By Collin Breaux
A new voluntary pre-kindergarten (VPK) educational center is coming to life in the Washington County School District.
The center is across the street from the School Board meeting room in Chipley and has been under construction. The facility’s exterior building has been put up. Next, drywall and other interior materials will go in.
“We’re looking at, say, June 2 for getting back to site work,” Superintendent Joe Taylor said. “That’s when you’re talking about the parking lot and drive that’s going to come around.”
Taylor said he thinks construction progress is “going extremely well.”
“Everything seems to be flowing,” Taylor said during a tour of the site grounds. “They just finished the insulation inside.”
Construction crews can be seen working on site when driving by or walking around the site grounds.
Childers Construction is working on the project. Representatives for the company said there have been no “major hiccups” so far.
The VPK center will help prepare kids school-wise while they are still in their formative years. services are currently offered in WCSD but tend to fill up.
The upcoming facility is at 734 Sinclair Street and will have several classrooms. The front will have a lobby and administrative office.
“We’ll have a fully functional clinic,” Taylor said. “We’ll have room for expansion of other things. The backside, this is where we’ll be looking at trying to do the playground equipment.”
Taylor said District officials are “very pleased” watching the center “unfold.”
The VPK center is anticipated to be open for the coming 2024-2025 school year.
Hannah Collins 
GARRETT VALCOURT