Search Results

It was "RAD" visiting the RAD Zoo!!! Our children recently visited the RAD Zoo in Owatonna, MN. Boarding a bus and traveling to surrounding local communities, Civic League Children have opportunities to learn about these unique reptiles and get close enough to exotic creatures. Many thanks to The RAD Zoo for another great learning adventure. For more information about the RAD please visit http://www.theradzoo.com/ ​ All photos were taken and provided by Marie Ferguson at DM Creative Design.

Garden of Growing Highlights from our Summer 2016 Garden of Growing. A Garden build by our families and members of the board. Allowing our children to learn about the food they eat and the earth that provides it. ​ All photos were taken and provided by Marie Ferguson at DM Creative Design.

The talented teachers of Civic League Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn. - Benjamin Franklin Meet the Director Jackie Benoit-Petrich Executive Director Jackie joined Civic League Day Nursery in December of 2015 as Executive Director and brings a wealth of knowledge of expertise in the field, having worked more than 25 years with children and families in various capacities. She studied at the College of St Teresa in Winona and also holds a Primary Montessori Teaching Diploma from the North American Mo ntessori Progressive Teacher Training Centre , Vancouver, Canada. She was co-owner and Directress of The Five Senses Montessori and also the Community Coordinator of Women's Shelter Inc. Jackie is sensitive to the needs of families and children and brings a mindful presence to her work. When Jackie is not at work, she enjoys organic gardening and spending time with her husband, children, grandchildren, dog Freckles and cats Pauley and Jet. The talented teachers of Civic League Every child deserves a champion—an adult who will never give up on them, who understands the power of connection and insists that they become the best that they can possibly be. - Rita Pierson ​ ​ Ages 16 months to 2 1/2 years Little sprite movers. BUNTING Mrs. Gloria, Lead Teacher Ms. Judy, Assistant Teacher Mr. Kai, Assistant Teacher ages 2 1/2 to 3 1/2 years CHICKADEE Mrs. Anne, Lead Teacher ​ Ms. Mary Kay, Assistant Teacher ages 3 to 4 years NUTHATCH Miss Molly, Lead Teacher Mr. Jake, Assistant Teacher ages 4 to 5 years DOVE Miss Charity, Lead Teacher Teacher Gray, Assistant Teacher ages 5 years CARDINAL Mrs. Josephine, Lead Teacher Ms. Michele, Assistant Teacher ROBIN Our floating teachers, always helpful everywhere. Ms. Laurie, Teacher Ms. Andrea, Teacher Ms. Kamisha, Teacher BLUE JAY Our staff , the wisest of the bunch. Ms. Laura, Office Manager Ms. Doreen, Cook Mr. Joel, Facilities

Our Garden of Growth the children's garden. Here they have planted and will get to pick their own vegetables at harvest. Learning from the land and with teachers guidance your child will get to smell and taste fresh basil and tomatoes leafy greens. BLOG Our Master Gardeners Beth Plaetzer and Dorothy Wichmann, Master Gardeners They started with our "little" project in early spring of 2016 thinking they would just help us get going. As it turns out, "It's their favorite time of the week." (spending time here at Civic League) They love it so much they've really adopted us and come 2-3 times a week to work with your children in the garden and also with staff to enhance curriculum and answer any questions.Thank you, thank you Dorothy and Beth we are truly grateful for your wisdom, guidance and commitment to Civic League Day Nursery! Fun Facts ​ ​​ Civic league Day Nursery was the first child care center to be awarded a Farm to Childcare Center grant in Minnesota. MN Department of Agriculture and MN Extension Service visited our center to see our Farm to Childcare. ​ Two Master Gardeners donated their time, and expertise to begin our garden initiative. ​​​​​​​ The Master Gardeners and Director attends the "Minnesota Schoolyard Gardens conference at the Arboretum in March. The Child and Adult Care Food Program (CACFP) of Minnesota in collaboration with MN Extension Agency visited the summer of 2018 to see our garden in full bloom.​ ​ ​ Other schools and daycare centers from Minnesota who are interested in starting gardens will join them to learn from us. ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​ The Post Bulletin did a story on our garden efforts with the children. ​​​​​​​ Our garden is an educational enrichment that is superbly unique and a truly wonderful experience for your children and yourselves. It is their "Outdoor Classroom". ​​​​​​​ The materials, soil, mulch and upkeep for the garden is paid for (in part) from the yearly enrichment fees collected from you, our families. Garden Facts OUR GROWTH Garden TimeLapse Life moves pretty fast when it's captured with a Time Lapse Camera. This video reflects the sunflower and garden growth from June till September. During this time many obstacles were observed. One of which was a pesky bunny rabbit who made our garden his home and munched his way through. See him hoping around? Small wire fences were added to the space to protect our precious produce. ​ This video captures the sunflower's growth throughout the season and more uniquely solar tracking. Watch to see it dance and move to catch the suns light. Garden Gallery OUR GARDEN GALLERY

