St. Thomas Child and Family Center
St. Thomas Child and Family Center
About Us
St. Thomas Child and Family Center offers early childhood education, nurturing care, and family support to help children thrive and build a bright future. Located in Great Falls, Montana, our modern facility is designed to meet the needs of growing children. We provide age-appropriate classes and a variety of activities for children to enjoy. We operate year-round as a full-day childcare and early childhood learning center.
Our facility is licensed for 120 children, ranging from six weeks to six years old. We offer a variety of activities in age-appropriate settings, and all staff receive a minimum of 16 hours of training each year.
We proudly serve all families, regardless of income level or religious background. As a ministry of the Sisters of Providence and a member of the Providence family, we do not promote religious education in our curriculum. Our days are filled with fun and educational activities designed to stimulate your child’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive growth. Our professional caregivers are experts in early childhood education, and their nurturing spirit ensures children feel safe and secure.
At St. Thomas Child and Family Center, babies develop trust and security, while older children learn their ABCs, how to share, practice teamwork, and most importantly, become their most confident selves.
Our Classrooms
Your little one starts their learning journey with us in a setting that feels like family.
Cost of Classroom:
Tabitha has been at St Thomas Child and Family Center since 2022. She started as the Assistant Teacher in our Yellow Room and is the now the Lead. She holds a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education as well as an associate’s degree in Pre-Elementary Educational Studies from the University of Montana Western -Dillon. While her background is with elementary aged children, she fell in love working with the babies isn’t looking back. She was born and raised here in Montana, growing up in Fairfield. Her spare time is filled with at home projects, hiking when she can with her husband and dog, and spending time with her family.
Toddlers are eager to learn through active play in a safe, supervised environment.
Cost of Classroom:
Dawn started with St Thomas in April of 2023, after 2 years with Head Start. Dawn is the Lead Teacher for our busy Orange room with toddlers and 2-year-olds. Dawn has a love for the little ones and is in the process of finishing her Child Development Associate’s Certificate. She is a native Montanan so when the weather is nice you can find her outdoors with her husband Jeff.
We instill a sense of confidence and accomplishment while your child learns through art, sensory activities, music and adventure.
Cost of Classroom:
Tessa is our Lead Teacher in the Red Room and is a newcomer to St Thomas. She is a native of Great Falls. During high school she was a standout Volleyball player which led to a full ride scholarship in Billings. Tessa is currently in her last year of college and will graduate with a B.S in Child Psychology with a minor in Educational Studies. Tessa and her boyfriend are the proud owners of a new puppy. She is close to her family and enjoys spending time with them all. She is a natural with infants and toddlers so working with our mobile infants has been a perfect fit for her and for us!
Daily adventures will equip your child for a lifetime of learning and prepare them for pre-school.
Cost of Classroom:
Becky Myllymaki has been with St Thomas since 2022. She previously taught with Bright Horizons in Great Falls which was part of Centene. She has worked with young children since 2010 and has developed a passion for her career as she strives to create a classroom that has a strong foundation for the young preschooler. Becky believes in preparing children to be ready learners. Becky holds a bachelor’s degree in liberal studies with a concentration in Child Development from California State University Stanislaus. Her down time involves flipping homes with her husband or reading a good book.
Teachers lead your little ones in activities that keep their hands busy, and their minds inspired.
Cost of Classroom:
Chilo Ketterling is the Lead Teacher for the Blue Room and has held the position since 2017. Chilo loves working with children and planning a fun and exciting curriculum for them to enjoy. Always on the path to better herself, Chilo is very involved in leadership courses and trainings that our community has to offer. When she isn’t working Chilo is a self-proclaimed History buff, especially WWII history. She enjoys camping and spending time with her family. She is a proud and doting mother to her daughter Zella and can’t wait to get her into swimming as Chilo loves the water having been a certified lifeguard for 10 years. She is currently in the process of obtaining her Associate’s Degree in Early Childhood Education.
Our preschool program is a safe, supportive and fun learning environment where children learn through play and participation.
