Are you looking for exceptional child care where your little one can learn, grow, and thrive? Welcome to Pete’s Place, a fully licensed and comprehensive child care facility operated by St. Peter’s Health. We are dedicated to providing a safe, fun, and loving environment where children are encouraged to explore their potential and develop a lifelong love of learning. At Pete’s Place, we believe in fostering a compassionate and enriching atmosphere for every child in our care.
About Pete’s Place: Helena’s Premier Child Care Center
Pete’s Place has a rich history of serving the Helena community. Originally established in 1986 as the first employer-operated child care center in the area near the Regional Medical Center, Pete’s Place has consistently prioritized the needs of families and children. Responding to growing demand, St. Peter’s Health expanded its commitment to quality child care by adding a second facility, Pete’s Place North, in August 2022. Demonstrating our ongoing dedication to providing the best possible care, in August 2024, both Pete’s Place centers consolidated into a larger, newly renovated facility in a former elementary school, still conveniently located near the Regional Medical Center. This expansion significantly increased our capacity, allowing us to serve more families and provide even more enriching experiences for children.
Pete’s Place primarily serves the children of St. Peter’s employees, offering them priority enrollment. We cater to three key developmental age groups: infants, toddlers, and preschoolers, ensuring age-appropriate care and learning experiences for every stage of early childhood.
Learning and Play: Nurturing Growth at Pete’s Place
At the heart of Pete’s Place is our mission to provide quality, compassionate child care that comprehensively addresses the developmental needs of each child. We believe that learning and play are intrinsically linked, and our daily schedules are carefully designed to incorporate both in a way that is both engaging and developmentally appropriate. Each day at Pete’s Place is filled with activities that stimulate curiosity, encourage exploration, and build a strong foundation for future academic and social success.
While specific daily schedules are tailored to each age group and classroom, all include a balance of:
- Age-appropriate play and rest: We understand the importance of both active play and quiet rest periods for healthy development.
- Arts, reading, music, and more: Our curriculum is rich with opportunities for creative expression and early literacy development through various activities.
- Creative outdoor play: We believe in the power of outdoor exploration and incorporate daily outdoor time for fresh air, gross motor skill development, and imaginative play.
Our State-of-the-Art Facility: Designed for Children’s Well-being
Pete’s Place operates in a fully licensed facility through the State of Montana, ensuring we meet and exceed the highest standards of child care. We are proud to be recognized as a Level 4 participant in the Best Beginnings STARS to Quality Program, demonstrating our commitment to continuous improvement and excellence in early childhood education. Furthermore, Pete’s Place is a participant in the Child and Adult Care Food Program, ensuring that we provide nutritious meals and snacks to all children in our care.
Our center features 11 bright and spacious classrooms, thoughtfully designed for different age groups ranging from infants to preschoolers. Each classroom is named after Montana wildlife animals, creating a fun and engaging atmosphere. You’ll find classrooms like the “Woodchuck Room,” “Moose Room,” “Wolf Pup Room,” and “Bobcat Room,” each fostering a sense of place and connection to nature. The facility is divided into two renovated wings: the upper wing dedicated to infants and toddlers (ages 0-2), and the lower wing for preschoolers (ages 3-5), allowing for age-specific environments and resources.
We adhere to developmentally appropriate practices established by the National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC) in our infant, toddler, and preschool rooms. Our preschool rooms specifically utilize the Creative Curriculum, a research-based curriculum that focuses on hands-on learning and child-led exploration.
To enhance communication and parent engagement, we utilize the secure Class Dojo app. Parents who sign up can receive real-time updates, including pictures, videos, and messages from their child’s teachers throughout the day, fostering a strong home-to-center connection.
Outdoor play is considered an integral part of our learning environment. Each wing of Pete’s Place has its own dedicated and secure outdoor play area. Preschool classes enjoy daily outdoor time in their play area, weather permitting (above 0 degrees Fahrenheit with wind chill and healthy air quality). This area is equipped with age-appropriate items and structures that encourage gross motor skills and dramatic play. Infants and toddlers also benefit from their own fenced outdoor play areas, separated for safety but designed to offer similar opportunities for gross motor development with scaled-to-size climbing structures and sandboxes. We prioritize outdoor time for toddlers as well, ensuring they can explore and be active outdoors daily, as long as the temperature is above 20 degrees Fahrenheit.
Our curriculum and activities are guided by the Creative Curriculum by Teaching Strategies Inc., Mother Goose Time, and the Montana Early Learning Guidelines. Each day includes a balanced mix of teacher-organized and child-initiated activities, indoor and outdoor experiences, active and quiet periods, and both group and individual play. We focus on providing experiences that support children’s development in key areas: social, cognitive, language, physical, and emotional development. Nutritious breakfast, lunch, and snacks are provided daily, supporting children’s energy and well-being throughout the day.
Our Dedicated Staff: Experienced Early Childhood Educators
At Pete’s Place, we understand that the quality of our staff is paramount to the quality of care we provide. Most classrooms are led by experienced Early Childhood Lead Teachers, with many classrooms also benefiting from the support of Early Childhood Assistant Teachers.
Our Early Childhood Lead Teachers are required to meet stringent minimum qualifications, including:
- A current national Child Development Associate (CDA) credential or preferably an Associate Degree in Early Childhood.
- A minimum of 1,000 hours of experience working in an Early Childhood setting.
- 60 hours of approved training in Early Childhood Education.
- Certification in AHA Pediatric First Aid and Infant, Child, and Adult CPR.
- Commitment to ongoing professional development with 16 hours of approved training annually, as well as preferred required training from Child Care Licensing and STARS to Quality to maintain our Level 4 status.
Early Childhood Assistant Teachers also meet specific requirements to ensure a high standard of care:
- A High School Diploma or GED is preferred.
- Must be at least 16 years of age.
- Certification in AHA Pediatric First Aid and CPR.
- Annual commitment to 16 hours of approved training.
Enrollment at Pete’s Place
Currently, Pete’s Place is pleased to accept children of St. Peter’s staff. If you are an employee of St. Peter’s, we invite you to visit the People Hub employee intranet for detailed information and to join our waiting list.
Join Our Team: Career Opportunities in Child Care at Pete’s Place
Are you passionate about early childhood education and seeking a rewarding career making a difference in children’s lives? Pete’s Place is expanding and actively seeking qualified and enthusiastic individuals to join our dedicated team! As a member of our team, you will enjoy a supportive work environment and excellent employment benefits, including:
- Comprehensive insurance benefits.
- Paid leave.
- A starting minimum wage of $15 per hour.
- Capital City Health Club gym membership.
- And more!
Featured Job Openings: Make a Difference in Early Childhood
We are currently seeking passionate early childhood educators to fill several key roles and contribute to our experienced and caring team. Explore the exciting opportunities below to learn more and apply:
Early Childhood Lead Teacher – Infant
Early Childhood Assistant Teacher – Infant
Early Childhood Assistant Teacher – Toddler
Early Childhood Assistant Teacher – Toddler – Per Diem
Early Childhood Assistant Teacher – Preschool
For further information about employment opportunities, please contact Kim Casey at [email protected] or call 406-447-2913.
Pete’s Place offers a nurturing and enriching environment for children to learn and grow, and a fulfilling and rewarding career path for early childhood educators. We invite you to discover the Pete’s Place difference!
