For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: July 21, 2026
New Child Care Center equipment supports young learners and future professionals
Fennimore -
The Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Child Care Center has completed a major transformation after investing more than $100,000 in new furniture, educational materials, toys and classroom equipment. The items are designed to enhance learning for children while strengthening hands-on training opportunities for Early Childhood Education students.
The upgrades, funded through the college’s capital budget, replaced classroom furniture and equipment that had been in use for more than three decades. The investment also supports the center’s goal of earning a five-star YoungStar rating, Wisconsin’s highest quality rating for childcare providers.
“We knew we needed to update our learning environments to continue providing the highest-quality experiences for children and to better align with where our Early Childhood Education program is headed,” said Emily McBee, Child Care Center manager and Early Childhood Education instructor. “This investment gives us the tools we need to support both our children and our college students while preparing for our next YoungStar evaluation.”
The new furnishings and materials are more than cosmetic improvements. Classrooms have been redesigned to meet state environmental rating standards, creating dedicated spaces for science, math, art, dramatic play and other developmental activities that encourage exploration and learning.
The enhancements also align with curriculum updates being introduced this fall. New child assessment practices, portfolios and lesson planning will connect classroom learning with the Early Childhood Education program, giving Southwest Tech students more meaningful field experiences.
“Our goal is to have everyone working from the same playbook,” said Abby Meier, Child Care Center assistant director and lead childcare teacher. “Our Early Childhood Education students complete hundreds of hours in our classrooms, so having updated materials and a curriculum that’s aligned with what they’re learning in class creates a much stronger educational experience for everyone involved.”
The Child Care Center serves as both a licensed childcare facility and a learning laboratory for Southwest Tech students. Associate degree students complete field experience hours in each classroom before expanding into community placements later in their programs.
Children returning after the center’s brief summer closure were greeted by completely refreshed classrooms filled with new learning materials and age-appropriate equipment. “The excitement on the children’s faces made all the hard work worthwhile,” said McBee. “After working toward this for so many years, it’s rewarding to see these classrooms come to life and know we’re creating an even better environment for our children, families and future educators.”
The center currently holds a four-star YoungStar rating and plans to pursue a five-star designation during its next evaluation cycle in 2027.
