Week of the Young Child: Franke hooked on teaching kids at St. John

This is the 50th Anniversary of the Week of the Young Child, April 10-16, an annual celebration sponsored by the National Association for the Education of Young Children, the world’s largest early childhood education association, along with the Iowa Association for the Education of Young Children and other state associations. The purpose of the Week of the Young Child is to focus public attention on the needs of young children and their families and to recognize the early childhood programs and services that meet those needs.

By James Grob, jgrob@charlescitypress.com

Whittney Franke said she wasn’t expecting to find a job teaching preschool children, but the job kind of found her.

“This is when they start to develop social skills, kindergarten readiness skills and self-help skills,” Franke said. “This helps them become a stronger learner and a more independent learner as well.”

Franke is the director and lead teacher at St. John Christian Preschool in Charles City. Originally from Charles City, she holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education with an endorsement in reading from Luther College and an endorsement in early childhood education from Buena Vista University.

Franke went into college with the intention of being a music teacher. She then changed her mind and studied elementary education, student-taught second graders and really wanted to teach third graders.

Her first job, however, was teaching preschool — and she said she fell in love with it.

“It just kind of snuck up on me, and I wouldn’t change anything,” Franke said. “It’s just been wonderful.”

She said she especially loves the way the kids’ imaginations work, and that she could probably write a book from all the stories students have told over the years.

“This age is so fun,” she said. “They’re little sponges and they just soak everything up. We love the hugs and the smiles.”

This is Franke’s 10th school year at the St. John preschool, which has been operating since 1975. Franke teaches with Carleen Laue, who has been at St. John for 13 years and said she loves working with Franke.

“I love being here with all the kid. It makes my heart happy and I get attached to them,” Laue said. “I was baptized here, I grew up here, this is like a home for me.”

Franke said that she thinks she and Laue make a good team.

“Carleen really keeps me focused,” Franke said. “We really work well together.”

Franke said the program has changed a lot over the years, as St. John used to have two-day 3-year-old program and a three-day 4-year-old program. The community’s needs changed, and St. John now serves 3-year-olds in the morning two or three days a week, and 4-year-olds in afternoon, three or five days a week.

St. John is strictly a preschool program, licensed through the Department of Human Services, that serves children ages 3-5 in Charles City and in surrounding communities.

Franke said the goal at St. John is to provide an educational program that is appropriate to the developmental needs of the children and serves the mission of the church by providing outreach to the children of the community and their parents.

“We are a Christian preschool, and we celebrate that fact,” Franke said. “We read Bible stories, we pray before our snack, we pray at the beginning and end of every day.”

Franke said she believes that the preschool experience should be a time of fun, warmth, security, exploration and discovery.

“We are committed to providing an excellent early childhood education within a loving Christian environment,” Franke said.

St. John utilizes the Foster Grandparent program in Charles City, and a Foster Grandparent visits and assists each day. The grandparent had been Evelyn Schmidt and is currently Cynthia Kinney.

The Foster Grandparent Program is sponsored by the city of Charles City. Foster Grandparents volunteer time in area schools, preschools and day care centers, offering help with school work and reading, support and role modeling to kids and students in 20 locations.

“The kids love having a grandma here at school,” Franke said. “I think the inter-generational connection we have with the Foster Grandparent program is excellent. I hope that program sticks around for quite a while.”

Franke said that the COVID-19 pandemic was “eye-opening” for a lot of people, and caused many to realize how important day-care providers and early childhood education teachers really are.

“Early childhood education has always been important, as this age is crucial for the foundation of early education, but I think now, with everything that’s been going on, people are appreciating it more” she said. “People now have a better understanding of how important it really is.”

During normal times, Franke likes to take the kids on field trips, and St. John also encourages visitors, from places like the Police Department, Fire Department, the public library, dentists, health and nutrition experts, local business people and local service organizations.

“We have a wonderful community, and like to have as much community involvement as possible,” Franke said.

Franke is a member of St. John Lutheran Church and is married to Charles City Police Captain Brandon Franke. They have a daughter who will be 3 in November.

“They grow up so quickly,” Franke said. “Take the time to relish this time in your child’s life, because it goes by so fast.”