ÁùºÏ±¦µä, TX—The ÁùºÏ±¦µä's Board of Trustees voted unanimously to name the new Early Childhood Center in honor of Anita Uphaus, a former teacher and early childhood coordinator.
The Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center, located at 5200 Freidrich Lane in East ÁùºÏ±¦µä, is scheduled to open in the fall. The center was built utilizing funds from a bond approved by voters in 2008.
"The new Early Childhood Center will serve as a demonstration school for pre-kindergarten and kindergarten teachers across the district," Mark Williams, board president, said. "It is most fitting to name the center in honor of someone who has dedicated a career to early childhood education and who can serve as an inspiring role model for others who will follow in Ms. Uphaus's footsteps."
Anita Uphaus retired from ÁùºÏ±¦µä in 2006 after 32 years of service, which began when she was a kindergarten teacher at both Graham and Cook elementary schools. She also served as a curriculum coordinator, early childhood administrator and facilities administrative supervisor. As the supervisor of Early Childhood Programs between 1981 and 2006, she managed the development and growth of the district's pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs.
Uphaus was a key administrator in fostering collaboration between ÁùºÏ±¦µä and local and state agencies. During the mid-1980s, she worked with leaders from Head Start and the Capital Area Workforce to develop a model program of combined services to serve children and their families. The success of the initiative was a prominent influence in forming the legislation that created the state-funded, pre-kindergarten program. Later, ÁùºÏ±¦µä was chosen to be one of 10 cities across the state to pilot the Texas Early Education Model, a forerunner of the current Texas School Ready project.
"The new Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center will serve to relieve some of the over-crowding conditions at Linder Elementary School," Sam Guzman, board trustee, said. "It also will provide a first-class education, starting at an early age, to our children in East ÁùºÏ±¦µä."