hours & information WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW Come and experience the Civic League difference! Civic League serves children 16 months through the first day of kindergarten. Hours of Operation Monday - Friday 6:30am - 6:00pm Year-round Dates We're Closed New Years Day Third Friday in April (Staff Development Day) Memorial Day Independence Day Labor Day Third Friday in October (Staff Development Day) Thanksgiving Day & the day after Christmas Day We close at 3:00pm on December 23rd and December 31st. ​ If the holiday falls on the weekend then we will be closed the following business day. Hours of Operation at Civic League Day Nursery Tuition Assistance may be available. Tuition Assistance may be available to families that qualify and if funds are available. The process: Families fill out the Tuition Assistance application, submit two most recent paystubs, class schedule (if applicable), and most recent income tax statement. Applications will not be reviewed until all paperwork is submitted. Our handbook is a resource of information on how we provide our services and care for your child. ​ Please download and feel free to ask us any questions. ​ HANDBOOK

Come and experience the Civic League difference! Copyright, 2015 Civic League Day Nursery CLDN kids in large play yard. 838 CLDN Farm_2016-51 20170626-IMG_7355 Copyright, 2015 Civic League Day Nursery CLDN kids in large play yard. 838 1/4 We are CLDN Our Mission: To provide a safe and nurturing environment while promoting the physical, social, emotional, and intellectual development of young children of all cultural and economic backgrounds. Testimonials from our parents David R. and Ellen G. Rochester, MN We heard great things about Civic League from several friends and it has exceeded our expectations. Both our children love being there. They really enjoy the outdoor time, playing with friends and great field trips. Parents are encouraged and welcome to participate. The best thing by far about Civic League is the teachers. They really care for each child. They teach the children so much - not only their shapes, numbers, letters and words but how to be a good and responsible person. They also engage the older children with interesting themes like sea mammals and space. Our 5 year old is very well prepared for kindergarten. We feel so comfortable having our children at Civic League. Amina H. Rochester, MN My daughter loves the activities that are done in her class. All the teachers work with the children. My daughter enjoys all of their company and tells me how she learns from different teachers. Overall it is a wonderful environment. I have also noticed how the teachers talk to the older children about emotions and how to be caring towards one another. Erin N. Rochester, MN We love Civic League, and our two-year loves Civic League. It feels like home to us, the cozy rooms, the smell of homemade cinnamon rolls, and the caregivers who have become part of our family. Our son has made great friends and loves his teachers. He’s learned so much, not only with the imaginative planned programming and projects from the teachers but also with the generous free play kids are allowed. I find so much pleasure in watching him playing with his friends in the sandbox or in the yard when I come to pick him up. Often he wants to keep playing instead of coming home with me. Civic League and its staff are a gem in Rochester. Bill N. Rochester, MN We really appreciate the love and care our child gets every day. Thanks so much!! Marie F. Rochester, MN Civic League has saved our lives, time and time again. From our first son to our second with our busy schedules. The reliablility, the continuity of care and their learning process has proven to be a success in the classroom. We reflect on our son's success in school as a direct relationship to Civic League. Thank you for the great start to his eduction, his care and the tender memories you have provided to our family for both our children. Please reload Click here to sign up for our e-newsletter JOIN Curriculum Our Staff Our Story Donate

