heart of Charles City, across the street from Central Park. The day care and preschool will actually be one of three entities utilizing what is being called the ‘Family Resource Center.’ TLC: The Learning Center will be sharing the building with both Floyd County Head Start and the Northern Trails Area Education Agency (AEA) office in Charles City.

The 12,000-square foot building was generously donated by Fareway Stores, Inc., and is actually now owned by North Iowa Community Action (NICO), which oversees the Head Start Program and is partnering with TLC: The Learning Center to provide this much-needed community day care facility. AEA will rent out 4,000-square feet of space for its offices, while Head Start and the day care canter the share remaining 8,000 square feet.

The outside parking lot is being removed and will be replaced by a playground and green space area. Limited off-street parking and a paved drive-thru driveway will be built to minimize on-site traffic. Ample parking is available along the street, as well as at the rear of the building.

Our plan

TLC will serve infants, toddlers and a preschool program for school-age children. Hours will be week days, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m., twelve months a year. We will be licensed for 78 children and offer affordable rates that should make quality day care available to families of almost any income.

We define ‘quality child care’ as:

Accreditation by the National Academy of Early Childhood Programs as well as meeting state and DHS compliance regulations.
A competent staff trained in developmentally appropriate programming with a focus on pre-literacy, language development and social competency.
Certified teachers.
Providing staff and parent training.
Providing liability insurance coverage.
Providing a safe environment meeting fire codes.
An entrance with secured and monitored access.
An attractive, child oriented facility and playground.
A working relationship with UNI Early Childhood Department which will share ideas, strategies and research with TLC

TLC will be licensed by the Dept. of Human Services (DHS) and employ certified teachers who are trained and experienced in Early Childhood Education. The curriculum is carefully planned to embrace developmentally appropriate educational practices and "free" preschool is integrated into the program.

Collaborative partnerships add considerably to providing a quality program. The public school kintergarten teachers work with TLC teachers to ensure youngsters are ready when they enter kindergarten. The Northern Trails Area Education Agency (NTAEA) supports TLC with a shared contract for an Early Childhood Education Specialist who shares time, expertise, and findings between the two agencies.

The Early Childhood Education Program at the University of Northern Iowa (UNI) also is a partner. UNI will be providing staff development to the TLC teachers on best practices for young children including the findings of brain reseach and the implications for early learning. The University is particularly interested in TLC's 0-3 year old program and would like to place practicum and student teachers in those classes. The University also has expressed interest in doing non-intrusive reseach in those classrooms. Finally, parents will be partners in their child's TLC experience by serving on an advisory board and participating in parent training and information sessions.