24-05-2025
Decatur City Schools hopes to occupy new pre-K center June 5
May 24—Decatur City Schools Superintendent Michael Douglas hopes to get into the new consolidated pre-K center that's under construction by June 5, if all goes to plan.
Tours of the building will likely not be scheduled until late July, however, DCS spokeswoman Elizabeth Gentle said.
The first DCS consolidated pre-kindergarten center is located behind West Decatur Elementary on Fourth Street Southwest.
Dustin Free, construction project manager for Decatur City Schools, gave an update on the progress during a recent board meeting:
—Exterior decorative metal wall panels are being installed and are about 65% complete.
—Cafeteria furniture is being stored on site.
—Classroom furniture is set to arrive in June.
—Playground equipment is on site.
—Landscaping and irrigation started last week.
—Americans with Disabilities Act compliance has been certified.
Douglas said the new pre-K Center will be open for the 2025-26 school year. He said hopefully by June 5 the building will be "substantially complete," and that the district can occupy it.
Jennifer Edwards, principal at West Decatur Elementary, will become principal at the new pre-K center, called BEST Academy.
The academy will bring all the pre-K centers throughout the district under one roof, which Douglas sees as a positive.
"One of the obvious benefits of the academy is that 4- and 5-year-olds will only be around those their age rather than around 11-year-olds and 12-year-olds as in the past," Douglas said.
"For a teacher, rather than being the only teacher in a building teaching pre-K, now you've got 23 other teachers to bounce ideas off of, plan with. And rather than having a principal trying to keep track of six grade levels, they can laser focused on the instruction of pre-K."
Another advantage is less variation in the quality of instruction.
"There are tons of benefits to this set up, including the ability to have consistency across 12 schools. When you put them all together all in one school you are hoping to get the same product," Douglas said.
About 50 people will work at BEST Academy. "There will be 23 classrooms, with each classroom having a teacher and an aide, that's 46 people, then there will be a bookkeeper, secretary, principal and physical education teacher," Douglas said.
"We will be moving furniture throughout the summer and we will have a grand opening before school starts."
Currently, there are 18 pre-K classrooms located in Decatur's 12 elementary schools, including three special needs rooms.
The playground will be behind the pre-K Center, next to the storm shelters, and part of the playground will be designated for special needs students. Free said the special needs portion of the playground will feature all handicap-accessible equipment and wheelchair access.
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