The Park City School District cut the ribbon on two preschool facilities Monday afternoon, one an expansion of Jeremy Ranch Elementary School and the other of McPolin Elementary School.
When it was time to introduce and open the McPolin Center to the children and their families, a large crowd gathered around the center to watch district and community leaders express their excitement about the new building and its importance to the community.
Either by repetition or with the help of a translator, the speakers presented their parts first in English and then in Spanish.
“Today is a very special occasion,” said Superintendent Jill Gildea. “When I first came to the district, we faced a major challenge. A 2015 bond measure had not been successful, and we knew that going forward, we would need to take the time to listen carefully to our community to agree on a vision of improved educational facilities.”
She said that when planning the district’s current expansion projects – which include new wings at Park City High School, Ecker Hill Middle School and additions to all elementary schools for preschool and essential services – leaders took the time to understand the community’s hopes, concerns and visions for the future.
“Together, we refined the bond plan and made sure it aligned with what our community really wanted and needed,” she said. “Today, we celebrate the culmination of that effort, the passage of the 2021 bond and the grand opening of the facilities prioritized by our community. This center is a testament to what we can accomplish when we work together, when we truly listen to each other, and when we stay true to our shared goals.”
Ingrid Whitley, president and CEO of the Park City Education Foundation, which raises hundreds of thousands of dollars for the school district, also spoke. She discussed the importance of early education for a child’s development.
“It is a testament to our school district and the broader community that we no longer view preschool as an innovative offering, but as an essential part of the educational trajectory of our youngest students,” she said. “It is one of the most valuable investments of public money we can make as a community. For every dollar invested, we see a return of $4 to $16, according to researchers, based on tangible benefits for children over their lifetime.”
She added that she hopes other communities across the state will use the district’s preschool program as a model for what they can achieve.
After the speeches – and after the attention span of some preschool children had long since been exhausted – the families were invited to tour the new extension with its classrooms and kitchen.
Victoria Kenyon, the mother of a four-year-old girl, said she was excited about the learning opportunities her child would have at the new facility.
She and her family have been members of the community for over three years.
“We are so excited to be part of the inaugural class and to have our own space,” she said. “One of my biggest fears about going to a public school is safety, so I find it’s much more reassuring to have our own space for the younger kids.”
She said her daughter has previously worked directly with a nanny, so attending preschool will give her more opportunities to interact with others as part of her early education.
“Park City is not a particularly diverse city, but I think this daycare and this part of the community is much more diverse,” she said. “Our daughter is fluent in Spanish, and I think it’s really valuable that she can continue that in an environment that encourages it rather than trying to force everyone into the English-speaking mold.”
