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Division outlines curriculum, enrollment and partnerships as Early Learning Center opens at Walker
Summary
School staff presented a detailed update on the Early Learning Center at Walker, describing classroom design, play spaces, literacy-focused instruction, community partnerships, and enrollment plans for roughly 200 slots; staff reported assessment gains and said wraparound and mixed-delivery partners (YMCA, PVCC, United Way) will provide supports.
Charlottesville City Schools staff gave a comprehensive update on June 4 about the new Early Learning Center (ELC) located at Walker, detailing space plans, curriculum, partnerships and enrollment as the division prepares to open the consolidated preschool program.
Dr. Corb, who presented the update, described classroom groupings organized into color-coded “barns” on the Walker top floor, a family-learning suite, a mudroom/silo that opens to a new playground, an indoor ‘workshop’ for messy play in the former Delta Lab, and a gross-motor ‘paddic’ space in the former cafeteria. Classroom assignments allowed teachers to request preferred rooms and to choose mixed‑age or single‑age groupings.
Instructional priorities include explicit letter‑knowledge routines, responsive morning meetings, handwriting instruction and a stronger emphasis on repeated read‑alouds to build vocabulary and background knowledge. Staff reported measureable growth on preschool literacy screeners: four‑year‑old students showed gains in beginning‑sound expressive tasks and other early literacy indicators during the pilot year.
Staff highlighted partnerships with Wolf Trap (movement/literacy residencies), Book Baskets of Charlottesville, Wild Rock, Front Porch for early‑childhood music, PVCC for morning language classes, United Way for mixed-delivery coordination and the YMCA for aftercare slots. The division reported about 172 active applications at the time of the meeting and said the site will accommodate roughly 200 slots, with licensing constraints limiting some three-year‑old spots at the temporary Walker location; the new permanent facility would expand capacity and licensing options.
Presenters said staff completed shared professional learning (an early‑childhood letters course) to ensure consistent practice across teachers and described plans for ongoing formative assessment, targeted interventions and family-engagement workshops. Several board members praised the design and emphasized outreach to community housing programs, communication and wraparound care plans.
The presentation closed with an invitation for board members to visit the ELC and a pledge to provide enrollment updates over the summer.
