LOUISVILLE, Ky. (WDRB) -- Jefferson County Public Schools (JCPS) broke ground Thursday on its fifth, standalone early childhood center.
The new facility will be built on the property behind Watterson Elementary School.
It will have 23 classrooms for up to 460 3-and 4-year-old students. JCPS hopes the center brings numerous elementary schools together into one place and frees up more space in other schools.
Claudia Preciado is a mom to two young boys. She's looking forward to seeing the new Buechel facility come to life.
"It will be great for everybody that lives around this area," Preciado said.
Preciado said she may even send her youngest to it when he turns four.
The nearly $20 million project includes three wings. It'll be about 49,000 square feet.
"It looks huge," Preciado said.
JCPS Superintendent Dr. Marty Pollio said the new environment and the additional inclusive playground will help students focus and graduate on time.
"I'm just proud to say we're taking the steps that are long overdue," Pollio said.
Pollio said the district has had seven groundbreakings in the last four years and it has at least two more planned for next year.
"It's going to be 10-11 groundbreakings in a five-year period, just amazing, based on what happened 20 years prior that," Pollio said.
JCPS wants to build 20 schools over 10 years.
"Twenty more in 10 years, (we) have a lot more to do, but it's evident that it is going to be a couple dozen new facilities in a decade, which is unprecedented over 50 years here in JCPS," Pollio said.
The goal is to free up space at numerous elementary schools for more kindergarteners and fifth graders.
"That sounds great," Preciado said.
It's scheduled to open in 2026.
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