Building a future: Bright Minds Daycare expands to meet region’s growing needs
M.K. French
Farmer Staff Writer
It’s no secret that in small communities, childcare has long been a scarce resource. But one former kindergarten teacher decided that if a solution didn’t exist, she would build it herself–literally. On December 15, Bright Minds officially opened the doors to its brand new, purpose-built facility at the corner of Bruegger and Elk Streets in Alexander. For owner Nikki Holen, the transition from an in-home daycare to a spacious center is the culmination of a decade-long endeavor driven by a teacher’s heart and a mom’s necessity.
Nikki Holen’s story began in 2015. After ten years of teaching kindergarten, she welcomed her first daughter and faced a crisis familiar to many McKenzie County parents: there was simply no daycare available. “I went to college to be a teacher and taught kindergarten for ten years,” Holen shared. “Then I had my first daughter….and there was no daycare.” Rather than returning to the classroom, Holen brought the classroom home. She launched Bright Minds as an in-home daycare in 2016, a move that allowed her to utilize her expertise in early childhood development while staying close to her own growing family. Now a mother to daughters, aged ten and seven, Holen says her girls are some of her best helpers. “They like to come and help me with the littles,” Holen noted, reflecting on the example she is trying to set for them as an entrepreneur. “They love it.”
While the in-home setting was successful, the sheer volume of parents seeking help became impossible to ignore. “It was finding quality care, but also the amount of calls,” Holen said. “I get [several] calls a week from parents looking for childcare. I have a waiting list that has approximately 25 students currently.” The new facility represents a massive leap in capacity. While the in-home daycare was limited by residential space, the new building is designed to eventually support many more children. While an exact number is difficult to pinpoint due to the possible variation in age groups, Holen estimates that the new capacity could range from around 60-70 children.
The center features four dedicated classrooms tailored to specific developmental stages: the infant and toddler rooms, the three and four-year-old classroom, and an after-school room for older students. Holen emphasized that Bright Minds is more than just a place for supervision; it is a place for preparation. “We’re quality-rated based here as well,” she explained. “They’re ready for school once they get there.”
The impact of the new Bright Minds extends beyond the children. By moving into the larger facility, Holen is also creating new local jobs. The center currently employs four full-time and one part-time teacher, with plans to recruit more staff as enrollment grows. Finding the right candidates is essential to Holen, who brings the same scrutiny to hiring as she did to her public school career. “They have to have the background check, and my staff is CPR and First Aid certified. We have to have all of those, whether they are a volunteer or a teacher.”
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