Iowa Valley hires day care director

MARENGO — The Iowa Valley school board approved the hiring of Taylor Snook as director for its new day care during its February meeting.

The hiring takes the school district one step closer to opening the doors on a new day care in the elementary school building.

The fire marshal approved the rooms last month said Iowa Valley Superintendent Curt Rheingans. The next step is to get approval from Health and Human Services.

The district will have to pay $100 --$50 per classroom — to have HHS confirm that they can put 20 children in each room, said Rheingans.

Elementary School Principal Liesl Yunek said the day care should be able to open in the fall when school starts.

Rheingans thinks the district might be able to open it in June. “I’m not the most patient in the world,” he said.

The day care will only accept children over the age of three, said Rheingans. Though the preschool playground is fenced in and can be used for a day care facility, the district isn’t in a position at the present to provide space and cribs for infants and toddlers.

Marengo Community Development is trying to get funding for a day care for children up to the age of three, Rheingans said.

Yunek said precedence will be given to the students enrolled in Iowa Valley preschool. Many parents are interested in the wrap-around program that will keep students before and after school hours, she said.

Snook will be in charge of hiring staff and setting hours, said Rheingans, though he envisions offering day care from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. Those hours can be changed to meet the needs of parents.

The service won’t be perfect when it starts, said Rheingans. It will take two to three years to build.

“I’ve heard a lot of positives,” said Rheingans.