HUTCHINSON, Kan. — The USD 308 School Board continued the formal process of a transition for the Early Education Center Monday. The long-time facility for pre-school age students has been a collaborative effort of TECH, the Reno County Education Cooperative and USD 308. 

Before the formal board meeting, members gathered at the Early Education Center, Inc., Board of Directors. The non-profit corporation has been set up as the governing board for EEC.

USD 308 takes over as fiscal agent for the center in 2018-19. The Early Education Center, Inc., remains the lead agency. In 2019-20, the district also assumes management of employees. Those employees currently work for the Reno County Educational Cooperative.

The board also formally accepted a gift from Jim Strawn of Strawn Contracting, Inc., for five lots in the Oxford Point addition on the city’s northwest side. The joint Hutchinson Career and Technical Education Academy and Hutchinson Community College Building Trades Program builds a family residence each year. This will allow construction to continue for an additional five years in Oxford Pointe.