Oak Knoll School To Reopen As Early Childhood Center

Cary's District 26 school board approved the reopening of Oak Knoll School as an early childhood center for the 2018-2019 school year at a meeting last week. The building was closed in 2005 at the start of the district’s declining enrollment and leased to a private school until 2012.

"After conducting a year-long feasibility study and four months of meetings and discussions at the Board level, the Administration recommended and the Board approved the relocation of the District’s growing pre-school, Early Childhood Education, and Kindergarten programs to Oak Knoll Early Childhood Center starting next year," according to a statement from District 26.

District 26 released the following statement regarding the news:

Developing an Early Childhood Center will assist the District in consolidating services and support for
these early learners and improve collaboration among its early childhood teachers. Relocating these
programs will also provide relief to the remaining elementary buildings in the form of classroom space for
art and music teachers, small group instructional space, and space to provide support staff services for
students. Oak Knoll Early Education Center will become an attendance center housing all the early
childhood through kindergarten students in the District in one facility, allowing the District to better serve
and more efficiently manage the growing needs of these students. Creating much needed space in the
District at other elementary buildings will also allow the return of some out-of-district special education
programming so students can attend school in their own community and also results in significant
annualized savings. Oak Knoll will also provide an additional facility to the community for athletic club
and community group usage. The renovation and opening of the Oak Knoll Early Childhood Center will
add value to the District and the Cary Community.
The transition to opening up Oak Knoll Early Childhood Center involves the relocation of already
existing students and staff to a different location. Other than office staff and lunchroom supervisors, no
new staff will be needed because they already exist. The total cost to renovate Oak Knoll as an Early
Childhood Center is estimated at $5.9 million. The funding of the Oak Knoll School renovation will be a
combination of using district reserves, the issuance of debt certificates, and savings generated by the
return of an out-of-district special education program. This funding plan will allow the District to lower
its tax rate by abating portions of the future debt service levy extension, resulting in savings to taxpayers
of an estimated $4.2 million over the next seven years.
“The District has discussed at various times over the last several years the possibility of reopening Oak
Knoll as an Early Childhood Center,” stated Superintendent Brian Coleman, “and we believe the timing is
right and the space constraints within the District are very evident to warrant this transition next year.
This will improve our ability to meet the educational and instructional needs of all our students and staff.”
Board President Scott Coffey stated, “This is a win for our students, our staff, and the community. It
brings back online a valuable asset to the District and the community while driving significant savings to
Cary taxpayers.” The District plans to bid out the renovation project in November or December with the
onsite work starting in March. The goal is to have the school ready for the start of the 2018-19 school
year.