The calendar and the winter weather make it clear that the back-to-school season is well behind them, but children, faculty, and staff at The Arc of Livingston-Wyoming's KidStart school are nonetheless buzzing with first-day excitement.

That's because Monday, January 24th, 2011, marks the first day of program at KidStart's new home – a 33,000-square-foot KidStart school located at 5871 Groveland Station Road in Groveland, NY.

The new school allows continuation of all essential KidStart services that had been located at the Holcomb Building on the SUNY Geneseo campus, which is unavailable due to planned construction by the college. KidStart’s new home also consolidates smaller Head Start and special services initiatives that had been offered at a satellite KidStart location in Mt. Morris.

KidStart services include an evaluation unit, early intervention, preschool, day care/nursery school and Head Start.

Located on a 7.8 acre parcel of land, the new KidStart school includes 12 classrooms, each with approximately 900 square feet of learning and play space, a 1,960 square foot evaluation center, a kitchen to serve all children, a multipurpose room for training and large motor activities, and a spacious playground. Sixteen therapy offices allow for individual treatment of physical and social problems, while a 1,595 square foot occupational- and physical-therapy room is designed for children to participate in one-on-one and small group therapeutic activities.

KidStart services enhance the lives of hundreds of area children ranging from 6 weeks to 12 years old. About half of these children have significant intellectual and other developmental disabilities, some are economically deprived, and many are in need of quality day care services.

The cost of the building project is approximately $4.25 million. The Arc, which is a private, not-for-profit agency, is embarking on a capital campaign to assist with funding. For more information, visit www.lwarc.org/opening_doors.htm or call PR Director Jeff Thomas at (585) 658-2828 ext. 128.