PART 2 - THE MOVEMENT In 1926, the Civic League inherited a large house through the Will of the Woodworth sisters, who had been active Civic League members. The property was located in the 400 block of West Center Street. Although the Will mentioned the possibility of the House becoming a "rest stop" for women shopping in the city, members of the Civic League Board felt there was a greater need to provide free custodial care for children of working mothers. After considerable study and planning, a Day Nursery was opened in 1930. It occupied only one room on the main floor of the Woodworth House. The permit issued by the State Board of Control, stated that not more than 12 children, ages 2 to 5 years of age, where to be present at any given time. Hours were 8:00 A.M. to 5:00 P.M. six days a week. The custodial care included the giving of orange juice and cod liver oil morning, morning and afternoon snacks, noon lunch followed by a nap, and supervised free play. In its earliest years, volunteers and one employee, a "matron", staffed the Nursery. She was responsible for the operation of the entire building, then referred to as the Woodworth Clubhouse. The upstairs rooms were rented to single women, primarily Methodist Hospital nurses. This rent money combined with interest from bonds that were part of the Woodworth inheritance financed utilities, building renovations and maintenance. Operational costs of the nursery were raised by community subscriptions and private donations. Each Civic League Board member was given a list of names from which she collected monthly contributions. The Kiwanis Club provided milk for the nursery through a series of fund-raising events. They also provided funds for a fence to enclose the play yard. It soon became evident that more help was required. A housekeeper was added to the Clubhouse in addition to the Nursery matron in order to be in compliance with the State Labor and Day Nursery laws. In 1933, the Nursery Committee of the Women's Civic League established an account for the Day Nursery funds separate from the Women's Civic League. At that time, the only financial support from the League for the nursery project was the provision of space, without charge, in the Woodward Clubhouse. In 1940, the program still had a staff of only two and the daily fee ranged from five cents to forty-five cents, depending upon the mother's ability to pay. The Family Service Office screened all applicants, a practice that continued until 1973. A grant allocation of $I,500 in 1941 from the Community Chest, marked the end to the eleven years of monthly pledge collection by the Civic League Board members for the financial support of the Nursery. In 1945, the Day Nursery expanded by adding the use of a second room and enlarging the bathroom. This allowed the program to be licensed for 20 children, ages 3 to 5. By 1947, with a staff expanded to four, the Community Chest grant had climbed to $3,445. The sliding fee income totaled $1,796. The daily fee ranged from ten cents to a dollar. The average daily cost of operation was calculated at 95.25 cents per child. About 1958, the concept of providing only custodial care for children in day care was deemed inappropriate and the requirements for State Licensing Standards were raised. The Civic League responded by starting the practice of hiring directors and head teachers who were professionally qualified in education or related fields. A licensed, modern, well-staffed day care center evolved which offered an enriched child-care a program. Many community resource individuals helped considerably in fulfilling this endeavor. By 1960, the staff consisted of the Director, two Head Teachers, two Assistants, a Cook and a Janitor. The teacher child ratio was 1 to 10. The financial situation was somewhat eased by the Nursery being accepted into the Agricultural Food Surplus Program. Also in 1960, the Civic League was successful in obtaining a $3,000 grant from the Rochester Area Foundation to establish a Homemakers Service. Records refer to the "carefully selected" women who were employed to help families when an emergency took a mother away from the home. The service was provided only on a temporary basis during daytime hours when "the father of the family was at work". Employees were retained on the job until the United Way fund support made it possible to employ the homemakers on a salaried basis. 1962 and 1963 was a period of self-evaluation for the Civic League. The Board voted to undertake an analytical study of the organization, its policies, its functions and the contributions of its various services to the community. An outgrowth of this action was a two-year joint planning effort with other local service agencies resulting in the closing of the Family Service Office and the establishment of the Family Consultation Center. This was later known as Family Counseling and Home Services, Inc. The director of the new agency was assigned the responsibility of working with families experiencing problems as a result of "child behavior or material misunderstanding". A social worker on the Family Consultation Center staff assumed the responsibility for interviewing the families who wished to enroll their children at the Nursery, a job previously handled through the Family Service Office. This new agency also assumed responsibility for the Civic League Homemaker Service project. Of the many programs introduced and developed by the Civic League Board of Directors since 1887, only the Day Nursery retained the sponsorship of Civic League. In the meantime, the Civic League Day Nursery was becoming well known in the community and the state as a model program for child day care. The analytical study reported, "The service has had enthusiastic acceptance by its users, and was considered to be one of the best day care centers in the state in 1961." The Nursery participated in the Minnesota Preschool Education Association workshop, held in Rochester in 1961. An open house was held for over 80 teachers that attended. In the summer of 1963, and again in 1964, the Minnesota Department of Public Welfare sponsored a weeklong state workshop in Rochester. The Civic League Day Nursery staff was asked to be presenters. Participants were also scheduled to visit and observe the Civic League Day Nursery's home-like day care facility and exemplary program. As a growing need for day care was recognized, another eventual result of the analytical study was the expansion of the Day Nursery to accommodate 38 children. In 1966, the Civic League ceased renting the upstairs rooms in the Woodworth House making that area available for children. The professionally trained staff continued to offer an enriched program that endeavored to meet children's needs in all areas of development. Parenting support was offered through periodic meetings dealing with behavior problems and other concerns. The staff included a director, two head teachers, four assistant teachers, four part-time helpers, a janitor, a cleaning woman, a cook and an assistant cook, who also served as housekeeper. The Civic League Day Nursery continued to be rated among the top day care centers of the state. An After-School Childcare project was piloted in 1966 and 1967. Encouragement and financial support came from the United Fund, the Rochester branch of the American Association of University Women and the West Side Kiwanis Club. When participation fell below expectations, the project was discontinued. It was not until 1974 that the Civic League again ventured into after-school care. At that time a $1,000 state grant was secured to provide start-up funds for a year-round program for kindergarten age children. It was housed in the First Presbyterian Church, which expanded care from 9 children to 17 in September, 1974.

