ISWA Head Start is an essential program that serves the low-income families and children of the Catawba Indian Nation and neighboring community. In 2016, the Verdantas team worked with ISWA Head Start, designing an addition to their existing facility for children 3 to 5 years of age. 

The tribe then sought funding to build an early development facility to serve children under three years of age and was awarded a grant for the construction. Our team was brought on to design a new stand-alone classroom facility to serve 32 children. The 5,850 sq ft building provides:

• A covered entry 
• Administrative offices 
• A conference room 
• Laundry facilities 
• A full commercial kitchen 
• Four classrooms with shared child restrooms 

The design incorporates a bell and cupola perched atop the entry, paying homage to the original Catawba schoolhouse. Exterior improvements include a parking lot, a landscaped bioswale separating the drop-off area, a fenced playground, and a walk and canopy providing pedestrian access between the new and existing facilities.