The renovation and expansion of Canton’s Golden Key Center is moving forward

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The Golden Key Center for Exceptional Children is on its way to serve more local students with special needs with a $2.5 million renovation and expansion.

The Golden Key is a non-public, not-for-profit special needs school that provides quality education and intervention services to preschoolers through eighth graders with autism and other cognitive disabilities. Students from 13 of Stark County’s 18 school districts attend The Golden Key, but enrollment is limited due to available school space. The school is at maximum capacity with a growing waiting list of families who need its services, making this renovation and expansion project important to our community.

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The center, 1431 30th Street NW in Canton, will add classrooms, offices and therapy rooms as well as build a new gymnasium, additional toilets and a family living center to accommodate growing enrollments and increased programs. Since the laying of the first stone in mid-May, most of the building’s interior renovations have been completed.

“The Golden Key Center for Exceptional Children is thrilled that the renovation and expansion project is going quite well,” said Gina Bannevich, director of operations for The Golden Key.

The former Golden Key gymnasium has been renovated into seven classrooms and six therapy rooms and offices, enabling a 20% increase in initial enrollment. Seven new staff members were also hired to support enrollment growth and maintain the quality of the school’s education.

“That is 20% more families The Golden Key can serve in the community,” added Bannevich.

The remainder of the existing building renovation, including much needed additional bathroom space, will be opened for use when students and staff return from winter break.

The story continues

The new gym and family living center is currently ahead of schedule, thanks to the cool fall weather. Walls, floors, windows, concrete and steel are in place and ready for interior work to begin when winter comes.

Learn more about The Golden Key and its renovation and expansion project at www.goldenkeyschool.com.

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This article originally appeared on The Repository: Ahead of schedule expansion effort for Canton’s Golden Key Center