The Lighthouse Church in Festus plans to open a day care and preschool next month.
The Little Lights Learning Center, which would be housed in the church, 1540 W. Main Street, will fill a need in the community, said Kim Piet, the day care’s administrator and wife of Lighthouse Church Pastor John Piet
“That’s what we’ve been told,” Kim Piet said. “We visited other day cares who encouraged us to open and are sending us referrals.”
She said the facility is expected to open in mid-September.
The pastor said Little Lights will provide religious-based day care.
“We lived in the Philippines as missionaries for nine years and started an orphanage, Safe Harbor International Philippines,” he said. “We used the acronym SHIP. The Lord did it. The Lord opened our eyes to the need.
“When we came here, we had no idea of opening a day care. About three years ago, (God) put it in my mind. I approached the body of the church and they prayed with me and we decided to do this.”
Kim Piet said Little Lights will accommodate several dozen students ages 2 to 12 and will add more when additional staff is hired.
“We’ll probably go with 49 to start with,” she said. “We’ll be license exempt (as a religious institution) but still must meet a lot of health and sanitation requirements. For safety, all our employees will be background-checked.
Piet said Little Lights will begin with eight employees, including five teachers and three in administration.
“There will be a full preschool curriculum for ages up to 5,” she said.
Beverly Bean, the Little Lights director, said any child is welcome to enroll in the day care or preschool, but stressed it is religion-based.
“I’ve been a private school educator for 33 years,” Bean said. “I’ve been in the mission field, as well. I was focused in Niger as an elementary principal.
“We’re open to anyone, but we’re going to share God’s love with them.”
Little Light’s hours of operation will be 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Mondays through Fridays.
For more information, visit the Little Lights Learning Center (Festus) Facebook page or call 636-543-3068.
