St. Matthew Community Preschool West Campus Breaks Ground For New Early Learning Center In Clinton County

Community leaders break ground at the St Matthew West Campus.
– Photos courtesy of United Way for Clinton County

Today, Feb. 3 marked a significant milestone for the Clinton County community as well as multiple organizations as the community, officials, nonprofit leaders and more gatehred this morning to celebrate the groundbreaking ceremony for the new St. Matthew Preschool West Campus located in the lower level of Cornerstone Assembly of God Church at 5641 W. Mulberry Jefferson Rd. in Frankfort.

The partners of the project, including St. Matthew Community Preschool and the United Way for Clinton County, stated that they intend for the new location to be open for business by June, serving up to 76 children ages six-weeks to pre-kindergarten. Registration for the new location will be May 1.

St. Matthew Community Preschool Executive Director Mary Kay Baker commented that the goal of the new facility would be to obtain a Level 3 Paths to QUALITY designation, which stands as Indiana’s statewide quality rating and improvement system for early care and education. St. Matthew’s main campus will remain open on Wilshire Drive and will host seats for 180 children to attend half-day sessions of preschool only. The main campus will also be prepared to host eight newborn seats for five-day care, if needed. Baker stated that a secondary goal of the project is to host the county’s first Early Learning Center to provide training of and experience for childcare workers.

“The need for all-day preschool/childcare and infant care is great in our community, especially in the industrial park area,” Baker said. “This expansion aims to meet some of those needs while providing excellent care for children and sharing the faith of Jesus Christ with young families.”

The new campus will be open five days every week with hours likely from 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday. A playground presently exists at the campus, but the United Way stated that over $100,000 will likely be spent for a new playground to better serve the facility.

The new campus is currently seeking at least 24 employees will staff the new center. Baker announced that Lori Davis and Carrie Kyker were announced as the administrators for the new campus, and Baker will serve as the Executive Director.

St. Matthew Community Preschool and United Way for Clinton County issued a statement of gratitude to the community partners who helped fund the project, including IU Health, Purdue University and the Clinton County Community Foundation.

Community members say a prayer for the success of the new campus.
Lori Davis, Mary Kay Baker and Carrie Kyker assume their administrative roles.
– Photo courtesy of Mary Kay Baker
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