Meet Our Caring Staff
Karen Amiotte - Director
(11 years of service)
Dawn Hoke
Assistant Director
(1 year of service)
Anna Price
2-year Teacher
(11 years of service)
Suzy Jost
Younger 2's Teacher
(3 years of service)
Colleen Sperlich
Cook, Floater
(5 years of service)
Charlene Eaton
Driver
(1 year of service)
About Us
The Fountain Springs Children's Center is licensed by the State of South Dakota as a child welfare agency for up to 107 kids.
Frequently Asked Questions about Fountain Springs Children’s Center
What ages of kids do you care for?
We care for children from 4 weeks of age up to 12 years of age.
How are you different from other daycares?
• We are open earlier (5:30 am) and close later (6:00pm) than most daycares.
• We are only closed 6 days a year- New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, 4th of July, Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day and Christmas Day. We do not take a week off at the end of the summer, close between Christmas and New Years or close on days the schools are closed.
• The children learn bible stories and lessons at Weekly Bible Times.
• The children have access to vast wilderness areas in the surrounding fields and hills. Teacher-supervised walks and exploration is done frequently.
• We don’t charge extra to feed your child. Some centers charge up to $2.25 per day additional to feed your child a hot meal.
• The children have the opportunity to interact with seniors at the Fountain Springs Health Care Center during ice cream socials, trick-or-treating, and holiday parades through the nursing home. Bringing generations together has been proven to create a little magic benefitting all, whether young or old.
What are your rates?
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Age of Child
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Weekly Rate
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Infants
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$137
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1's
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$128
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2's
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$126
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3's, 4's, 5's
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$116
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Kindergarten
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$101
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School Aged
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Before & After School
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$91
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Before OR After School
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$66 |
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Summer/Holidays |
$116 |
We charge a flat weekly rate, with sibling discounts, regardless of the number of hours your child is present at our facility. Each family is expected to pre-pay for the following week. Parents have the option of paying by credit card. State assistance is accepted.
Is there a registration fee?
Yes, a one-time registration fee of $30 is charged when your child enrolls in our Center. Unless you take the child out of the Center for a period and then re-enroll, there is NO additional registration fee. Some daycare centers charge the registration fee every fall when the child moves up to a new class.
Do you have transportation to local schools?
Typically, we run vans to South Canyon, Canyon Lake and Pinedale Elementary Schools for school drop-off and pick-up. At Piedmont and Stagebarn, we only offer pick-up service.
What kinds of activities do the kids participate in?
Our daily schedule provides time for an abundance of self-directed play, teacher-led circle times, creativity, curiosity and questions, outdoor loud play, quiet time with reading of books, listening to music, a nap/rest time, meals eaten in a pleasant and social atmosphere, and time for learning through sharing, interacting, and relating with other children and teachers.
What are the child:adult ratios?
Required child:adult ratios vary by the age of the children:
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Infants to age 2
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5 kids : 1 adult
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Ages 3-5
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10 kids : 1 adult
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Ages 6-12
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15 kids : 1 adult
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What/when do you feed the kids?
The food pyramid is always considered while making meals and snacks. Lunch is prepared by the kitchen at Fountain Springs HealthCare Center and breakfast and snacks are prepared on-site. There are no extra fees for meals or snacks.
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Breakfast
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6:30-7:15 AM
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AM Snack
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9:00 AM
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Lunch
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11:00 AM
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PM Snack
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3:00 PM
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Infants will be fed according to parent’s instructions. Milk and solid food (supplied by the parents) will be fed to infants who longer need formula or breast milk. Parents are always invited and encouraged to come in during the day to feed their child.
What steps are required to enroll my child?
1)
Please contact Director Karen Amiotte at (605) 355-0927 or email her at
karena@fountainsprings.net to find out if there are openings in the classroom your child would be in and to arrange a tour of the facility at a mutually convenient time.
2) Download and complete the following forms:
c. Submit the $30 registration fee and first week’s tuition.
To submit this paperwork:
1) Drop it by the facility at
Fountain
Springs
Community
Church –
2100 North Plaza Drive (enter in the door towards the east side of the front)
How are classrooms organized?
Our classes are grouped by the following age groups:
Infants – Children must be at least 4 weeks old prior to joining us at Fountain Springs Children’s Center. Infants will be fed according to parents’ instructions. Parents are encouraged to come in during the day to feed their child.
1’s – One year olds are divided into two groups – the “younger 1’s” and the “older 1’s”.
2’s – We begin encouraging children to use the “potty” in the 2-year-old classroom. We do not push the children to do anything they aren’t ready for. It is best for the child if we are consistent with the method used at home.
3’s – Children in this room are expected to be toilet-trained. We encourage independence in self-care skills, verbalization, problem solving and social interaction, while the children participate in outside play, art, dance, music and stories.
4’s – Kids participate in activities that develop motor skills, promote awareness of color, shapes, numbers and body parts, as well as stories, songs, music, dance, art and play. During the summer months, children aged 4 and up participate in weekly field trip outings to parks, swimming pools, and tourist attractions.
5’s – Pre-school preparation activities are emphacized as the children are approaching school-age.
Kindergarten – Half-day or alternating full day schedules can be accommodated.
School-Aged Kids – Children up to age 12 are welcome at the Center. We provide an opportunity for outdoor play, quiet time to work on homework, computers for playing educational games, and other fun activities, all in a safe environment for school-aged children.
Many more details are addressed thoroughly in the
Parent Handbook, which we encourage you to download and review.
For many more details about Fountains Springs Children's Center, please download our BROCHURE.