LOUISVILLE, Ky. — On Thursday, Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) broke ground on a new early childhood center in Louisville.
The stand-alone facility is being built on property near Watterson Elementary School in the Buechel neighborhood.
The center will have 23 classrooms which can accommodate up to 460 three- and four-year-old students, according to a JCPS news release.
“This is another big step toward giving more of our students, including our youngest ones, modern facilities in which to learn and grow,” JCPS Superintendent Marty Pollio said. “It will also bring 23 early childhood teachers under the same roof where it’s easier to collaborate and share strategies for teaching our neediest pre-K students.”
The goal of the new childhood center is to bring early childhood classrooms from numerous elementary schools together into one place, freeing up space for more kindergarten through fifth grade students in those schools.
JCPS officials say the new early childhood center will make transportation and student support services more efficient, as well as create more opportunities for teachers to collaborate and share strategies.
“Early childhood serves as the cornerstone of academic success,” Carlisa Gibson, executive director of Early Childhood at JCPS, said. "Focused on nurturing growth and preparing for kindergarten, this center will create an enriching environment where children can thrive, explore, and develop vital skills for lifelong learning."
The new early childhood center is being constructed on the same property as Watterson Elementary School, near a filled-in Jefferson County public swimming pool. Some of the building’s features include:
- $19,920,000 cost
- 49,300 square feet
- 23 windowed classrooms in three wings
- High thermal resistant insulated concrete forms (ICF), energy efficient windows, and energy efficient roof
- Geothermal heating/cooling system
- Energy efficient LED lights
- Inclusive playgrounds
JCPS officials say they expect the new early childhood center to open in August 2026.
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