Elk Grove Twp. Dist. 59 opens new early learning center
Elk Grove Township Elementary District 59 officials cut the ribbon Monday on a new early learning center that serves as a centralized preschool location for the district's students.
The $19 million, 60,000-square-foot building was constructed next to Holmes Junior High School in Mount Prospect.
Students will fill the hallways for the first time Wednesday - the first day of school for District 59.
The early learning center includes 20 classrooms, an indoor play area, an outdoor play/courtyard and sensory gardens.
There previously were 16 preschool classrooms across five school sites in District 59. Now, all students from across the district, which includes portions of Elk Grove Village, Arlington Heights, Des Plaines and Mount Prospect, will attend preschool at the new facility.
The school is intended for children three to five years old. There are morning and afternoon preschool sessions, each for two-and-a-half hours.
More than 50 teachers and staff work there.
The project was estimated to cost about $14 million when it was proposed last summer, but stormwater management and bad soil conditions led to rising costs, officials said. The district is paying for construction by borrowing funds, through a general obligation bond issue.