Educare Springfield to benefit children, families and community
September 24, 2018
Community leaders, local and national partners gathered on September 17 to celebrate the groundbreaking of Educare Springfield, the 24th Educare school nationwide. Educare Springfield will provide low-income children with high-quality early learning during their first five years to prepare them for success in school and life.
“Educare Springfield: It’s here,” said John Davis, director, The Irene E. & George A. Davis Foundation. “This is a clear demonstration that we are investing in the education of children beginning at birth.”
Ensuring children have high-quality early learning
The Educare school will open its doors next fall to serve 141 young children, ages 6 weeks to 5 years old, and their families.
“One of the reasons I wanted to come here, was to give hope to this community,” said Massachusetts Lieutenant Governor Karyn Polito. “While we invest in this beautiful building at Educare Springfield, we are working together. We figured out a way to make this possible for this neighborhood. We will keep doing more of this work, because it works.”
After several years and many hurdles along the way, Educare Springfield became a reality thanks to the partnership of the Educare Learning Network, education advocates, politicians and civic leaders.
“Educare is a significant investment here in the city of Springfield and it’s another public and private partnership, with everybody working together for the same goal for our children,” said Mayor of Springfield Domenic Sarno. “Giving them this foundation is going to allow them and their families to be able to avoid poverty, to avoid public safety issues—you just can’t put a price tag on that.”
As an Educare school, Educare Springfield will also be a platform for change in early childhood policy and practice to increase access to high-quality early education for all children.
“It is just an incredible, exciting opportunity here in Springfield and in the state of Massachusetts for our children and families,” said Janis Santos, executive director, Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start.
Partnering for success
The school was formed in partnership with The Irene E. and George A. Davis Foundation, Holyoke Chicopee Springfield Head Start, Springfield College, Buffett Early Childhood Fund and Ounce of Prevention Fund.
“Educare Springfield will improve the lives of the children who will enter its walls.” said Cynthia Jackson, executive director, Educare Learning Network. “We know the work you will do here in Springfield, Massachusetts will inspire other communities across the country to do what is best and right for our young children and families.”
Watch a highlights video of the groundbreaking.
