Local, city and state leaders joined early education advocates, and others Monday to officially break ground on Educare Springfield, a nationally recognized school model that is among just 24 of its kind in the country.
Lt. Gov. Karyn Polito, Springfield Mayor Domenic Sarno and project leaders gathered at a construction site on Hickory Street to celebrate the project’s groundbreaking and reflect on the seven years of work that went in to bringing the nearly $14 million facility to the city.
John Davis, a trustee of The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation which helped lead the effort to bring Educare to Springfield, said the new school will provide “an incredible opportunity for Springfield’s youngest citizens.
“Educare Springfield: It’s here,” he said. “This is a clear demonstration that we are investing in the education of the children beginning at birth.”
Polito praised local leaders and partners for their “incredible” work in attracting Educare to Springfield, particularly to a part of the city ravaged by the 2011 tornado.
“What you’re doing is rebuilding this neighborhood. Because these are children who are born here, literally, starting their education here and then being part — eventually, the hope is — of the workforce that will then become employed here in this neighborhood or nearby,” she said. “And then lay their own roots and create the next generation of talent, of leaders — really bringing this city forward to where we all know it could be.”
Polito said it’s “quite an honor” to partner with the city on effort.
Sarno welcomed Educare to Springfield, calling the project a “win-win opportunity” for the city.
“Educare is a significant investment here in the city of Springfield and it’s another public and private partnership, with everybody working together for the same goal for our children,” he said. “Giving them this foundation is going to allow them and their families to be able to avoid poverty, to avoid public safety issues — you just can’t put a price tag on that.”
Mary Walachy, executive director of the Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation, said while officials had walked away from the project at one point out of cost concerns, they received $9.6 million in funding from an anonymous, out-of-state donor.
The project also received about $3.5 million in New Markets Tax Credits, a $1 million Early Education and Out of School Time grant and a $1 million MassWorks grant for public infrastructure work, as well as private and corporate support, Walachy said.
In addition to money raised for the project, she noted that officials have set aside $7 million for an endowment to support the school’s operating expenses.
“At the end of the day, what matters is what happens in this building. What matters is that we make good on our promise to the children that you were able to see today and their families, and many others who will be in this building,” she said. “This is going to be Head Start on steroids.”
Educare Springfield, which is slated to open in late 2019 on land provided by Springfield College adjacent to Brookings School, will offer local students an early education model that aims to narrow the achievement gap for children living in poverty. It will provide a full-day and full-year program for up to 141 children from birth to age five each year.
The Educare model incorporates embedded and ongoing professional development of teachers, intensive family engagement and high quality teaching practices, as well as uses data to advance student outcomes.
Educare, a national collaboration between the Buffett Early Childhood Fund, Ounce of Prevention Fund and other public-private partnerships across the country, has 23 schools located in 15 states and the District of Columbia.