After months of planning and renovation, the Oak Lawn-Hometown School District 123 officially opened its Early Learning Center (ELC) to 239 preschool students on Monday, August 26, 2024. This follows the announcement of the project in December 2023.
Superintendent Dr. Paul Enderle expressed enthusiasm for the new facility, highlighting its blend of innovation and tradition. “We are excited to unveil our state-of-the-art preschool,” Dr. Enderle said. “This marks a significant step in our commitment to educational excellence, providing a strong foundation for our young learners. The vision for this center has been in the making for nearly a decade, and we are thrilled to see it become a reality.”
The Early Learning Center, located at Keeler Avenue and West 93rd Street, is situated next to the District’s Administrative Offices. The building has a long history of serving as an educational facility, having previously been PRIDE School and Gaddis School, which opened in 1956.
The new center’s development was supported by a $5 million Early Childhood Construction Grant (ECCG) from the Illinois Capital Development Board, which covered construction and renovation costs. In addition, the district received a $360,000 Preschool for All (PFA) Early Childhood Block Grant to aid in staffing and program development.
The ELC program is designed to foster academic, social-emotional, and developmental skills through a play-based curriculum aligned with the Creative Curriculum and Illinois Early Learning Standards. The center aims to create a supportive and inclusive environment for children and their families.
Christine Fuller, the Director of the ELC, is eager to introduce the new school to the community. “Our goal is to provide an exceptional educational experience rooted in curiosity and play,” Fuller said. “We look forward to building strong partnerships with families and community members to support our students’ growth.”
Key features of the ELC include:
Curriculum: Play-based and hands-on, aligned with early learning standards.
Support: Each classroom will have a teacher, an assistant, and additional support staff, including social workers and therapists.
Family Engagement: Monthly family activities and parent education sessions will be offered.
Education: Focused on individualized instruction and social-emotional learning.
A ribbon-cutting ceremony for the ELC is scheduled for Wednesday, October 16, 2024, at 10:30 a.m.