A new preschool facility is opened by Dubuque Community Schools

Dubuque, Iowa – On Wednesday, the Dubuque Community School District opened its newest building.

The district’s first completely accessible playground is located at the Seedlings Preschool Center, 7810 Chavenelle Road, Dubuque. The institution also offers sensory rooms, which aid in helping kids learn to control and defuse their emotions.

“It is imperative that we provide that universal design to every child in the Dubuque Community School District,” stated Lisa Feltes, the executive director of elementary education. “Every child matters on a daily basis.”

With ten classrooms that can accommodate up to 200 4-year-olds, the 18,000-square-foot preschool provides a smooth transition to a childcare alternative. Offering parents the option of wrap-around child care programming, the Seedlings Preschool Center and the Dubuque Community Y Early Learning Center are separated by a door.

Administrator Susan Meehan of Seedlings Preschool Center said, “It’s about planting those roots.” “It involves laying a solid foundation for the fundamentals of early childhood development, assisting the kids in learning, developing, and playing, and ultimately assisting them in becoming the adults we wish them to be.”

The new preschool center is opening at a time when there is an increasing need for its services.

According to Feltes, the district has 43 more preschoolers enrolled this year than in 2022–2023—the greatest number in a number of years.

“As soon as they enter this center,” Feltes stated. “They are receiving those engaging, high-quality, hands-on experiences that will help them succeed more as they move through the school system.”