MOUNT OLIVET WELCOMES MIS AMIGOS PRESCHOOL
Who is Mis Amigos?
Mis Amigos is an established Spanish Immersion childcare with four locations in the metro area and 23 years of experience. Mis Amigos’ mission is to teach children a second language while also providing quality early childhood education. Mis Amigos has the highest rating of 4 Stars from Parent Aware© and accreditation from The National Association for the Education of Young Children (NAEYC). Mis Amigos was recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace in 2022 and 2023.
Starting in the summer of 2024, Mis Amigos plans to open a Plymouth location at Mount Olivet with aspirations to serve 100+ students.
How Does Mis Amigos Match Mount Olivet’s Guiding Principles?
- Mission Alignment – Mis Amigos is a natural extension to Be Open (Open Grounds, Open Tables, Open Doors and Open Hearts). Mis Amigos’ mission is to provide a quality preschool that teaches students a second language. In addition, Mis Amigos provides support for native speaking Spanish teachers who are immigrants.
- Community – There is a definite need for daycare in Plymouth and many families will choose Mis Amigos, and perhaps discover and become part of Mount Olivet’s community. Mount Olivet has an opportunity to partner and support early childhood education with Mis Amigos as a tenant. A Spanish immersion daycare fits well with the Robbinsdale Spanish Immersion school.
- Building Usage – Mis Amigos will occupy 12,000 square feet of the lower level and Mount Olivet will retain 3,000 SF of the lower level (MO space). Shared space will be the restrooms, elevator, hallways, and stairs. The Mount Olivet space and shared space will allow continued use of the lower level for Sunday and Wednesday church programming, although some adjustments will need to be made. Mis Amigos will cater food and will not use our commercial kitchen.
- Capacity – A major benefit of Mis Amigos is the ability to offer a preschool without the impact on church staff for management. Mount Olivet’s Director of Operations, Amanda Wrangham, (who conveniently speaks Spanish) will manage the lease and be the leadership liaison with Mis Amigos. Mis Amigos will provide its own janitorial service.
Finance – Mis Amigos will generate long term rental income. Financial due diligence by the Vision Team concluded that Mis Amigos is a viable and stable business.
What led to Renting the Lower Level?
At the February 2023 annual meeting, the council was tasked with balancing the budget for the Mount Olivet Child Learning Center (MOCLC) given that COVID relief funding was ending and the MOCLC was operating at a deficit. Over the spring and summer of 2023, the Mount Olivet Church Council determined that continued operation of the MOCLC was not sustainable. Not only did the MOCLC require funding from church reserves to stay afloat, but the MOCLC required ongoing staff resources that pulled focus from essential church operations and programming.
In August 2023, the Council announced the closure of the MOCLC. The students and teachers were provided a three-month transition period to find new care for students and new opportunities for teachers. The Council held a congregational meeting in August 2023 and MOtalks during the fall of 2023 to provide updates on the closure.
In January/February 2024, the Vision Team was appointed by the Council and commissioned by the congregation to lead the selection of a new partnership tenant for the Lower Level. We should celebrate the discernment and leadership that led to securing a new building partner within six months of the MOCLC closure!
What Did the Vision Team Do?
The Vision Team appointed by the church council, (Linda Baumann, Ron Frehner, Pastor Beth, Anna Quady, Cathy Schmidt and Jeff Shellberg), met regularly from January to May 2024. A non-profit/faith community consultant, guided the Vision Team through the discernment. Guiding Principles were developed, not just for the Lower Level, but for all building or property use.
The Vision Team identified factors to consider in the areas of Mission Alignment, Community, Building Usage, Capacity and Finance. Tours of the lower level were completed to reacquaint the congregation with the large space and assets of the lower level. Comments and questions raised during the tours were incorporated into the Guiding Principles. In April 2024, the Vision Team provided an update and informed the congregation on the progress toward finding a partnership tenant.
The Vision Team evaluated the Mis Amigos proposal and conducted due diligence of the business. After completing the review, the Vision Team made a recommendation to Church Council to enter into an agreement with Mis Amigos. The Mis Amigos lease was subsequently approved by Council.
How was the Property Marketed?
Mount Olivet retained Christianson and Company as our commercial broker in February 2024 and placed the Lower Level on the market. Over a two-month period there were eight showings. Most of the interest came from preschools because the space is move-in ready as a daycare. There was a little interest from charter schools but no offers. Two Letters of Interest (non-binding offers) were received in April 2024 from for-profit preschools. One of the offers was retracted because the owner wanted to focus on the east metro rather than Plymouth. Mis Amigos was the other offer.
Discussions started with a “get to know each other meeting” with the owner of Mis Amigos, Dawn Uribe, her husband, Pastor Beth, and Ron Frehner, Council President. That meeting revealed an alignment of mission and vision as well as mutual partnership opportunities to be more than landlord-tenant.
Negotiations on the terms of the lease were completed in April 2024 and the lease was drawn up in May 2024.
How will this new lease impact our Commercial Kitchen and Loaves & Fishes?
There is no impact to the Monday night community meal. Mis Amigos will be catering in food service and will not need to access the commercial kitchen
What can I do to help welcome and support our new partners?
Please look for them in the building or parking lot and introduce yourself. Practice your Spanish with the teachers, staff, and students. Consider enrolling your children or inviting folks in your circles to check out Mis Amigos. Watch for upcoming joint events to meet one another! Keep the questions coming to Council@moply.org
How will Mount Olivet manage the shared space of the church with Mis Amigos?
Director of Operations Amanda Wrangham will collaborate closely with the Executive Director of Mis Amigos on building details and relationships.