Advancing Barton County Childcare’s new daycare facility south of 10th Street near K-96 in Great Bend “changes every day, and it’s coming together and looking fantastic,” said Sara Arnberger, president of Great Bend Economic Development Inc. of which ABCC is a part. She was giving a report to the Great Bend City Council Monday night.

“We have just put out all of our 11 remaining job postings for that first center,” she said, referring to the Great Bend location. ABCC is planning a second facility in Hoisington, but that remains in the planning stages. 

These include lead teacher, assistant teachers and part-time providers, and applications were available on the ABCC website, gbedinc.com/abcc. They are also posted through KansasWorks and other job listings.

“We are very excited about that,” she said.

A waiting list to get a child into the center will come out in December, she said. Before they make that available, they still have to finish up staff benefits and a cost structure.

“I’ve had a lot of people ask and it will go out on our website,” she said. They will also put out a news release to local media. 

Until then, there is no wait list available, she said.

Ground was broken on July 20 for the daycare center at Farmer’s Plaza, dubbed Farmers Plaza Childcare Center.  

The approximately $1.9 million 6,500 square-foot facility, envisioned as the first of several to be built in Barton County, will accommodate up to 59 children. It had been in the works since 2021.

For more information, visit www.gbedinc.com, or call 620-796-2407. Arnberger can be reached via email at director@gbedinc.com.