This fall, Clackamas Education Service District will open a new facility devoted to the needs of Clackamas County’s youngest learners and their families.
The Clackamas Early Learning Center is on schedule to open in August. Through an extensive renovation, we’re turning a former health services clinic into a new facility that will provide more accessible, inclusive and culturally responsive support for children birth to age 5 in our community. This building will be filled with activity, offering Head Start to Success classes for preschoolers, screening and intervention services for pre-K children who have learning challenges, and training opportunities for pre-K service providers. We’re also building service partnerships with several community organizations, including the Clackamas County Children’s Commission and the Native Wellness Institute‘s Future Generations Collaborative, to provide auxiliary resources to families.
We’re taking special care to create an environment that is safe and inviting for all children. The early learning center will feature inclusive indoor and outdoor play spaces (including covered outdoor areas), ADA-accessible walkways and a secure drop-off area for children. The interior of the building will be warm and welcoming, and feature Native artwork.
All final names considered (Clackamas Early Learning Center, Wy’east Early Learning Center and Kloshe Sun Early Learning Center) paid tribute to local Indigenous languages and landmarks. The name “Clackamas” is a widely recognized Native moniker that symbolizes our connection to the land and its history. The planning team will work on alternative ways to incorporate the names Wy’east and Kloshe Sun into other areas of the new building.
