Willis ISD held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the opening of the Roark Early Education Center on Aug. 7. The new building will serve pre-K students. According to Superintendent Tim Harkrider, teachers began preparing to enter the building the week of Aug. 1, and the building opened to students on the first day of classes Aug. 10.

According to a 2020 bond presentation, the Roark Early Education Center cost $21.87 million.

The new center increased capacity from 270 students to 400 students and enrolls children ages 3 and 4 who qualify for the program.

"The pre-K is an opportunity for us to have a state-of-the-art facility for our youngest students and get them excited about learning at an early age," Harkrider said.

According to Harkrider, the building was designed by WISD and architecture group Stantec.