The Shawnee Mission School District says its new early childhood education center remains on track to open in August 2027.

In an update posted Friday, Nov. 6, the district said a recent beam-signing ceremony marked the construction milestone. Community members, teachers, district leaders and construction partners signed the beam before it was placed on the building. Several early childhood students joined in, leaving colorfully painted handprints.

The building is a first for the district.

It will be the first facility in the Shawnee Mission district built specifically for early learners, according to Judd Remmers, director of facilities.

"We're really grateful and thankful to be able to provide the setting for our early learners," Remmers said, according to the district.

Who the center will serve

The center will house classrooms for 3- and 4-year-olds in both special education and general education settings. It will also serve as a hub for pre-kindergarten families, the Shawnee Mission Parents as Teachers program, audiology services and parent/guardian conferences.

Early childhood special education teacher Sarah Patterson said the beam-signing was her first time seeing the facility in progress. She pointed to one design detail: windows built lower to the ground so smaller children can see outdoors.

"Being able to design the building around them so they can fully access their environment and participate in their day at school is one of my favorite things," Patterson said, according to the district.

Bond-funded construction

The district broke ground on the center on May 14 with students, families, staff and community members present. Project partners include Hollis + Miller and Newkirk Novak.

The building will feature a "Nature's Wonderland" theme inside, according to a district groundbreaking announcement. Outdoor spaces will include inclusive playground equipment, a trike path, gardens, walking trails and open green space.

The project is funded through remaining bond authorization approved by Shawnee Mission voters in 2021. That bond measure totaled $264 million and represented phase one of a $750 million long-term facilities plan the board of education approved in 2020, the Shawnee Mission Post reported in October. The 2021 bond also funded the rebuilding of five elementary schools.

The board is weighing a second bond proposal that would cover additional school rebuilds as part of the long-term plan's next phase.