Decatur City Schools is in the early stages of planning to build a new early childhood education center on Electric Avenue across from the Wilson Center.
The Decatur School Board received an update on the project during its meeting Aug. 20. The district is working with Cander and Company and Legacy 33 on construction plans.
“When I took over as director of this early childhood education center, I sought the help of experts in the field to help me determine what our strategies, our early childhood education strategies, are going to be most impactful for Decatur City Schools,” said Deputy Superintendent Jennifer Barton.
One of the goals of CSD's strategic plan is to build a net-zero early childhood education center, and Chief Operating Officer Sergio Pérez said at a school board meeting in March that the building will offset its electricity usage with renewable energy sources.
“We are ensuring that the building will be net-zero, carbon neutral, well-ventilated, energy efficient and will not result in carbon emissions or other greenhouse gas emissions,” Perez said.
Currently, the green space at 346 Electric Ave. will be used solely as an early childhood education center. CSD plans to break construction in fall 2025 and open in 2027.
“The current site at the intersection of West Trinity Place and Electric Avenue, across from the Wilson Center, will be the site of the new early childhood education center,” a district spokesperson said. “Past plans for the site have always included the construction of a school.”
College Heights will remain in existence and continue to provide early childhood education, and the new ECLC will complement College Heights' programs and not replace the existing ECLC.
“We want to embrace what's going on in College Heights right now, and maybe there are ways we can work together to improve learning for all of the kids who remain in College Heights and those who may come to the new early childhood center,” Legacy 33 CEO Mari Early said.
The City of Decatur's Downtown and Parks and Recreation Master Plan also positions the land as potential green space downtown. The school district purchased the property in 2017, and it has served as passive green space ever since.
“Following the completion of a feasibility study by Decatur City Schools on the possibility of constructing a future facility on this site, the plan recommends that green space, park space and plaza space be prioritized as meaningful and thoughtful elements of site plan design during any redevelopment or infill,” the downtown master plan states.
CSD's five-year capital construction plan had called for the property to be a combined ECLC and upper elementary school, but the upper elementary school is no longer included in the plan.
“This plan does not include upper elementary schools because data shows additional early learning opportunities (birth to age 4) are necessary to improve outcomes for all CSD students,” a CSD spokesperson said.
“Our data shows that CSD has a significant number of students who enter kindergarten without the readiness skills they need to thrive,” she added. “As a result, they struggle to excel in elementary, middle and high school. The new Early Childhood Learning Center is our strategy to address foundational learning needs to ensure all students are prepared to enter kindergarten.”
As CEO of Legacy 33, Early works to remove barriers to achieving strong, equitable outcomes through his consulting work.
“With a focus on diversity, equity and inclusion, Legacy33 supports families, communities and organizations to ensure stability and equity for future generations. From educational support to organizational development to financial strategy, Legacy33 provides real-world guidance, resources and solutions to create sustainable results and empower communities,” her LinkedIn profile states.
During the school board retreat, she said the district wants to ensure the new ECLC will support all students from early childhood through the workforce.
“We want to employ them as soon as they get here, support them in their learning, make sure they're ready for kindergarten, third grade, high school, and then the community and the careers,” Early said.
CSD and the consulting team are in the early stages of planning for the new facility and are focused on gathering information. Early said some of the key information and input they are looking for include fiscal sustainability, community integration and communication, quality staff and continuous improvement.
“Those are the four focal points and key inputs that we are working on to ensure we have a sustainable and viable program for children,” she said.
This includes creating a model that integrates and supports the community, ensuring educators and staff are adequately trained and equipped to deliver quality education, and continually evaluating and improving the quality of the learning center's programs and services, according to the presentation.
In addition to gathering this information, the team will conduct a situational analysis and focus on stakeholder relationship building. The district will also launch a parent survey to obtain feedback, forming a strategic visioning process for the project.
A district spokesman added that there will be several opportunities for stakeholder input.
“We have a diverse group of community members participating in feedback sessions to understand the needs and help the architects envision the design of this new building,” she said. “These sessions ensure that the building and surrounding campus balances the community's values and the learning needs of our children.”
The team is visiting schools and the Decatur Housing Authority, and the school board is scheduled to review the updated Capital Master Plan at its Sept. 10 meeting.
“The Board of Education [also] “The public is expected to receive a comprehensive plan on December 10, 2024,” the spokesperson said. “The public can also attend a community meeting on January 22, 2025, where we will report on the progress of the building project.”
Dates for the spring community input will be announced at a later date. If you have any questions or comments, please contact Early at mari.early@csdecatur.net.
This story was provided by WABE content partner Decaturish.