NIC Children’s Center to move operations

The NIC Children’s Center has been forced to move its operations due to damage sustained to its building during the recent windstorm. 

The building, formerly known as the Lakeside Center, was struck by three trees, two of which fell directly onto the building, causing extensive damage.  The Children’s Center will be moving most of its operations to the  First Presbyterian Church on Lakeside Avenue, with classes expected to resume Monday. 

“This is a great location, as it’s close to campus and allows us to keep each of our classrooms separate, which is a vital covid protocol,” said Jolie Wenglikowski, the Children’s Center director. “Families rely on us to be able to go to school and work, so getting our services back up and running as quickly as possible is our number one priority.”

Due to safety concerns, a broken sprinkler was unable to be addressed immediately, causing flooding and water damage throughout the building in addition to the structural damage caused by the impact of the falling trees. Water could be seen coming out of the doors and into the outdoor learning space where children normally play.

“Damages were extensive and complicated from a broken sprinkler line that flooded the building,” said Wenglikowski.  “There is a gaping hole in the infant sleeping area and significant roof damage throughout the building.” 

The outside learning space, normally filled with laughing children, also suffered severe damage.

A planned unveiling of the outdoor learning space already delayed by COVID-19 will now be delayed even further as the space has its own damages to be repaired.  Normally surrounded by a green fence and filled with laughing, smiling children, the outdoor learning space is covered in branches and debris and several large muddy holes where trees once stood, and the green fencing is broken and missing in many areas.

The bandshell connected to the building, once home to performances by the local Red Hot Mama’s amongst others, was crushed and now sits as a pile of twisted metal and tree branches.

The Children’s Center sustained extensive damage to the roof of its building from falling trees.

As of today, the Children’s Center has been gutted, interior fixtures and furniture have been removed as well as several feet of the drywall along many walls of the building.  Crews can be seen working inside and outside of the building to repair the damages. With repairs expected to be completed this semester, the Children’s Center will likely maintain operations at the new church location to avoid another disruption to their students caused by another move.

Wenglikowski and her teachers and staff are working diligently to move quickly to the new facility and get it ready for its grand reopening Monday.  The Children’s Center was able to find space for their Head Start classroom in the Harding Building and was able to resume instruction on Jan. 18.

“We are very thankful for the support of our whole NIC family and the generosity of the church,” said Wenglikowski.  “We’ll be back open as soon as possible, not only for our Children’s Center children but for our lab school students as well. We will maintain our NAYEC Accreditation standards to maintain quality early education and model for our students.”