LaCrosse Children's Museum The children of Civic League enjoyed a morning at the LaCrosse Children's Museum. They explored displays learning about the science of sound, gravity, the digestive system and light. For more information about the Chuildren's Museum of LaCross please see their website http://www.funmuseum.org/ ​ All photos were taken and provided by Marie Ferguson at DM Creative Design. Children learn the most through exploration and discovery.

Wonder-FALL fun at Sekapp Orchard A little cold and gray skies didn't stop our kids from enjoying a morning at our local Rochester, Sekapp Orchard. The children enjoyed their tractor ride, picking Pumpkins and Gourds straight off the vine and Apples right from the tree.

Honoring Philanthropy Thank you to Scott, Dean and the crew from McGough for transfering and installing the new playground equipment on the upper playground.

THE BALFOUR HOME The original house was built on the site in 1861. Dr. Will Mayo and his wife, Hattie, remodeled the home in 1910 as a wedding present for their daughter, Carrie Mayo, and her new husband Dr. Donald Balfour. A major expansion in 1916 included the west end of the house and a half-story addition above the second floor. The Balfours moved in 1960 and donated the home to the Mayo Foundation. The Rochester YMCA leased the house in 1961, followed by the Senior Citizen Day Center in 1966. Civic League Day Nursery received the house in 1975 in a trade of properties with the Mayo Foundation. COME INSIDE LOWER LEVEL Read More ENTRYWAY & LIBRARY Read More MUSIC ROOM Read More SECOND FLOOR Read More THIRD FLOOR Read More THE MUSIC ROOM Music Room MUSIC ROOM This was the central gathering place in the home, a tradition that continues today. Civic League calls it the "Large Muscle Room" and it’s where children do a variety of activities. The Civic League Board named this room the Joan Storm Gravett Room in honor of Mrs. Gravett, who was president of the board of directors when Civic League moved to the Balfour House. Mrs. Gravett served on the board for nine years and later was the director, serving with distinction from 1977 to 1995. In this room, Dr. Balfour would play the pipe organ for guests. Members of the Balfour family have told stories about Helen Keller visiting the home and holding her hands to the pipe chamber screens to experience the concert. At other times, the St. Olaf College choir would give concerts in the room, sometimes accompanied by Dr. Balfour on the pipe organ. The Balfours moved in 1960 and donated the organ to Christ United Methodist Church in Rochester, where it is today. The window nearest the back door opened to the family’s greenhouse. Dr. Balfour’s daughter, Mary, married Dr. Fred Helmholz here. The greenhouse was removed around the time of World War II. The original tile flooring remains under the carpet, along with the original wood trim on the ceiling. HISTORIC DETAILS PRESERVED Entryway ENTRYWAY & LIBRARY To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Lower Level LOWER LEVEL RICH IN HISTORY These two classrooms are for younger children, ages 16 months to 2 years. In the south room, Mother Goose tiles line the center of the mantel of the fireplace. This was the Balfour children’s playroom. It also served as the site for the Demonstration Nursery School, the programs Drs. C.A. Aldrich and Benjamin Spock developed while working with Carrie Mayo. ​ On the west wall are three doors. The first two doors once held pipes for the organ that was above in the music room. The third door provided access to the family's vault. The other classroom across the hallway was the family's laundry room. To play, press and hold the enter key. To stop, release the enter key. Second floor SECOND FLOOR RICH IN HISTORY The first two rooms at the top of the stairs in the front of the house are classrooms for the 3- to 4-year-olds. The first room was Dr. Balfour’s office and the second was the Balfour's bedroom. ​ Further down the hallway are classrooms for the 2 ½- to 3-year-olds. These were the bedrooms for the Balfour children. ​ Of special note is the second to last room on the left — Walter Balfour’s room. In the closet is sports figure wallpaper, with a note in the bottom left corner where he wrote: "Please don’t remove this wall paper – Walt Balfour’s closet." ​ Walter is the only living child of Donald and Carrie Balfour. He has come back to visit several times over the years and delights in seeing his home being "home" to the children who attend Civic League. BALFOUR SIGNATURE 101918 CLDN rooms-2956 101918 CLDN rooms-2963 Walter Balfour Signature 101918 CLDN rooms-2974 101918 CLDN rooms-2980 101918 CLDN rooms-2986 Show More Third Floor THIRD FLOOR RICH IN HISTORY These are the classrooms for the 4- to 5-year-old children. This floor was formerly occupied by the people who helped serve the house. A room also was rented to Mabel Root, who assisted Dr. Henry Plummer to expand the patient record system at the Mayo Clinic. IMG_5616 IMG_5608 IMG_5613 08262021 CLDN Interior-05131-HDR 08262021 CLDN Interior-05086-HDR 08262021 CLDN Interior-05095-HDR Show More 101918 CLDN rooms-3013 101918 CLDN rooms-3017 101918 CLDN rooms-3018 101918 CLDN rooms-3004 101918 CLDN rooms-3010 101918 CLDN rooms-3006 OUTDOORS The building in the rear of the property served as the garage, service facility and residence for Nels Twedt and his family. Mr. Twedt was the chauffeur and mechanic. Today, it has been remodeled to include office space on the first floor, while maintaining a garage stall on the right, along with an upstairs apartment. Outdoors Balfour_CLDN-1023-Edit 05152021 CLDN Historic-09820 05152021 CLDN Historic-09829 Balfour_CLDN-1167 IMG_6402 IMG_6417 Show More

