Gloucester City Celebrates Groundbreaking of
a New Early Childhood Center

State Provides $8 Million Dollars to Gloucester City

Gloucester City, NJ (April 11, 2003) - Gloucester City broke ground today for a new early childhood learning center as an addition to Cold Springs Elementary School. The new center will replace 19 temporary classrooms currently used to house pre-kindergarten students. Gloucester City will receive over $8 million from the State of New Jersey to build the center.

The funding is part of an $8.6 billion School Construction program that will help to revitalize the community, bringing jobs and targeted growth to the area, and will provide educational opportunities for over 300 three and four year old pre-kindergarten children.

"This Early Childhood Learning Center represents New Jersey's commitment to our children. We are living up to our most important obligation by providing 21st Century facilities to ensure that every child has the opportunity to get the education they deserve and the skills necessary to start school," said Governor McGreevey.

"The State is committed to improving school facilities for New Jersey students in a cost-effective, streamlined and efficient manner. School buildings must be designed to provide access to modern technology and a thoughtful environment which is conducive to student achievement," he added.

The project involves the construction of a 44,148 square-foot addition to the Cold Springs Elementary School located on Market Street. The new center will include 21 pre-kindergarten classrooms, nine small group instruction rooms, a multi-purpose room and a kitchen. The center has been designed as a "stand-alone" facility with the ability to operate independently from the elementary school. The Center will help the District to meet the State's mandatory requirements to provide full-day pre-school.

"The community, Gloucester City Board of Education, and the teachers are delighted to put a shovel in the ground," said Superintendent Dr. Mary T. Stansky. We are very pleased that we soon will have a permanent facility for our preschool

Alfred McNeill, CEO New Jersey School Construction Corporation said, "This project is an example of the progress made in the implementation of the historic school construction initiative. This new early childhood center is one of many that will be built under the educational facilities law."

Under the Educational Facilities and Construction Act, the New Jersey School Construction Corporation is responsible for school projects throughout the State. The program is the largest public construction program ever undertaken by the State of New Jersey and represents one of the largest school construction programs ever undertaken in the nation.

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