New preschool program to open in repurposed Borah Elementary

COEUR D’ALENE, Idaho — A new childcare facility will soon open in North Idaho at the old Borah Elementary School.

Borah Elementary closed last year due to budget cuts. Now the Coeur d’Alene School District is planning on using the building to open its Early Plus Program.

The program will be the district’s very first all-day preschool program, serving children 2 1/2-years-old to 5-years-old.

“So currently, we have before and after school care for our elementary students, but this expands it to preschool, for daycare, from six in the morning to five in the evening, year-round,” said Deputy Superintendent, Seth Deniston.

The hope is that the facility will meet the need for more childcare in CDA.

“We know that there’s a great demand for childcare in our region. There’s simply not enough seats,” Deniston said.

Shiyi Chen, Child Development Professor at the University of Idaho, said quality preschool programs benefit children.

“They are learning how to socialize with others and how to regulate their own emotions. We know from research that children who attend the quality, early childhood education programs are more likely to do better in school in the future,” she said.

The district also hopes it will be a great benefit for its employees.

“Childcare is expensive, and it prohibits a lot of people from being able to work. So, for our own employees, we want to keep them as much as we can. So, this is a benefit we can provide to our employees to try to keep them with us,” Deniston said.

The program will also work in partnership with the Idaho Childcare Program, which subsidizes childcare costs for qualifying families.

“For parents to have the access to affordable, quality childcare, especially for women, is not only important for child development, but also important for the family,” Professor Chen said.

The program will open in fall 2025 with 55-60 spots. It hopes to continue to grow to fit the needs of the community.