(Blooming Prairie, MN November , 2022) :

November Is A Time for Thankfulness

As we enter the month of November, I’d like to take a moment to reflect on the past five months and those events that have taken place at the Academy that cause me to be thankful. As a relatively new non-profit organization, we are thrilled with the opportunities that we’ve been given to assist families in meeting their childcare and early education needs. As the Director of the Leo Augusta Children’s Academy, the following partial list comes to mind of those things that I am thankful and grateful for this November.

  • Our Children and Families-The Academy is in the business of providing quality childcare and early education to the children of this area.  As a new center, we are excited about our growing enrollment and the many opportunities that we have to make a difference in the lives of children.
  • Our Academy Staff-The Team Members at the Academy are remarkable individuals.  Our staff is some of the hardest-working individuals that I know, and they take the responsibility of caring for and educating our community’s children seriously.  They seek out professional development opportunities to further their education and understanding of early childhood education whenever possible and they work tirelessly to implement our curriculum and programming.  Academy Team members fully understand the importance of brain development, education, and positive nurturing methods in the first five years of a child’s life. The experiences that our children have and the relationships they develop in the first five years of life are critical for their development.
  • Our Board of Directors-The Leo Augusta Children’s Academy is fortunate to have a Board of Directors who possess varied education, experiences, and talents which are shared with the staff and families of the Academy.  Early childhood education and experiences, financial planning and resourcefulness, and expertise in human relations and employee satisfaction are just a few strengths that our Board members bring to the Academy.
  • Our Community-I believe there is a reason that the Leo Augusta Children’s Academy is in this community.  Previously, members of this community identified a need and brainstormed a list of possible solutions to the issues surrounding a lack of childcare.  Efficient and skillful organizers and planners began the process of forming a non-profit organization to meet that need.  Members of this community joined those efforts to bring the idea of the Academy to fruition.   Whether through financial or in-kind donations, kind words, program support, a willingness to volunteer, or just asking the question, “What can I do to help?” the Academy has experienced success and is looking forward to what the future holds for our children and community.
  • Our Facilities-The Academy is a creatively and efficiently built facility that offers so much to our children and our staff. Careful and considerate architectural and educational planning was a part of the developmental process that in the end provided us with 18,000 square feet of space for children, that includes a full-sized gymnasium. Along with the needs that are met for the children of the Academy, our facilities offer a great deal to the residents of the Blooming Prairie Community as well.  The gymnasium will become a space that can be utilized by community groups who need space that size.  The possibilities are endless, and we look forward to working with groups in the future to meet those needs.

May you and your family enjoy the blessings and gifts that you have in your life during this season of Thanksgiving!


Please contact the Team Leaders below if you have any questions!

Thank you!

Doug Anderson, Director: doug@leoaugusta.com

Daysha Zilm, Assistant Director: daysha@leoaugusta.com


For updates on progress and development follow the LACA Facebook page.