KIRKSVILLE, MO -- The Kirksville School District is expanding its educational opportunities. After six years of planning and construction, the Early Childhood Learning Center (ECLC) was officially welcomed into the Kirksville community on Friday with a ribbon cutting ceremony. ECLC will provide essential education services for children starting at birth.
“It’s going to give high quality experience to children who otherwise would not have had those experiences” said Missouri State Director of Early Learning Dr. Kathy Thornburg. “You have to start not at age three, but at birth to give young children a really good experience so when they do enter kindergarten, they’re ready to be successful. With all the research and everybody saying this, people aren’t quite believing it yet. This is amazing that Kirksville has this wonderful building.”
The ECLC was completed in two phases as part of successful bond issues in 2005 and 2008. ECLC is currently caring and serving for more than 150 children ranging in age from birth to five years old.
“In 10 years, I think we’re going to see different scores, third and forth grade scores, in how well children do” said Thornburg. “I think that’s wonderful. What Kirksville has here is something special that the majority of school districts don’t have.”
For more information, visit the Early Childhood page on the Kirksville School District website.
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forKTVO