Royal Oak Schools is thrilled to announce the expansion of our Early Childhood Center into a new and larger space, marking an exciting step forward that reflects our deep commitment to fostering excellence in our youngest students. This new space, the Royal Oak Education Center, represents growth, opportunity and our continued focus on meeting the increasing demand for high-quality early childhood education in our community.

The need is clear: our current Addams Early Childhood Center has a waitlist that is nearly four times our existing capacity. By expanding from 10 classrooms to 12, we will be able to serve approximately 40 additional students, increasing enrollment from about 150 children to nearly 200. This growth allows us to serve more families in Royal Oak Schools while maintaining the individualized attention and supportive environment that defines our programs.

The new Early Childhood Center will be centrally located within the district, making the commute for drop-off and pick-up easier and more convenient for families. The new location offers a much larger parking lot that will simplify daily routines for caregivers. Inside, the building will offer more classroom spaces for our early learners, with brand new furniture, teaching supplies and toys. The new center will also have dedicated rooms for occupational therapy, physical therapy, social work, and speech services to ensure our youngest students receive the support they need in a cohesive, welcoming setting.

We are also excited to introduce new programming. The expanded center will offer a half-day co-taught preschool option for 3-year-olds, along with a program that integrates GSRP (Great Start Readiness Program) and special education, co-taught by a general education teacher and a special education teacher. Another great change is that, due to recent legislation, our current 3-year-old students will be grandfathered into the fouryear-old program, ensuring continuity for families already enrolled.

The Early Childhood Center will include a learning commons, providing a large, flexible space for gross motor activities and programming for children from birth to age 3. While birth–3 services are currently provided in the home, the new center will allow families to access additional services onsite. Daily playgroups and weekly visits at the center will create new opportunities for connection, learning and support.

Outdoor spaces are getting a major upgrade as well. Children at the Early Childhood Center will enjoy brand-new play equipment that fosters imaginative play, along with a tricycle path that encourages active play and motor development. Indoors, the center will have its own kitchen, allowing staff to provide warm breakfasts for 4 year-olds for the first time. (Three-year-olds will continue to bring food from home.)

To support this expansion, Royal Oak Schools will add six full-time staff members, further strengthening our early childhood team.

This new Early Childhood Center is more than a building – it’s an investment in our youngest learners, our families and the future of Royal Oak Schools. We are incredibly excited to open our doors wider and serve more families than ever before.