On Monday, the East Moline School District hosted an open house and a ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Early Learning Center building.
Superintendent Kristin Humphries says the center is already up and running.
"Enrollment actually started at the beginning of the school year in August. We just wanted to make sure-- we were still doing some small things around the facility."
Dr. Humphries says the East Moline Early Learning Center is partially funded by an Illinois State grant. For the past 30 years, preschoolers attended Wells Elementary. He says the 3 to 5-year-old's were 'tucked in a corner.'
"The overall goal is to mitigate some of those at risk factors, give kids support, help them build those language skills, and those foundations they need to be successful in school. We know that our community needs children that are ready to go eventually to hit the workforce."
Roughly 200 children attend school at the new East Moline Early Learning Center. They speak 19 different languages.
