In 1994, there was no preschool in Bayfield.
Families drove their kids to other towns, primarily Durango, for early childhood education.
Deciding there was enough interest for a local preschool, a couple of parents got together and started planning. In 1995, the Pine River Early Learning Center started classes in a church basement, and 20 years later, Bayfield Early Education Program has its own building, more than 110 students and is running strong.
On Sunday, the school celebrates its 20th anniversary with a birthday party at 3 p.m. at Eagle Park.
"Children are our biggest asset in Bayfield, and quality early education can make a difference in their lives," said Jackie Morlan, one of the original founders of the preschool.
She was the chairperson of BEEP from 1995 until 2012, then a board member until she stepped down this summer.
BEEP has had only four directors in the past 20 years, with Carol Blatnick serving the longest, for 15 years.
"I love all these little kids," said Blatnick, who taught at BHS before moving into early education. "It's just fun to see them grow and develop."
In addition to providing learning opportunities, Blatnick said it's important for a preschool to be a resource for parents because they are still their children's most important educators.
"There are no instructions that come with your kids," she said. Preschool is for learning through play, and school shouldn't pressure little kids to be doing algebra and reading by the age of five, Blatnick explained.
Children learn math by playing with blocks and manipulatives and start to comprehend reading by playing with animal phonics games and learning their ABCs.
"All of our teaching is developmentally appropriate, and children pick up different things at different levels," she said.
Blatnick credits much of the school's success to parent support and the staff of 14 at the school.
"It's a great teaching team we've assembled," she said. Unlike many schools and daycare centers, the staff has been in place for a long time as well. The "new" teachers have been at BEEP for eight years or longer, while Patti Harrmann was one of the original staff members, and has been around most of the program's 20 years.
Over the years, the school has grown tremendously, and teachers have learned new curricula, Harrmann said.
"Our basic philosophy is children learn through play," Harrmann said. "We put children and their families first."
"It's hard, but it's fun," teacher Kari Caviness says of her job. "You get kisses and hugs. They love you back unconditionally."
Originally, the school's founders requested space inside one of the Bayfield school buildings, but were turned down. While it was frustrating at the beginning, Morlan said in the long run, remaining a separate entity has been beneficial for the preschool.
"We became really independent," and the group's board and staff were able to function solely on learning and development of young children, she said.
The school moved into its own building down the street from Bayfield Elementary in 2011. The board and volunteers raised $1.7 million total for the new facility, including $320,000 from community members and businesses. Most of the funding came from grants and a USDA loan.
In the future, Morlan said BEEP might evolve to add either an infant-toddler center, which is difficult to run financially, or a private kindergarten so local families would have another choice for kindergarten education.
Either decision - or something different - will be up to a new board without Morlan, who decided that 20 years with one group was a good time to move on to other activities.
"I will always be proud of BEEP as one of my biggest accomplishments," she said. "It could not have happened without the help of countless mothers and fathers throughout the years."
