Despite the struggles 2021 brought, the Portage Ukrainian Nursery School was still able to provide the children attending with multiple projects and activities.

Director Lori Carpenter says it was great to take some steps back to normal life following a hectic 2021, noting that parents have been coming to the nursery to help make some of the art pieces that will be featured in next year’s rendition of their art show.

“That starts early in the year because we have 80 children,” explains Carpenter. “They all have to do something with their parents when they come as helpers.”

When Carpenter looks back on the 2021 art show, she notes that people weren’t allowed to attend the show until the last week. Despite that, she wants to look forward to some of the new developments happening within the nursery itself. Namely, a long-overdue upgrade to their storage closet.

“We've been so grateful to have this beautiful space that we have, but our storage was not convenient,” notes Carpenter. “It was down two flights of stairs and then up another flight and up a ladder and we just secured funding through the Portage Foundation to allow us to go ahead with that renovation and that's starting in January.”

She says now that they have a new set of children at the nursery they saw a little bit of a rebound from the dip of students in the 2020/21 set. Carpenter explains that they actually have a little bit of a waitlist now, so if a child has to leave for any reason, they’re able to bring in another one fairly quickly.

Carpenter would like to stress that the Portage Ukrainian Nursery School appreciates the apprehension from parents when it comes to sending their children to the nursery if they appear sick.

“We appreciate that parents are being so responsible,” says Carpenter. “Keeping their kids at home when they're not feeling well, I think everybody here appreciates that.”

The Portage Ukrainian Nursery is ready to get back to work and is excited to unveil future plans as they progress through next year.

“We're kind of putting our heads together I think after Christmas to see what everything is going to look like further along,” notes Carpenter. ”But, we'll definitely be doing the art show, that’s a big thing for us.”