Lynwood Unified School District Board members grabbed hard hats and shovels on May 12 alongside leaders of St. Anne’s Family Services to celebrate the start of renovations for a new Early Learning Center at Lugo Elementary School that is scheduled to open this fall.
Superintendent Gudiel R. Crosthwaite joined Lorna Little, President and CEO of St. Anne’s, to address an outdoor group of nearly 75 guests who gathered to commemorate the groundbreaking of a project that will provide Early Head Start programs for infants ages 1-3 and their families.
“The future for children begins today,” LUSD Superintendent Gudiel R. Crosthwaite said. “Lynwood Unified is proud to partner with St. Anne’s to continue providing the much-needed opportunities and access for children so that they can enjoy greater success moving forward. This is a great day for Lynwood.”
The event brought together several community leaders in support of children, including the office of Anthony Rendon and SELA Collaborative.
The facility is the result of a partnership between the District, St. Anne’s, and the Los Angeles County Office of Education. Ultimately, a total of five classrooms will be added at Lugo and Abbott elementary schools serving a total of 164 children. Adding these services will also create new jobs in Lynwood.
“These child services are aimed at supporting the whole family. We don’t just care about the child, we care about all those who come to the table to make sure that the child is successful,” Little said. “The focus will include curriculum-based early childhood education, family and community engagement, nutrition and health support, mental health services, and special needs services.”
The increased support will allow children of the District to transition smoothly to Pre-K programs.
“Our District is committed to exceptional early development that puts our children on the path to becoming scholars,” LUSD Board President Maria G. Lopez. “Today, we took a big step in continuing to grow with our community and providing them with the tools to achieve their life goals.”