The St. Joseph Public Schools Board of Education is studying the feasibility of creating an early childhood center in the district. At a Monday meeting, the board approved an agreement with United Federal Credit Union for an exclusive option to purchase its former headquarters at 2807 South State Street in St. Joseph in 2024. The move comes out of the 2021 strategic planning effort, which identified early childhood education as a significant need for the district. St. Joseph Public Schools Superintendent Jenny Fee says the purchase option provides the district a low-risk position through which to research and develop funding options for an early childhood center. She says, “a centralized early childhood center would create equitable access to much needed education for our youngest learners. A dedicated early childhood facility would also allow us to expand our before and after school programs, more adequately prepare children to start our kindergarten curriculum, and provide quality preschool and childcare for families.” The district is now studying funding scenarios that could include a voter approved bond in 2024.
The building under consideration is the large, two-story office building at State Street and Gard Avenue, in the quarter block behind Wendy’s. It initially was the headquarters building of Whirlpool Federal Credit Union, which later became United Federal. UFCU built a new banking branch immediately South on State Street several years ago and later moved its headquarters to the much larger former Whirlpool and Zenith building on Hilltop Road. The State Street building has been mostly unused for several years. However it appears to be in excellent condition and has considerable open concept space that would be developable for educational use.
