Morell child care moving from mobiles to school classrooms

Work to move Morell Early Learning Centre into Morell Consolidated School next door has begun.

'It's just the ideal place for us to be'

Nakshi Pandit · CBC News · Posted: Jul 16, 2018 7:00 PM EDT | Last Updated: July 16, 2018

'It was never a long-term solution,' to have a child care centre in mobiles by the school, says centre director Paige MacLaren. (Randy McAndrew/CBC)

Parents and educators of children who attend the Morell and Area Early Learning Centre in Morell, P.E.I., are looking forward to moving from mobiles into Morell Consolidated School just next door.

The move has been in the works for two years, says the centre's director Paige MacLaren, because the child care centre outgrew its space.

"It's just the ideal place for us to be," she said. "It was never a long-term solution."

The Morell and Area Early Years Centre outgrew its mobiles — it 43 children are currently enrolled. (Randy McAndrew/CBC)

The layout inside the centre was not ideal, she said, with an office and noisy kitchen area next to the infant room.

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The new space for the child care centre will be much bigger and better laid-out, said MacLaren, with "less traffic through the infant area, so it'll just be a calmer environment. Less interruptions."

'Only good things'

There are 43 children at the centre now, from infants to five-year-olds.

The preschoolers at the Morell and Area Early years Centre will be moving next door into the school this fall. (Randy McAndrew/CBC)

Crystal Palmer has a daughter there and another who will attend in a few months, as well as a third child at Morell Consolidated.

"It is one drop-off and easy transition for the ones going into the elementary school," Palmer said.

"It is a newer space and it is a bigger space, so only good things can come from that."

Thomas Drake has two children in the consolidated school and one at the child care centre.

"I think it will be good to have all three in the same building for pickups and anything like that," he said. "I think the big sisters will be happy to see their little brother at the same school that they are at, and for him to see his big sisters is a nice change too."

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Ready for September

Construction is planned to be finished this summer so there will be no disruption for students and educators at the consolidated school.

Crews are renovating four classrooms at the school and adding a kitchen at a cost of $240,000. (Randy McAndrew/CBC)

Crews are renovating four classrooms at the school and adding a kitchen — the province is footing the $240,000 bill.

"Morell parents want to keep their children together and asked government to ensure that the Early Years Centre remains close to the school," Education and Early Learning Minister Jordan Brown said in a news release.

The centre will lease the space from the Public Schools Branch. Administrators, teachers, and early childhood educators have been consulted on the design and floor plans, according to the release.