Cost of Classroom:
Sabrina Tully is not only new to St Thomas but new to Montana as well! She joins us from Virginia where she taught kindergarten and 1st grade for the past four years. She holds her degree in Elementary Education from Shenandoah University. While in college she worked for 2 years in the pre-school and Pre-K center on campus. She is married to Matthew who is currently in med school in Great Falls. She is excited to be in Montana and can’t wait to travel.
Frequently Asked Questions
Enroll Your Child at St. Thomas
If you would like more information regarding enrollment, please send us an email or call 406-761-6538.
Please note: The ages for the classrooms will vary and will represent the youngest to oldest we will enroll in each room. This multi-age grouping is designed to give us the flexibility needed to maintain a full classroom and meet the needs of our community.
Current Rates
We accept all federal and state financial assistance.
- 0-3 years of age: $1,220
- 3-6 years of age: $1,100
Hours and Days of Operation
We are open Monday through Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m.
In 1908, the Sisters of Providence founded the St. Thomas Home, a children’s orphanage, in Great Falls, Montana. But the sisters opened more than a home for orphans – it was a school and a boarding house for children who lived in rural areas, and a safe environment for children whose parents were faced with hard times.
St. Thomas Home became a Child and Family Center in the mid-1960s as the needs of the community changed. St. Thomas evolved to become a childcare service at a time when support for working-parent families became critical.
For over 100 years the programs and services at St. Thomas have impacted more than 5,000 children through the orphanage, and over 3,500 children through the early childcare and development centers.
Today, the Sisters of Providence is known as Providence with healthcare ministries in Montana, Washington, Oregon, California, New Mexico and Texas. In Great Falls, the University of Providence also is a member of Providence.
Our menu reflects a great deal of fresh fruits and vegetable which we server year-round. In addition, we strive to do as much from scratch cooking as possible with most of our meals.
Breakfast: 8-8:30 a.m.
Lunch: 11-11:30 a.m.
Afternoon snack: 3 p.m.
Carrie has been with St Thomas since 2005. She holds a B.S degree in Child Development and Family Relations from Montana State University - Bozeman. Seeing Early Childhood Education become a more pivotal part of a child’s educational journey has been a passion of Carrie’s since entering the field in 1986. She has served on numerous boards and committees in support of Early Childhood services throughout her career. She is a native Montanan, born and raised in Kalispell. Carrie has two grown sons, and a cockapoo named Darby. Her spare time is filled with family, baking, playing piano and NFL football cheering on the Steelers and the Lions.
Jen is the proud mother of two very busy high school students. She earned her B.S. Degree in Early Childhood Education while working full time at St Thomas as a Lead Teacher. Through the Air Force Jen had the amazing opportunity to live in various states as well as overseas in Japan. Jen has been with St Thomas since 2016 and has a valuable background in both teaching and administration. Jen currently serves on the board for the Early Childhood Coalition Great Falls as she strives to bring professionalism to the field. When she isn’t working, she loves to cook...especially Asian Food, tends to her bees and completing the many DIY projects she takes on herself renovating her home.
Our front desk Center Manager is Emily Ivers. Emily is a native of Great Falls and came to St Thomas Child and Family Center in 2017. Emily has always enjoyed working with children and wanted to give childcare a try. She loved it and stayed with us. She worked in almost all classrooms but found her joy working with the Infants and Toddlers, the age group she holds her CDA credential. In 2023, Emily left the classroom to become our Center Manager and took on the responsibilities of managing all of the required files, processes and reporting for our large center! In her spare time, she and her husband are raising their daughter, camping, fishing and skiing. A favorite get-a-way is an annual weeklong camping and fishing trip to Fort Peck Reservoir.
Sydney came to St Thomas in 2017 and brought with her a wealth of understanding and training in the field of Early Childhood. She has over 18 years of experience in private childcare and Head Start settings and during that time, achieved her associate’s degree in early childhood education from the University on Montana Western For the last 6 years at St Thomas, Sydney has worked as a Lead Teacher in several classrooms. She was raised in Butte and moved to Great Falls with her boyfriend and 15-year-old son in 2017. She loves to go camping with her family, going to concerts and singing karaoke. In 2023, Sydney was promoted to Classroom Manager where she oversees the quality and consistency of care while offering her immeasurable skills and insight to support and coach our staff.