Maddie Villhauer has taken on the role of director of the West Liberty Child Care Center.
One of the reasons why she took the position was because of its size.
“I like that it’s a small center because I can know all my staff and all my kids,” Villhauer said. “That’s why I kind of like being the director here because I get to go into all the different rooms to switch and rotate (staff) and see everyone.”
She previously worked at a large childcare center where she wasn’t able to get to know the parents, staff or children there, she said.
“I know most people’s names now,” Villhauer said about the families that have their children enrolled there. “Definitely, see people around town and recognize them now. I feel like they recognize me and I feel like the people around town realize this is what I’m doing now.”
Villhauer’s children also attend the childcare center.
“It’s super nice that they’re both here,” she said. “It’s nice being in town because I can bring them with me.”
Her fiancé, Dylan Christensen, can pick up the children when he gets off from work.
West Liberty Child Care Center employs nine to eleven staff members working part-time and full-time, Villhauer said. The childcare center has children attending there starting at three months old to four years old.
As director, Villhauer is in charge of making the employee schedules, the lunch menus and actively supervises each room, she said. She also makes sure lesson plans are set for the week and is in charge of doing the deposits.
Villhauer also makes sure there are enough staff members for each room.
“When you have staff off on vacations I just have to kind of put myself in the room when we’re not as fully staffed,” she said.
There are 29 children enrolled at the West Liberty Child Care Center. For infant to two-year-olds is one staff member for every four children. In the two-year-old room, one staff member is there for seven children. In the three-year-old room it’s one staff member for every 10 children.
“But we don’t necessarily run off the one to ten (children) because ten (children) can be a lot for one staff member,” Villhauer said.
A second staff member is generally in that room to help with the schedule, she added.
Villhauer grew up in Iowa City. She graduated from Regina High School. She attended Iowa State University and graduated with a degree focusing on teaching English fifth grade to twelfth grade.
She moved out of state and found an open position at a daycare.
“I was looking for jobs and daycare just kind of landed in my lap and I fell in love with it,” she said.