Garfield Re-2 Celebrates New Preschool Classrooms

Wamsley Elementary pre-schooler Gustavo Menchaca helped to build the future last week.

Last week, 5-year-old Gustavo and his classmates participated in the groundbreaking ceremony for the new preschool and affective needs classrooms. With his small shovel and oversized protective gear, Gustavo moved a lot of dirt.

“It felt good to be digging to build a new building for more preschool friends,” he said.

The celebration was for two new modular buildings being placed behind Wamsley Elementary School in Rifle. One of the new modular buildings will add four early childhood classrooms, including three preschool and one toddler room for the 2024-25 school year. This will provide up to 60 new preschool slots and 10 toddler slots. A toddler is considered to be one year and walking to three years of age.

The introduction of the Colorado Universal Preschool Program last year created a demand for early childhood spaces in the valley and the new classrooms will help address the waiting list that has grown to over 100 families.
“This will provide Garfield Re-2 the opportunity to serve more children and families with a high-quality preschool experience,” said Emily Kilmeyer, Garfield Re-2 Early Childhood Coordinator.  “Serving more families helps move the District’s strategic plan forward by providing every child a strong foundation of early learning and a springboard for their future in Kindergarten and beyond.”

The second modular will serve as the District’s affective needs classrooms for the Trek program and the Wamsley Elementary Significant Support Needs program. The new space is necessary to accommodate the additional program.

The Garfield Re-2 School Board provided the final approval of  the project at the October 25, 2023 school board meeting. The total construction costs for the two new modulars is about $2.25 million dollars.  The District received an $800,000 Employer-Based Child Care grant through the Colorado Department of Early Childhood to help offset the costs. The project includes excavation work, installation of water and sewer lines, and a required fire access road.

As a condition of the grant, the toddler and preschool openings will be offered to Garfield Re-2 staff first and the remainder of the slots will be opened up to the community.

Garfield Re-2 also opened new toddler and preschool classrooms at Elk Creek Elementary this school year with plans to add 20 additional preschool slots for the 24-25 school year.

In all, the new rooms will add 15 new positions to the Garfield Re-2 staff. Positions will be posted later this spring.

The preschool application process is open now. Families can complete an application at www.garfieldre2.net for the 2024-35 school year.