PART 3 - NEXT STEPS In the summer of 1972, with the backing of the United Way Board, the Civic League applied for funds to finance the opening of a satellite day nursery center. State grants provided start-up funds for equipment and a combination of Federal and United Way monies made possible a contract with the Social Services Department to pay the fees of all income eligible children. Space made available by the First Christian Church in northwest Rochester became the Northwest Center in October 1972, licensed to care for 28 children, bringing the combined total to 64 children being cared for by the Civic League Day Nursery. The teaching staff was increased from 5 1/2 to 12. The contract was renewed in 1973. The daily cost per child was $8.55 and the annual budget was $104,000. Meanwhile, the old frame Woodworth house was deteriorating. The Mayo Foundation was approached with the idea of exchanging the Woodworth property for the vacant Balfour property at the corner of Fifth Street and Sixth Avenue Southwest. The larger Balfour property would allow the Civic League Board to consolidate its after-school kindergarten program and downtown nursery. The Mayo Foundation agreed to the proposal so the Civic League Board went to the community seeking financial help for building renovations, including the installation of sprinkler system required by state code, and for moving expenses. The Rochester Area Foundation approved a grant of $6,000, the Kahler Foundation gave $1,500 and $400 was donated by the Exchange Club. A loan of $25,000 was secured with the cooperation of the Rochester banks. ​ ​ In August 1975, after many hours of volunteer labor by the Civic League Board members, staff, parents and members of the local painters Union, an after school kindergarten program for 25 children moved to the first floor rooms of the Balfour House. In October, the nursery programs which been had been housed in the Woodworth house for 45 years were moved to the second floor of the Balfour house. By February of 1976, renovation of the third floor was completed allowing the kindergarten group to occupy the third floor and additional preschoolers to occupy the first floor so the Balfour housed 68 children. The still active satellite Northwest Center program served 29 children. In September 1976, the age span of children served by a Civic League programs grew when first and second grade children were permitted to enroll in the after-school program. Two years later, in 1978 grants from the Rochester Area Foundation and the Kahler Corp. made possible the remodeling of the basement area of the Balfour House for classroom use for toddlers and part of the garage as an office. With the additional space, the Balfour House was licensed for 89 children. The Northwest Center was then closed and all day nursery operations were consolidated at one site. In 1986, the annual operating budget of the Civic League Day Nursery grew to $284,727. The United Way of Olmsted County, the Federal Government Child Care Food Subsidy and parent fees were the primary funding sources. The fees were $60 per week per child. Sliding fee payments were made available for eligible families. The Child Care Resource and Referral office administered the County, State and Federal monies for subsidized fees. United Way sliding fee dollars were managed by the Executive Director of the Civic League Day Nursery. The Day Nursery program was licensed to serve 93 children, ages 2 to 8. The staff included a full-time executive director, 5 lead teachers, 7 assistant teachers, a cook and an assistant cook, a part-time office manager and a custodian. The start of the school year in 1988 saw further expansion as Civic League Day Nursery began operating the newly built Day Care Center for 30 children at the Rochester Technical College. This center also served as a lab school for training students enrolled in the Child Development Assistant Program. Women's Civic League of Rochester celebrated their centennial with a luncheon for past board members at this new center. Revised licensing standards for group day care also went into effect in 1988. These standards required additional detailed record keeping and more specific training for teachers. The budget for 1991 was $395,000. The preschool weekly fee was $81 and the before and after school kindergarten fee was $68. The total licensed capacity of both centers was 123. The combined staff included 1 director, 1 supervisor/lead teacher, 6 lead teachers, 9 assistant teachers, 