Center School began June 1967, with funding from a Federal Grant targeting students who dropped out of school. Center School first opened in the North East Pupil Appraisal Center.
In September 1970 Center School moved to a two story brick building on West Avenue. This building had been a women’s prison in the l950’s and later, a place where homeless or troubled girls could stay. The West Avenue property had formerly been the site of the old Joske Plantation of the 1930’s. An addition to the old Joske Restaurant on that property housed the business and homemaking classes. Most classes were held on the second floor, art classes in the basement. At the end of the1970’s, all classes were held in portable buildings. Administrative offices were in the main brick building.
In the early l980’s pregnant girls who lived at the Buckner Home attended Center School. Many of these girls were not local but came from other towns to the Buckner Facility. Center School provided their education.
During this period, Center School had student/faculty field trips, which included overnight camping, rafting and marine biology excursions.
In the summer of 1986, Center School lost it’s $1.00 per year lease and moved to the old Serna Elementary School on Loop 410 and Perrin Beitel where Center School flourished for 5 years. This was the last time there would be a “smoking” section. It was also the last time there would be an open campus allowing students to go out for lunch.
In August 1992 the district bought and remodeled three large and sprawling business park buildings on Perrin Central. Teachers and administrators planned and designed the interior of the current Center School. The facility then also included the Student Reassignment Center (SRC) and the Alternative High School (AHS).
Today, SRC and the AHS are no longer in the complex. We now house the Adolescent Intervention Center and the North East Transition School. Visiting teachers, the teachers of the auditorally and visually impaired also have their offices in the Center Complex.