For Immediate Release
Contact: Daniel Wackershauser, Marketing and PR Specialist
Phone: 608.822.2303
Mail: 1800 Bronson Blvd., Fennimore, WI 53809
Date of Release: March 27, 2025
Governor Evers tours Child Care Center
Highlights connections between childcare and a strong workforce
Fennimore -
Wisconsin Governor Tony Evers visited Southwest Wisconsin Technical College earlier today, touring the college’s Child Care Center. The governor’s appearance was an effort to highlight the importance of making childcare accessible and affordable, in order to support and bolster the state’s workforce. “I’m spending a lot of my time making sure people understand how important it is when you have several hundred million dollars in the budget for Childcare Counts,” said Evers. “We have a high employment rate in this state, and a very low unemployment rate, and if people start closing their doors to doing this work, we are going to have a lot of people leave the workforce, and that’s going to impact our economy.”
The Southwest Tech Child Care Center has received $310,346 in Child Care Counts funding. In addition, 38 providers in Grant County have been awarded $6,164,598 through the program. Evers’ visit was an opportunity to highlight the program and reinforce that his 2025-27 Executive Budget allocates more than $500 million to help lower childcare costs, support the childcare industry, and invest in employer-sponsored childcare.
“This is a special place in Southwest Wisconsin,” said Evers. “The facility, obviously, is one of the best I have ever seen, and great teachers.”
Evers’ one-hour tour included visits to each classroom—from infants to school-age children—outdoor play areas, and the center’s gymnasium. Along the way, he engaged with teaching staff, parents, and Early Childhood Education students. The visit showcased not only the high-quality care provided but also the essential role the center plays in supporting student success, staff retention, and the broader local workforce.
Evers spoke directly with teachers and families, including a parent whose wife is a student and a Southwest Tech employee-parent, who shared how access to high-quality childcare has positively impacted their ability to succeed at work and school.
He met Grace Kite, who attended the Southwest Tech Child Care Center as a toddler when her mom was going through college. Kite is now pursuing her Early Childhood Education credential with the help of a TEACH scholarship—showcasing the full-circle impact of the program.
The center also plays a vital role in developing future educators. Early Childhood Education students at Southwest Tech engage in hands-on learning with children at the center, gaining practical experience while strengthening the local childcare workforce pipeline.
The center currently operates with a waitlist, receiving multiple weekly inquiries for infant and toddler care. This demand reflects the critical need for continued state support to expand services.
“Thank you to Governor Evers for visiting campus,” said Krista Weber, Southwest Tech acting president and chief human resources officer. “We are extremely proud of our Child Care Center. We know its operation benefits our district’s parents, and especially our student parents, in a variety of ways, and enhances the economic opportunities of those parents.”
There are 64 children enrolled in the Child Care Center. Staff includes three full-time, four part-time, three substitutes and five student employees.
The center is funded through fees, budget expenditures from the college, and a state Stabilization Grant – a monthly stipend since the pandemic, which is set to expire in June 2025. Some of the Child Care Center families qualify for Wisconsin Shares, which covers the cost of daycare.
The center is part of the Young Star quality system, where it has a four-star ranking.
The center is a model of excellence, prioritizing not just supervision, but early brain development, social-emotional learning, and individualized care that lays the foundation for lifelong success. “Research shows that 90 percent of brain development happens before the age of five,” said Renae Blaschke, Early Childhood Education instructor. “We’re talking about a once-in-a-lifetime window to support language growth, critical thinking, and emotional well-being. We need people focused not just on availability of childcare, but on quality—because the impact reaches far beyond today’s workforce. It shapes education outcomes, economic opportunity, and the strength of our communities long-term.”
“The center has been in operation for over 50 years,” said Emily McBee, Early Childhood Education instructor and Child Care Center manager. “We provide care for Southwest Tech students, employees, and community families. The center became licensed through the state of Wisconsin in 1997.”
The Southwest Tech Child Care Center:
• State-licensed and caters to children aged six weeks to 12 years.
• Provides the children of students, staff, and members of the community with quality childcare services.
• Classrooms are designed for various age groups, including infant, toddler, and preschool rooms.
• Outdoor play areas promote physical activity and social development.
• Interactions between the college’s Early Childhood Education students and children, showcase hands-on learning experiences.
• The curriculum emphasizes social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development, reflecting the college’s commitment to high-quality early childhood education.
• The low child-to-teacher ratio allows the experienced staff to focus on each child’s individual needs and provides them with the highest quality of early childhood education, while providing loving care.
• Teachers and staff communicate with parents daily, and parents are encouraged to take an active role in their children’s education.