Lake County Gazette

At its April 15 meeting, the District 45 Board of Education approved “District 45 Early Childhood Center” as the official name of the district’s early childhood facility.

The facility opened in August 2022 under that name, but the board had delayed a formal naming to prioritize opening preparations and planned to revisit the decision with community input. In January, a naming committee of board members, administrators, teachers, parents, and students was formed to engage the public in the process.

The committee received 79 submissions, totaling 56 unique name ideas, many inspired by individuals, concepts, and historical figures. In February, the committee reviewed the submissions and shared a shortlist of seven names for public feedback. Community members expressed strong support for retaining the current name.

On March 18, the committee presented a final report to the Board of Education summarizing its work, input collected, and a recommendation that included “District 45 Early Childhood Center.” The board officially approved the name based on this community feedback.

Superintendent Brian Graber praised the board’s decision and the inclusive process. “The result is something to celebrate—that our community sees the facility as a unifying building in our district, with its own identity,” Graber said.

The District 45 Early Childhood Center serves approximately 175 students and provides early learning programs, including services for children with special needs and preschool programming for at-risk learners.