Town Meeting Approves New Early Childhood Education Center

DEDHAM, MA - A new early childhood center in Dedham is closer to becoming a reality.

At Monday night's Annual Town Meeting, the town voted to appropriate about $29.8 million for the construction, equipping, and furnishing of a new early childhood education center for preschool and kindergarten students at 1100 High St., the current site of the Dexter School. The new building will replace the current Dr. Thomas J. Curran Early Childhood Education Center.

The costs include the cost of architectural design, project management, demolition of the existing building and other necessary site improvements.

The town may be eligible for a school construction grant from the Massachusetts School Building Authority, according to the town warrant. The MSBA’s grant program is a non-entitlement, discretionary program based on need, as determined by the MSBA. If the town receives a grant, it will not exceed 52.33 percent of the project's cost.