Sugar Plum Preschool

Most Trinity members may be familiar with Sugar Plum Preschool, which is housed just beyond the Library at Trinity. Many Trinity members may have children currently enrolled in the preschool, and many may have actually attended Sugar Plum themselves. For a preschool to have lasted over 50 years is quite an accomplishment and is definitely a story worth telling.

“Watching each child grow throughout the year and knowing you played a part in their growth is the best feeling,” says Teresa MacDougall, one of the past paraprofessionals at Sugar Plum Preschool. Jenny Mikkelsen, a former lead teacher and director of Sugar Plum, agreed as she loved “being with the kids and being their first teacher!” Rachel Morris, also a former Sugar Plum teacher, said, “It was a joy to guide [the young children] in their social, emotional, academic and motor development.”

One of the first directors of this special place is Colleen Dutcher, who said people commonly call her the first director, but she “was actually the second, following a woman who was there the first couple years until her husband transferred jobs and they moved to Des Moines.” Her sentiment toward her favorite part of Sugar Plum almost mirrors the others. “Seeing kids blossom and develop and grow their little personalities” was a special part of her role. Dutcher added, “Working with children is so special. It’s such a part of your life!”

Current Director/Teacher, Carol Jara, said that “it’s fun to see how [the kids] change from September to May. They learn to share, play with their friends and use their imagination.” Sugar Plum’s current teacher assistant, Michelle Albertson, agrees. “It’s fun to see how much kids grow and change over the school year!”

How did this preschool become affiliated with Trinity in the first place? According to Dutcher, it started in January 1967 when “four men were hoping to get a Christian preschool started. Wally Smeby and Glen Allen were two of them.” She continued, “The first year after being approved by the state, kids started coming.”

Mikkelsen added, “We have always been very proud of our reputation as a wonderful, early learning experience for children ages 3-5. We’ve also been very proud of our heritage at Trinity Lutheran Church. We have had a wonderful partnership that has endured many changes and challenges throughout the years. Sugar Plum also began the collaboration with the Mason City YMCA in 2009 and became an official program of the Y in 2012.”

Jara said, “I appreciate the friendliness of Trinity with using their building. The staff is always friendly! It’s such a great space that we have and it’s fun when people wander down here to see what we’re doing!”
Throughout Sugar Plum’s 58 years, the directors and teacher assistants have nurtured children and provided guidance as their very first teachers. They’ve watched kids come in at the beginning of the year, playing independently, and “at the end of the year, the kids are learning to share, play with friends and use their imagination,” according to Jara.Some of the current class likes to play circus, astronauts, “plumbers fixing the sink,” cooks, doctors, and moms and dads. In other words, creativity abounds! Jara said, “Kids just need to be kids! A lot of what we teach is social skills and learning through play.” Albertson said, “We encourage kids to think creatively.”

Whatever Sugar Plum has done over the years is working. From the curriculum including opening time with songs and finger plays, to activity time (including science, art, large motor activities and dramatic play), snack time, center or station time, music, and show and tell, class time always included a story and free play.

Jara and Albertson shared a story about a little boy who was going to Disneyland with his family. He cried because he was going to miss school. “Don’t do anything without me!” he pleaded to his Sugar Plum teachers before he left. This story says it all. Sugar Plum is not only a place, but very much a feeling of being cared for and included. 

In all of Sugar Plum’s years, the directors and teachers have become close friends and sing each other’s praises. Dutcher taught with her assistant director, Joan Bantz throughout her 14 years there. “She was just the sweetest little gal to work with and so good with the children!” Dutcher gushed. The two kept in touch until Bantz’s death a few years ago.

Dutcher also mentioned, “One of the loveliest teachers was Elaine Braun.” Braun was Morris’s associate and the two took over when Dutcher and Bantz retired. Mikkelsen and MacDougall also still get together when they can “for a Diet Coke and to catch up!” said Mikkelsen. Jara pointed out that their foster grandma, “Grandma Dawn,” is such an important part of their program as she “develops special relationships with the kids, and they miss her if she is gone. She’s a blessing to us!”

The teachers not only are skilled in early childhood knowledge but have worked together exceptionally well to teach young children the fine art of being a human…and they made sure their young students were ready to start kindergarten by the time they left Sugar Plum.

From kids running down the hallway with huge smiles ready to start their day to the hugs received by the teachers at the end of the day, the memories MacDougall has of her time at Sugar Plum go beyond the classroom. Some stand-out memories happened sitting on the bench in the alley, waiting for parents to pick up their children. MacDougall utilized those moments of waiting time singing songs and telling stories with her young students.

As for Dutcher, who is now 97, the memories are plentiful…and lasting. She remembers “all the wonderful children who went to Sugar Plum and how well so many of them have done.” Some have gone on to be doctors and lawyers, “and we even have a Federal judge!” she exclaimed.

For a preschool that used to be Sugar Plum Tree Preschool with a logo of a child sitting under a tree, Dutcher said, “That was too much of a long title and somewhere along the line, we just dropped the ‘tree!’” Jara and Albertson have saved a couple tiny sweatshirts with this first name emblazoned on it, along with a box full of memorabilia from years past. They showed some of the contents of the treasures the box held, and to my delight, I recognized the little red-haired boy standing in the back row with a grin I love to this day. Sure enough, Sugar Plum Tree (and Mrs. Bantz, Mrs. Braun and Mrs. Dutcher) helped nurture that boy into a great human being and the one with whom I chose to spend my life. Thanks for the many wonderful nurturing years, Sugar Plum Preschool!†

If you’d like to learn more about Sugar Plum Pre-School, please visit https://masoncityymca.org/sugarplum-preschool/.