Cook County YMCA welcomes new associate executive director and seeks childcare teachers

In June, the Cook County YMCA welcomed Katie Belanger into the associate executive director role. 

Her family relocated to Cook County from Coon Rapids nearly eight weeks ago. Her husband is Josh Belanger, the new principal at ISD 166. 

With an extensive high school English teacher background, she said she is excited about the opportunity to try something new in Grand Marais. “I love that the Y stands for social responsibility and healthy living,” she said. “So this felt like a really great fit.”

Belanger shared in a YMCA summer update with WTIP that it is currently hiring full-time and part-time childcare teachers. “We have a great need in our community,” she said. “We know that we have waiting lists in our infant room and our preschool room, and our toddler room.”

In addition, the YMCA is seeking teachers for the afterschool program, which will commence the first week of school. Belanger said the afterschool program is “great for those elementary school-aged kids who might need somewhere to go between the end of the school day and their evening sports program starting and parents who are still working.”

Belanger said there is an opportunity for teenagers to work as aides in the classroom or program who are interested in working with younger kids. She said there are opportunities for a teenager to work one hour a week and receive an entire free family-wide membership at the YMCA. 

For interested childcare teachers or teenagers, Belanger said they can visit the front desk or find applications online. “I’m looking forward to seeing who we have in the community that wants to be a part of the Y’s and create greater services for the community.”

WTIP’s CJ Heithoff spoke with Katie Belanger, the new associate executive director of the Cook County YMCA. Audio from the interview is below. 

Kalli Hawkins August 11, 2023