Boulder’s childcare facility, previously managed by Nature Story Montessori, is under new ownership.
Former Nature Story employees Ariel Torgrimson and Janai Turner are the new co-owners of the facility, which now operates under the name Boulder Kids Preschool. They took over the business on Sept. 6 from former proprietor Jessica Shattuck, who, after closing her two other Nature Story facilities in Montana City and Helena earlier this summer, helped facilitate a transition that would allow Boulder to retain local childcare services.
“When [Shattuck] decided to cease her operations, I volunteered to take over for her, so that we could still have childcare here in Boulder,” said Torgrimson. “Once we got our own license, she helped us get the LLC transferred over to us. She was extremely helpful, and we were able to conduct the transfer without any sort of interruption to our services.”
Boulder Kids Preschool (BKP) has taken over Nature Story’s partnership with Southwest Montana Youth Partners (SWMYP), which leases the city-owned child care building. SWMYP charges BKP $5 dollars in rent a year, and also covers the center’s utility costs.
“During the transition, there’s been just an outpouring of support from community members and other childcare facilities,” said SWMYP Executive Director Rochelle Hesford. “This is a wonderful thing for Boulder, and, even with the transition, there isn’t any real change for the families that are a part of the daycare.”
Boulder’s child care center has had a rocky history. Born from conversations among city residents that began in 2020, its partners succeeded in acquiring and moving a building to house the operation in December, 2021. It contracted with an initial operator, Discovery Kidzone, which launched the center in May, 2023 — only to suspend operations two months later.
Shattuck’s Nature Story took over the Boulder contract in November of that year, moving its operations from the former fellowship hall of the United Methodist Church. Nature Story relaunched with 14 pre-school students and five babies, but the new center was provisionally licensed for up to 36 kids.
Hesford helped BKP acquire furniture and other supplies from Boulder Elementary School and community members. Though former owner Shattuck assisted BKP in establishing its new licensure from the Department of Public Health and Human Services, she also, according to BKP staff, reclaimed a significant portion of the facility’s existing furniture and supplies, which she had procured with her own money. BKP was able to purchase back some of the equipment, such as cribs and play equipment, for $1500. Shattuck did not respond to The Monitor’s requests for comment.
“I do have to reiterate that a big reason why BKP was able to keep operating and pull off the transition so quickly is because Jessica [Shattuck] did a lot of the legwork necessary to get the new team in order, as a business. She really wanted them to be successful, but needed to recoup some of her investment,” said Hesford.
BKP presently cares for 18 children with four full-time employees, and has capacity to care for as many as 40. While tuition presently costs roughly $1000 per child per month, BKP anticipates being able to lower pricing should enrollment increase.
“We’re really still figuring out what the real costs are in running this thing,” said Torgrimson. “It’s not cheap, by any means, but we are going to make do with what we have. My vision for the next few years is to continue to grow, and to make sure we’re providing extremely high-quality care.”
