District 203 breaks ground on early childhood center
When Superintendent Alan Leis first arrived in Naperville Unit District 203, Assistant Superintendent Kitty Murphy told him he needed to build an early childhood center for the district.
Six years later, they both celebrated Wednesday as the district broke ground on an $11 million facility.
"I can't believe we are here, ready to take care of our youngest and neediest and most wonderful children," Leis said.
The program serves preschool age children who have special needs. They are joined by "typical" peers who pay tuition. In the past, these students have been spread out over five schools using facilities meant for older children.
"Let us all commit today to helping nurture these children to help them beat the odds to become happy, caring and productive citizens who love to learn and experience the love of learning in this wonderful place," Leis said.
The 48,000-square-foot building will be constructed on land the district owns in Lisle off Naper Boulevard near Huntington Estates. It will house 300 to 400 students and will include 16 classrooms divided into four "neighborhoods."
Classrooms will be geared toward young children and have flexible design with movable furniture to accommodate both large and small group work.
The building also will have areas for art and music, a multipurpose room and offices for teachers.
"No more broom closets and space hand-me-downs for ECC teachers and staff," Leis said. "In this building you're going to have a space that's designed for you and the children you serve."
Outside, it will have its own playground, rain garden landscaping to absorb stormwater and pavers in the bus area that not only absorb water but also absorb exhaust from the buses.
The remaining land on the 11-acre site will become athletic fields for park district and community use.
The school is scheduled to open in the fall of 2010. It was designed by Wight and Company and construction will be managed by Lamp Inc.
District officials at Wednesday's ceremony thanked the school board, parents, community members and neighbors of the new center for their support.
"It's not just the promise of bricks and mortar that makes our hearts beat a little faster today," Murphy said. "Like the signs of spring, it's the promise of a new community of learners."
The ceremony included the usual hard hats and dirt shoveling, but also featured a song about construction sung by early childhood students.
Among the parents at the event was Jamie Hilgeman, who has a daughter who is currently in the program and two younger daughters who will be in the future. She looks forward to the program having a home of its own.
"I think it's nice because then it's all one big community," she said. "You get to really know all the other teachers ... and it's not spread into different classrooms so when they do different family functions you can see who everyone else is."
The early childhood center is part of $114.9 million in ongoing facilities projects around the district. Last year voters approved a $43 million tax hike in order to help fund the projects that also include major renovations to Naperville Central High School and an addition and renovation of Mill Street Elementary School.