An increasing need for the education of young children has caused the Warren County R-III School District to outgrow both its staff and facilities.Special Education Director Dr. Sandy Borgman shared with the board during its monthly meeting on Feb. 8 about the necessity to expand both staff and physical space to accommodate the growing number of children in the Early Childhood Education Center. The board approved the addition of four more full-time special eduction paraprofessionals, who will be used as classroom assistants instead of assigned to one student.“Having classroom paras will provide us more bang for the buck, so they will be able to help everyone,” explained Borgman.The anticipated cost of the four new employees for the remainder of the 2018-19 school year is $45,000, which is entirely reimbursable by the state.While a decision on the new paraprofessionals was more urgent and fairly simple to move forward with, the district is also facing another dilemma:The current Early Childhood Center, which shares space in the central office administration building on Veterans Memorial Parkway in Warrenton, is reaching its capacity. The center houses 68 3- and 4-year olds.Administrators say there are several options when it comes to expanding or relocating. One alternative is for the administration to vacate the current building and relocate so the early childhood program could occupy the entire building. Another possibility is using modular or mobile units.“We want to continue to explore these options and bring information back,” said Assistant Superintendent Dr. Aaron Jones.The district could look at potentially buying property with a usable building already onsite as well. Presently R-III owns land along the west side of Highway 47 north of Warrenton and could consider building on that space.“Looking at local real estate that may already have a building available for central office or early childhood to move into,” said Jones. “If we did modular we would look at either one of the current building sites or district property north of town.”The district is in position to get reimbursed $70,000 annually by the state for the expansion needs.“It would be nice to see two or three proposals,” said board member Chad Smith.“If we’re going to be given $70,000, it would be nice to build equity for the school district as well,” added member Rodger Tucker.

The Warren County R-III Early Childhood Education Center is in need of an expansion of both personnel and space. Administrators are considering the option of either relocating or adding to the existing space. 

Record photo/Derrick Forsythe