Our Story

In 1997, Terry Alley, school superintendent, Erlinda Gonzales, director of Social Services, and Tom Steen, executive director of Archuleta Education Center requested a meeting to discuss the need for infant and toddler care. That meeting, along with a community planning process that had been going on for over a year, pointed to the lack of services in quality early child care in Archuleta County.

Members of our community could not obtain care for their young children and were not able to continue in their education or employment. With the welfare to work reforms, this put the county in dire straits. All of the above pointed to a need for a quality early childcare and education program. With the research connecting the importance of brain development within the first five years and a child’s later success in life, it was our mandate to go beyond babysitting and provide an early learning center.

In February 1998, Seeds of Learning opened for eight infants in the nursery of the Methodist Church. Ten months later parents were desperate as their children were ready to move up and they began to plead for a toddler room . The town of Pagosa Springs made a toddler room possible with the use of the old Mary Fisher Clinic. In January of 1999, a toddler room was opened and in September of 1999, a preschool room was also opened.

At the end of May 2003, the administrative configuration changed. Teddy Adler Finney, the first Director and founder, resigned. Lynne Bridges, a longtime resident and a home daycare provider since 1980 in Pagosa Springs, became the Executive Director of Seeds of Learning.

After many years at 365 San Juan Street, with help from the local community, a DOLA grant and many front range funders, Seeds raised 1.3 million dollars and built a new center that could serve more than twice as many children.  In August 2011 Seeds of Learning joined the ranks of less than 10% of America’s early care and education center and became NAEYC Accredited.