Back to School: Find Child Care & Great Schools 

We’ve reached that time again, when summer winds down and the kids begin to panic as they see the aisles of stores brimming with school supplies. Whether your kids have been bouncing off the walls all summer long and you are looking forward to them being back to school, or it’s something you dread right alongside the students, the start of a new school year is surely on your mind. Luckily, Otter Tail County has top-notch schools and childcare providers, which can make the transition to fall that much easier. 

Schools & Opportunities 

One of the many reasons that Otter Tail County is a great place to raise a family is the strong variety of public and private schools, which take great pride in providing a well-rounded education in a safe environment for all learners. Otter Tail County has 8 public school districts, as well as a great selection of private schools throughout the County. The districts range from a student to teacher ratio of 13:1 (Pelican Rapids) to 18:1 (Perham-Dent), meaning that students receive more individualized learning with dedicated educators. The schools in Otter Tail County recognize the need and desire of students to experience varied styles of education, which they work hard to provide for. 

A number of the school districts in Otter Tail County take advantage of the hands-on learning experience offered by field trips to Prairie Wetlands Learning Center (PWLC) located in Fergus Falls. Unique to the Fergus Falls public school district is a formal partnership between the district and PWLC where Prairie Science Classes are offered to fourth and fifth grade students. Students who opt into these classes spend part of their school days at PWLC, where they learn subjects like science and math by interacting with the prairie environment. It’s programs like these that create a lifelong love of learning in Otter Tail County.  

Another program that has become important in creating a more valuable education system in Otter Tail County is the work-based learning approach that has been taken in some high schools. These programs have become prominent in the Fergus Falls and Perham-Dent school districts as a way to improve the practical workplace knowledge of students, give them a chance to explore career paths, and improve the pipeline of students to quality jobs post-education. Students who choose to participate in the programs spend time during each school week interning with local businesses in fields that they are considering as a future career. This experience is valuable in revealing to the students what work in their chosen field really looks like and giving them an understanding of what types of work and work environments they do and don’t enjoy before they begin post-secondary education or apply for jobs. 

In addition to the great primary and secondary school options available, Otter Tail County is also home to Minnesota State Community and Technical College, which provides quality technical, career and transfer-degree programs. Students don’t need to wait to access M-State’s post-secondary programs until after high school, as many of our public schools offer Post-Secondary Enrollment Opportunities (PSEO) where high school students can earn college credits by taking M-State classes online or in-person as part of their high school education. Some PSEO students even earn enough college credit to graduate with not only a high school diploma, but also an associate’s degree. 

Early Childhood 

Otter Tail County has wonderful child care providers, and the interactive Child Care Locator web app can help you find a provider that fits your family. The app has a map of family childcare providers with their contact and licensing information, making it easy to locate and contact potential providers. We also have access to a list of child care centers in the area.  

If you’re just searching for a fun spot to bring your littles that will also bring early educational value, they will love Otter Cove Children’s Museum. The museum offers hands-on learning experiences through physical play, artistic exploration and imagination. Elementary school field trips to Otter Cove are common, as many educators recognize the educational value that this type of interactive play holds. 

Back to School Shopping 

The transition from summer break to school is a little less painful with a new notebook and pens. As you begin the hunt for all you need to check off on school supply lists, we encourage you to check out the assortments of stationery and supplies available at local businesses.  

To highlight a few options, Victor Lundeen Company in Fergus Falls and The Market in Fergus Falls and Battle Lake are well stocked with a variety of choices for office and school supplies. Along with its assortment of books and gifts, Victor Lundeen’s is host to its own Office Store, with the capacity to fulfill large orders from businesses on top of being a great back to school shopping destination. Both convenient downtown locations for The Market are fun places to find unique stationery and art supplies that make any project (even homework) more fun.