PATTERSON – On Wednesday, March 26, Putnam County Executive Kevin Byrne, along with officials from Carmel Central School District and Brewster Central School District, visited with representatives from Community Based Services at Hudson Valley InterArts, the nonprofit’s artistic and community hub located in Patterson.

The visit included a tour of the newly renovated ground floor, the potential future site of the county’s joint educational option for local families, the ThinkDIFFERENTLY Pre-K Campus. In his March 3 State of the County Byrne announced plans for Putnam County to partner with Carmel and Brewster school districts to create a first-of-its-kind, inclusive childcare and learning center for local parents.

“This joint venture between county government and school districts to implement a brand-new model of braided funding will expand educational choice to all local families and aggressively reduce the time children spend on the bus while learning in a safe and welcoming environment,” said County Executive Byrne. “I am proud of our ThinkDIFFERENTLY Pre-K Campus project, but I can’t do it alone. We need the continued support of families and school officials, as well as members of the County Legislature, to make this new childcare option a reality for everyone. I look forward to speaking before an audience of parents and school officials at the next Carmel Central School District informational meeting on April 24 where we hope to provide a valuable update on our progress.”

Prior to last week's tour, the local officials in Patterson voiced their support of the project and the Town Board voted to support the creation of this campus.

To learn more about this innovative Pre-K Campus or to receive updates, parents should visit the Putnam County’s website: www.putnamcountyny.gov/prekcampus