AUSTIN, TX—The Austin Independent School District invites the community to celebrate the dedication of the Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center Sunday afternoon. 

The center is the eighth new school and sixth new elementary funded by the 2008 Bond Program. Built on approximately seven acres, the Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Center was designed to be educationally energetic and environmentally sensitive.

Who: AISD representatives and community members

What: Dedication of the Uphaus Early Childhood Center  

When:  2 p.m., Sunday, Nov. 4. Campus tours begin at 1 p.m.   

Where: Anita Uphaus Early Childhood Education Center, 5200 Freidrich Lane.

Background: The center is named after Anita Uphaus, who led early childhood educational programs at AISD for more than 30 years. She served as a kindergarten teacher at Cook and Graham elementary schools and as an early childhood administrator and facilities administrative supervisor. As supervisor of Early Childhood Programs between 1981 and 2006, she managed the development and growth of the district's pre-kindergarten and kindergarten programs.

Uphaus' love of learning is built into the design of the center. The school's floor layout is designed in the shape of the letter U. It features bright, colorful hallways, child-friendly designs and playful elements such as crayon-shaped pillars. The library welcomes young readers into a wonderful world of learning through a large tree design entry.

Uphaus has 24 classrooms and features art, music and parent resource rooms. The exterior features colorful, child-like figures, child-height windows and large alphabetical letters inlaid across the front of the building.

Green building and sustainable architecture principles guided the designers' construction, which uses recyclable and local materials. The covered skylight in the commons area allows natural light to filter into every room, creating a warm and welcoming atmosphere in each classroom. The building's orientation and shading devices over its windows help the school to control temperature efficiently. 

For more information, please contact AISD's community engagement team at 414-9732.