The Lawrence school district's fourth early-childhood classroom will be dedicated Thursday in honor of Douglas County District Judge Jean Shepherd.
A $50,000 donation from William Dann, Lawrence, to the Lawrence Schools Foundation helped finance the special classroom at Centennial School. The class is operating and offers 20 preschool children an early start in public education.
"We want them to have every advantage possible," said Mike Miller, foundation director. "It could be something that stays with them for the rest of their lives."
Dann requested that the Centennial classroom be named in honor of Shepherd.
"I'm impressed by her, the statements she has made and her advocacy for children," he said.
Dedication of the Jean F. Shepherd Early Childhood Educational Readiness Classroom is scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Thursday at Centennial. The public is invited.
The Lawrence Early Childhood Educational Readiness Program is a collaborative effort of the Lawrence Schools Foundation, the Lawrence Business/Education Partnership and the school district.
It began in 1996 with dedication of the first classroom at East Heights School. Dann donated $50,000 in 1997 to finance the Jesse Milan classroom at Pinckney School. Last year, a $50,000 gift from Dann led to establishment of the Gertrude Ruttan classroom at East Heights, the second early-childhood classroom at that school.
The Centennial class brings to 80 the number of student slots available in the district's early-childhood programs.
-- Tim Carpenter's phone message number is 832-7155. His e-mail address is tcarpenter@ljworld.com.
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