1 part-time office manager, 3 part-time cooks and 1 part-time custodian. The Balfour House was shown on the 1991 American Association of University Women spring House Tour. Several hundred people showed an interest in the house's history and its current use. ​ In July, 1996 the southeast childcare site moved from Riverland Technical College to the new Rochester Community and Technical College at the University Center Rochester. Lead and Assistant teachers were encouraged to use up to 40 hours each year of regular work time for job related training; and a collaborative relationship between Head Start and Civic League initially begun at the Rochester Technical College was also expanded to the southwest location at Balfour House in 1998. In the 1990's, as the Rochester community experiences economic and diverse growth so too did the Civic League Day Nursery. The primary sources of revenue continued to be a combination of parent fees and subsidies from the United Way of Olmsted County, the Federal Government Child Care Food Program and Child Care Resources & Referral. In 2000, personnel costs (salaries and benefits) rose to nearly $500,000 for 23 staff members. The annual operating budget was over $674,000. The southwest location was licensed for 93 children ages 2 ½ through Kindergarten and the southeast location was licensed to serve 39 children ages 2 through 5. The rates for toddlers ran $150.00/week; preschoolers $140/week and kindergarteners $120/week. The sliding fee scale was $30/week. In 1999, 25% of the total enrollment benefited from the sliding fee scale. A focus on fund-raising and development was undertaken in the latter part of the 1990's. In 1996, the Joan Gravett Scholarship Fund was established with the Rochester Area Foundation to allow a child to receive quality childcare when other sources for funding fell short. The fund was established in honor of Mrs. Gravett who served nine years as a board member and 18 years as director of the nursery. A professional building inspection was done to the Balfour House in the summer of 1998 and a Capital Budget was put in place to address the recommendations to replace the original furnace, shingle roof, windows and exterior wood rot. The original furnace was replaced in the spring of 1999. In the summer of 1999 refurbishment of the apartment above the Civic League office was completed. The rent from the apartment helps to fund the various maintenance contractors such as lawn mowing and snow removal the Balfour House requires. A direct appeal to former and current parents, past and present board members called "This Old Nursery" was begun in August 2000 to solicit funds specifically for the replacement of the original roof, with the Rochester Area Foundation generously contributing $30,000 to the fund. The year 2000 also marked the 25th year that the 126 year old Balfour House had been in continuous use as the southwest location, and celebrated the Nursery's 70th year. In July 2000, Women's Civic League Inc. of Rochester, Minnesota was legally changed to Civic League Day Nursery of Rochester, Minnesota to accurately reflect the board's current charter --- to set policy and oversee the overall operations of the oldest and best nursery school in Rochester --- and to recognize the addition of men to the Board. In 2001, Children’s Home Society decided to close its nonprofit childcare center in Rochester. Civic League was asked by Child Care Resource and Referral and dozens of Children’s Home Society parents to take over the operation of the center at 3212 22nd Street NW. With help from CCRR, United Way and Southern MN Initiative Foundation, Civic League was able to keep the center open, retaining its staff and students. By 2004, it was clear Civic League Day Nursery had outgrown this facility in northwest Rochester. Long waiting lists, the cost of maintaining an older building, and the desire for a more stable situation than the short-term lease provided, motivated the Board to form a committee to explore options to relocate this center. After months of looking at existing buildings and finding nothing suitable, they met with several architects and builders to discuss building a center that would meet Civic League’s needs. In 2005, Civic League Day Nursery celebrated its 75th anniversary. It was a remarkable achievement considering the organization started during the Great Depression serving twelve children in a single classroom and had grown to three sites serving over 230 children annually. ​ ​