“We all know that childcare centers across Minnesota are struggling, and LMCC [Little Mariners Childcare Center] is no exception,” Paula Poaletti Holden, site coordinator for Little Mariners said. Poaletti Holden brushed off the credit for her work at Little Mariners. “If LMCC were a ship, I’d just be one of the crew members steering through some occasionally choppy waters. The real heart of LMCC is our dedicated staff, who show up every day to provide exceptional care for the children in our community.”
January 2025 marked the fourth birthday for Little Mariners, the Silver Bay childcare center that provides 32 families with “safe, high-quality childcare.” Poaletti Holden claims that the staff of LMCC’s dedication to the children really set them apart, describing the core staff’s job as being more of a “calling”. “They come in every day ready to wipe noses, tie tiny shoes, navigate the emotional rollercoaster that is infant and toddlerhood, and somehow still manage to create learning experiences for every child in their care.”
The unique location of LMCC being held inside William Kelley School provides some advantages, the obvious one being a familiarization of the children with the location many of them will someday attend school. Other benefits include large spaces to play during inclement weather, and a connection to early childhood education services and resources.
Besides the location, LMCC employs six long-term, qualified staff: three have associate’s degrees and/or Child Development Associate credentials, two have degrees in elementary education, and one has a degree in early childhood development and early childhood education. Poaletti Holden explained that “That level of experience and education in a childcare setting is exceptional to have at one center. Our goal isn’t just to ‘watch’ children, it’s to prepare them for lifelong learning while making sure they feel safe, loved, and supported.”
While childcare can be very expensive for families, Little Mariners strives to keep costs below the state average. In Minnesota, the average weekly costs according to Child Care Aware are $387.80 for infants; $342.31 for toddlers; $299.31 for 3’s preschool and wrap care (for children that attend preschool and need care in the hours outside that); and $263.37 for school-aged children. LMCC sets their rates below these averages in an attempt to make childcare affordable. Scholarships and CCAP (Child Care Assistance Program) are available for families that qualify.
Openings at Little Mariners are currently limited. The infant room is fully booked, with occasional drop-in availability. Two openings and potential for drop-in days are open in the toddler room. One available spot is currently in the 3’s preschool program, and wrap care is at full capacity. “The demand for childcare is high, but we can’t open more spots without more staff, which brings us to our biggest challenge,” Poaletti Holden said.
“Right now, we are down two full-time employees, plus another key staff member, coordinator Kerissa Bailey, which significantly affects our ability to keep classrooms fully operational,” Poaletti Holden explained. This issue isn’t unique to Little Mariners, as a report by the Minneapolis Fed and First Children’s Finance exposed the crisis in the childcare industry.
Over 700 teaching positions in Minnesota childcare centers are unfilled, the result being that 2,000 childcare slots are unavailable across the state. Challenges face childcare centers looking for staff due to a few major problems: childcare wages cannot compete with other industries that “require less training but pay more”; childcare work is physically and emotionally demanding, with a high burnout rate, and many childcare providers, including LMCC, “operate on razor-thin margins”, causing competitive pay to not be an option unless costs are raised for families.
Poaletti Holden emphasized that, “Despite these challenges, LMCC isn’t giving up. Some of our staff members are actively involved with state representatives, working to keep childcare issues front and center in legislative discussions. We want policymakers to understand that childcare isn’t just a family issue, it’s an economic one. When parents don’t have reliable childcare, they can’t work, and that affects the workforce, businesses, and the community as a whole.”
“I cannot stress enough how incredible our staff is,” Poaletti Holden concluded. “They show up every single day, go above and beyond for the children and families we serve, and do it all with patience, compassion, and a little bit of humor. Every day at LMCC is a learning curve, and our staff takes it all in stride. We’re proud of what we do, and we’ll keep showing up for the kids, for the families, and for the future of our community.”
Positions are available at Little Mariners Childcare Center for full-time aides and teachers. Those interested can email littlemarinerschildcare@isd381.org. Or go directly to the isd 381 website at isd381.org. Those with childcare questions can email littlemarinerschildcare@isd381.org. Scholarships are available through Pathways and CCAP for those who qualify.
