Early learning center to come to St Paul Lutheran Church and School

LAKE MILLS — St Paul Lutheran Church and School broke ground on an early learning center on Sunday.

Principal Steve Gartner said the new section they are adding to the end of the school will be used for newborns to kids age 4, and they hope to house at least 150 children.

This will help solve a daycare shortage in Dodge and Jefferson counties, according to Gartner. He said that studies have shown that only one-third of people that need daycare in the area actually have daycare.

Pastor Bruce McKinney said that he has heard of people searching for childcare, and this will allow them to serve the community as their enrollment has gone up.

Upon opening, the new early learning center will have full child care all year, and offer pre school classes during the regular school year. Gartner said they are hoping to be open by next May, assuming construction goes as planned.