Willms enjoys interacting with kids at St. John’s

     There’s a new face running the show at St. John’s Christian Daycare in Monticello.

     Rileigh Willms of Scotch Grove took over the director position in early June after long-time director Karen Dirks stepped down to retire.

     “Karen was nice enough to stick around for a couple of weeks to show me the ropes,” praised Willms. “It was a good transition, and she has been so helpful.” She said Dirks still fills in at the daycare from time to time when needed.

     It’s been a whirlwind change for Willms. In May, she graduated from the University of Dubuque with a degree in childhood education, with endorsements in early childhood and reading.

     Willms and her husband, Josh, welcomed a daughter in April.

     She started a new job in June.

     “We both started on the same day,” joked Willms of her and her 6-month-old daughter starting daycare and a new job on the same day. “This makes things so much easier having her here all day; it’s the perfect ‘mom job.’”

     The irony of it all is that Willms’ husband was one of the first kids to attend St. John’s Daycare when it opened 29 years ago.

     “This was clearly meant to be,” she said of the opportunity. 

     Also, the family was married at St. John’s Lutheran Church, and attends church there every Sunday.

     Willms said this setting is perfect for her because she loves working with young children early in their lives.

     “This is a good fit for me,” she said. “This is what I want to do.”

     Willms said her job as director doesn’t mean she’s just sitting in an office all day.

     “I’m able to be with the kids here every day,” she said, including her own daughter. “That’s not always the case with other daycare directors.”

     She said the best part of her day is spending time with the children.

     “It’s the best of both worlds, and is one of the many benefits for working at a small center,” Willms added.

     St. John’s currently has 44 kids, with a maximum of 50. The ages range from 6 weeks to 6 years old.

     “We can take up to 12 years of age,” offered Willms, “if they have a young sibling who is here full-time.”

     The daycare employs 14 full- and part-time staff members. Several of those include high school girls who work after school.

     “The kids here absolutely love the high schoolers,” said Willms.

     The daycare director job entails a lot of responsibilities, namely keeping up on the state and federal regulations.

     “I have a binder full of everything I need to know,” said Willms of the regulations. “I call it my daycare Bible.”

     Willms works on the weekly schedules, plans the preschool activities, makes sure they’re following the food program requirements, and maintains the staff-child ratio, among other things associated with the job.

     “I just love everything about the job,” she said. “Though it was overwhelming at first.”

     Willms actually worked at St. John’s on a part-time basis when she moved to the area in 2014. She also worked nights at The Heights Supper Club.

     “My mother-in-law was on the daycare board,” she said of knowing about Dirks’ retirement.

     After living in the Monticello area for a few years now, Willms said she loves how friendly the community is.

     “I like the community a lot,” she said. “Everyone has been so welcoming, and it’s nice to run into people you know at the store.”