YOUR SCHOOLS / COLUMBUS

Ready to learn

District’s first all-preschool building is bustling after opening

By Rick Rouan

The Columbus Dispatch

Student Danay Guinn, 4, sings with classmates about her “school family” while forming a heart with her hands. She was taking part in the opening celebration of the Linden Park Neighborhood Early Childhood Education Center on Thursday. BARBARA J. PERENIC/DISPATCH

Columbus City Schools Superintendent Dan Good, left and Mayor Andrew J. Ginther join students to break a paper chain to open the Linden Park early childhood center. BARBARA J. PERENIC/DISPATCH PHOTOS

Linden Park Neighborhood Early Childhood Education Center in north Columbus

The class of 2030 already is hard at work in North Linden.

Dozens of 4-year-olds are drawing on walls, studying leaves with oversize magnifying glasses and building Lego towers in a renovated school that city and school officials say is one of a kind.

The Linden Park Neighborhood Early Childhood Education Center opened Oct. 3 in the former Linden Park Elementary School, 1400 Myrtle Ave. It is the Columbus City School District’s only building devoted solely to pre-kindergarten classrooms.

It also is the district’s only building where both public school teachers and bring together everything we do well,” Nespeca said.

Classes started in September in a “swing space” at the Lin-moor Education Center, 2001 Hamilton Ave., but students moved to the new building Oct. 3 once renovations were finished.

Nespeca said school employees went door to door to tell people in the neighborhood about the school. It received more applications than it had slots available.

Classes run all day and children eat breakfast and lunch at school. The school does not charge tuition.

Brooklynn Shaw is part of the inaugural class to attend the center. On Thursday, she joined classmates in leading local officials gathered for the building dedication in the Pledge of Allegiance and a song about the school.

Brooklynn already knew letters, shapes and colors. School has taught her more about interacting with other kids, said Brandi Shaw, her mother.

“She’s a social butterfly now,” said Juawann Ambler, Brooklynn’s father. rrouan@dispatch.com @RickRouan