Stepping Stones Considers Building Move

ROCHELLE – The recently acquired grant that would expand the size of the preschool programming in Rochelle could require Stepping Stones to switch locations. At the Tuesday night District 231 Board Meeting Assistant Superintendent Tony Doyle and Stepping Stones Director Yazmin Nambo said they have begun looking at May School as a new location for Pre-K services. Stepping Stones currently serves around 180 students, but around 40 additional students are on a waitlist to join. The Illinois’ Preschool for All initiative awarded the program $390,000 per year for both 2025 and 2026 to expand services in Rochelle. The current Stepping Stones program occupies six rooms at Lincoln School, but several meetings have occurred with staff of May School looking at accommodations needed to bring the pre-k services to that facility, including upgrading bathrooms, playgrounds, and parking.