According to Angila Moffitt, CCS principal, the day care center, called Little Crusaders Daycare, is the first faith-based day care-school combination in Fort Dodge.

“This is huge,” Moffitt said.

The day care opened Jan. 7. It serves infants through elementary-aged children before and after school.

The hours are from 5:45 a.m. to 6 p.m. Monday through Friday.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Kathy Dencklau, director of Little Crusaders Daycare at Community Christian School, is greeted by Evan Lager, 2, of Fort Dodge, in the recently opened day care facility recently.

According to Moffitt, the day care provides meals, outdoor time, and activities.

Kathy Dencklau, who had been providing child care from her home for more than 18 years, was hired to direct the day care.

“We had day care at our house on Friday and we packed up and moved and here we are,” Dencklau said. “It’s been a really good fit for us since that first phone call was made to help expand child care.”

According to Dencklau, every classroom within the school was shifted to make room for the service.

She said the staff was very understanding and accommodating.

-Messenger photo by Hans Madsen
Twins Estella Moffitt, at left, along with Deirdre Moffitt, both 13, sign their names to a set a canvases congratulating their classmates on their Community Christian School Eighth Grade Graduation. The twins’ younger siblings, twins Evan and Gigi Moffit, 5, graduated from kindergarten earlier in the day.

“We have a lot more space than we even thought,” Dencklau said.

Moffitt said the upper grade levels at the school, seventh and eighth grade, were moved upstairs.

“We moved the big kids upstairs,” Moffitt said. “Our bottom floor is now truly early childhood.”

Dencklau said she’s happy to make the transition.

She has fond memories of the school.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson
Evan Lager, 2, finds a spot to hang out in the Little Crusaders Daycare room at Community Christian School recently.

“I got married in this building 22 years ago,” Dencklau said.

According to Dencklau, the school used to be home to Holy Rosary Church.

“We have a history with this building as a church home, but also as a school,” she said. “Our four kids went to CCS.”

CCS used to be housed in the First Evangelical Free Church before moving to its current location in 2013.

The school employs about 12 people and serves close to 100 students.

About 18 children are currently enrolled in the day care, according to Dencklau.

The day care is available to any child regardless if they attend CCS.

“We also have 3- and 4-year-old preschool,” Moffitt said. “We are a one-stop-and-drop for all of your kids.”

Moffitt said the day care was much needed. The school also offers a breakfast program and afterschool program.

“We are meeting the needs of our community and I think it will really help our school too,” Moffitt said.

Moffitt shared some of the programs taking place at CCS:

• Day care

• After school program

• Breakfast program

• Preschool — 3-year-old and 4-year-old program

• K-eighth grade grade academics

• Boys basketball (grades 4-8)

• Girls basketball (grades 4-8)

• Cheerleading (grades 4-8)

• Pep squad (K-third grade)

• Music program

• Art program with a big end of the year art show

• Art club

• Seventh- and eighth-grade school leadership team

• Fifth- and sixth-grade economic program

• Third- and fourth-grade gratitude program

• Second-grade Daily 5 program

• First grade incorporates puppets in the classroom

• Kindergarten is known for their poetry

• Preschool is known for working with their seventh- and eighth-grade buddies

• First- and second-graders visit Friendship Haven monthly and have Friendship Haven buddies

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