ECH Groundbreaking

Groundbreaking held for new Early Childhood Center
Posted on 10/19/2018
Groundbreaking Ceremony

Several dozen school supporters participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the state-of-the-art Poplar Bluff Early Childhood Center on Thursday, Oct. 11, at the Kindergarten Center campus. 

R-I Superintendent Dr. Scott Dill reflected about starting his career in Poplar Bluff two and a half years ago at the conclusion of a string of major construction projects. He joked how he would like to “take credit” for the work, but instead recognized his predecessor Chris Hon, who was in attendance. 

Dill went on to explain that the Early Childhood Center was the second and final phase of the long-range plan approved by voters with the passage of the 2014 levy measure. The 34,000-square-foot preschool facility designed by Dille and Traxel Architecture will create an “environment that’s going to engage the needs of learners for generations to come,” the superintendent said. 

Brockmiller Construction of Farmington was awarded the project bid upon receiving a unanimous vote by the Board of Education in September, and began site work at the beginning of October in order to meet the completion deadline of November 2019. 

On the backend of the relocation, the vacated Mark Twain building on North Main Street will be converted to a dedicated alternative school. Administrators are presently in the “envisioning and dreaming” stage of planning, Dill made note, including piloting virtual course offerings through Launch. 

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Cutline: (Left to right) Dr. Scott Dill, R-I superintendent; Colin Rogers, Brockmiller vice president; Jerrod Murphy, board member; Ken Davis, board vice president; Dr. Cynthia Brown, board member; JoAnne Westbrook, ECH principal; board members Roger Hanner and Heather Tuggle; Ben Traxel and Brett Dille of Dille and Traxel Architecture; John Scott, board president; and Steve Halter, Poplar Bluff Chamber president. Not pictured is board member Alana Robertson.

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