Growing — one student at a time

At least one more preschool class will be added at Early Childhood Center

There will be more 4-year-olds attending preschool at the Early Childhood Center in Fort Dodge next fall.

That is because the Fort Dodge Community School District will be adding one more preschool class and might add a second new one, according to district Superintendent Josh Porter.

Those additional classes will be added to whittle down a list of 40 to 50 children waiting to get enrolled in preschool, he said.

There will be eight to 10 preschool classrooms next year, Porter said. Each classroom will have a maximum of 20 students.

While some things have been moved around to make room in the building at 104 S. 17th St. for the additional classes, no renovations were necessary.

The preschool, which includes the free lunch available in all Fort Dodge schools, is "attractive to families," Porter said.

"I honestly feel that this is a reflection of the Early Childhood Center," said Stu Cochrane, the president of the district's Board of Education.

The Early Childhood Center started life decades ago as the Arey Elementary School and later served as the district's administration building. After renovations, it opened in the fall of 2021 as the school for all preschool, transitional kindergarten and kindergarten classes.

"We're starting to see that the ECC is everything we hoped it would be," Cochrane said. "I think the word has gotten out that it is a really cool environment for young children."