Teachers and staff from Fred Douglass and Perrin early childhood centers will gather to celebrate their new, single campus on Friday, Oct. 10 at 2 p.m. at 400 Sunset Blvd. in Sherman. The groundbreaking ceremony is open to the public.

The new Sherman ISD Early Childhood Center will be built on the previous site of Wakefield Elementary, which closed at the end of 2024-25 school year after serving the Sherman community for nearly 70 years.

The groundbreaking for the new early childhood center represents a new beginning, both for the property and for staff from the two existing early childhood centers.

The event will be a symbolic “coming together” of employees from Fred Douglass and Perrin, who currently serve students in SISD’s Pre-Kindergarten and Head Start programs on smaller, separate campuses.

The new, larger school will serve up to 660 students on a single, 94,000-square-foot campus, increasing operational efficiency and improving the function, safety and learning environment for early childhood students. Features of the new school include:

Specialized classrooms and spaces to meet the unique needs of young learners

Two separate parent drive loops with 2,905 linear feet of queueing depth, as well as a separate bus drop-off at the front of the building. All three loops include a canopy-covered walkway to the nearest entrance

Purpose built spaces for special populations

Protected and secure outdoor classroom and play spaces

Indoor activity gym and indoor playground space, allowing for more activities and opportunities for students regardless of the weather

FEMA compliant storm shelter that will accommodate all students and staff and withstand wind speeds up to 250 mph

The new school will open to students and staff for the 2027-28 school year. Due to the high-tech industry growth in Sherman, it is being funded through Sherman ISD’s 2023 bond program without an increase in the tax rate.

It was designed by VLK Architects and is being constructed by general contractor CORE Construction.