
Co-Owners, Ryan Zens and Alfred Waldo have 36 years of childcare experience combined. They both set forth with their mission to provide the highest quality of care to families.
Ryan spent 11 years helping children at Ellsworth Air Force Base and 14 years at Monument Health. While at Monument Health, he met RN Alfred Waldo, who moved to Rapid City from the Philippians in 2018. Alfred also has spent much of his life caring for adolescents throughout his career.
They both have a life-long passion for helping children and families and have spent many years working with young children.
While house shopping on the West side of town, Ryan noticed the Seventh Day Adventist Church was for sale. While it was much larger than what he had envisioned, the property caught his eye. Upon taking a tour of the 1950's building, Ryan realized this was a facility that could offer amazing childcare to the area.
Before diving into a new business venture, Ryan & Alfred polled neighborhoods and discovered the need for more childcare options. Ryan & Alfred purchased the church in December 2020 and set forth their mission to provide high quality childcare to families.
As ECIS has grown, Ryan & Alfred have continued to remodel and reinvest into the space to ensure their vision continues. ECIS currently has eight classrooms with children ages 3 months to 5 years, but also offers child care for all children through 5th Grade during the summer and after-school hours.
Some unique features at ECIS include a commercial kitchen, "Tiny Town" featuring local businesses for the children to learn about, plenty of outdoor space, and participation in the Starting Strong Program.