Dozens of school and community leaders gathered on a sunny afternoon Oct. 2, 2024, to help officially christen the Clackamas Early Learning Center, the latest addition to the support structure for preschool children in Clackamas County.
The center, owned and operated by Clackamas Education Service District, provides instruction and evaluation services to children ages birth to 5. It focuses on providing accessible, inclusive and culturally responsive support to children and families from underserved populations, including those experiencing poverty, those experiencing disabilities and families who speak languages other than English.
The early learning center opened its first classrooms in mid-September.
The upper floor of the facility is home to six preschool classrooms operated by several partners:
- Head Start to Success, a state program that provides free preschool
- Preschool Promise, a state program that offers subsidized preschool
- Clackamas ESD’s early childhood special education program, which provides a low-cost preschool experience for children experiencing disabilities to learn alongside peers in a supported environment
- Clackamas County Children’s Commission, a regional organization that runs early learning centers in addition to providing many other services
Another key learning partner in the building is Future Generations Collaborative, a regional organization with many partners, including the Native Wellness Institute, that supports health and healing for Indigenous populations.
The lower floor of the center is the new headquarters of Clackamas ESD’s early childhood evaluation center. In this space, we screen young children for delays or disabilities that impact learning.
Clackamas ESD Superintendent Larry Didway thanked the countless community partners who have been involved in the project from conception to completion, and noted the early learning center’s connection to the ESD’s mission and values.
“This center exemplifies Clackamas ESD’s mission to lead, serve, and innovate,” Didway said. “It will be a place where families can access critical resources and where children will receive the foundation they need to thrive in school and in life. From early learning classrooms to family engagement activities, everything here is rooted in our core values of collaboration, respect, integrity, and excellence.”
Didway led a cast of Clackamas ESD leaders and community partners who officially cut the ribbon to the new facility. Following the formal dedication program, guests had a chance to tour the early learning center and meet some of the center’s staff.
