Centralia College’s Pre-K Program Receives $800K State Grant For New Building

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This time next year, Centralia College’s Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program will move to a new location on campus, with room for more than 20 additional students.

“We knew when we moved into this facility, it just happened to be open,” said Teresa Schneider, the Early Childhood Education and Assistance Program (ECEAP) director. “There used to be another program here and we were in two different locations, so (we) were able to put the two locations into one. But we knew it was going to be temporary because there is another project planned for the college. Potentially, if we wouldn’t have gotten the grant, we would have lost all of the service for this entire building.”

The current modular building serves 56 preschool students, while the new one will serve around 80. The new modular classroom building will be located at the southwest edge of the Centralia College campus on Pear Street and replace what is known as the “LAX” building on Iron Street.

Schneider said that ECEAP will expand from two classrooms to three. The existing building has one regular-sized classroom and one smaller classroom. The new building will have three regular-size classrooms and must be significantly completed by June 30.

“I would say most of the project will probably be done by then because that’s when the funding needs to be expended,” Schneider said. “We get a lot of support from Centralia College, so if there is additional work to be done, they will find a way, potentially, to fund that support. … They provide us a great partnership. … We wouldn’t be able to do half of what we did if we weren’t tied so closely with Centralia College.”

Currently, the ECEAP administrative office is housed next door. It will also move to the new location.



Centralia College purchased the existing building and moved it to the campus in 2006. According to a press release from Centralia College, the college plans to make room for athletic facilities across from the Michael Smith Gymnasium.

“Part of why I think we were in a good position to get the grant is we have already started moving toward the project,” Schneider said. “The project was already kind of ready. The space where the new modular will go is cleared. The funding from legislation is through June 30 of 2019, so we have a lot work to do in a short period of time.”

ECEAP is a state-funded pre-K program for low-income families. Centralia College’s ECEAP serves children and families in Lewis County with a free pre-K for families that qualify. The program serves 252 children that are enrolled across Lewis County at Centralia College, Chehalis, Boistfort, Pe Ell, Onalaska and Winlock. Centralia College ECEAP works in partnership with parents, the community as well as state and federal agencies, according to Centralia College’s website.

“Parents come here and they are bringing their child to preschool, but then they enroll in parent education classes so they are getting college credits,” Schneider said. “Sometimes they are going and attending college for themselves and it is the first time they ever thought it was possible.”