Early Learning Center Opens Doors for Patch

Armed with a pink hardhat, Barrington Early Learning Center Principal and Early Childhood Coordinator Barbara Romano said she couldn't be happier about the new building on the Prairie Middle School Campus.

"Very excited," Romano said. "The whole district, every level, the high school, middle school, elementary are just thrilled for the staff and the students."

The first day of classes at the new Early Learning Center facility will be held in mid-October. 

The old Early Learning Center is located in Carpentersville and isn't well equipped to deal with the youngest members of District 220, Romano added.

 "We made adaptations to it, but not to the level that this building will provide," she said. " This will really be state-of-the-art for early childhood instruction."

The Early Learning Center is a unique program offered by District 220 and serves 3- to 5-year-old children with special needs and children identified for the at-risk preschool program.  

With construction still underway, Patch was invited to take a tour of the new facility with Romano as the guide. 

The new building is bright and airy, has several features to help its special needs children.

" We have special hooks in some of the classroom ceilings to support swings, and different devices we use for kids to work on their motor skills," Romano said. 

The school's 16 classrooms are divided into four villages, but the unique design of the building aims to eliminate some feelings of separation.

"The windows here in the classrooms, there's an inverted by shared by two classrooms, so a child could be in one classroom, and wave to his buddy in the classroom next door," Romano said. "So that's the idea of the villages, to make it feel like  a small community so kids can really feel at home."