|
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
Center School Building
Information
-
Center School started out as
a single diagnostic classroom in the l970’s.
-
Expands to two classrooms
-
Moved to the West Avenue
location (present Walker Ranch Park)
-
School expanded academics and
offered electives
-
Small library was included as
a portable building
-
Main building housed
administration
-
In 80’s a part time nurse and
librarian were added
-
In the 90’s the staff grew to
include hall monitors, police officer, and cafeteria manage
-
A gymnasium was built in 1995
-
A ropes course was erected in
1998
-
In 2003 Center School became
part of a central program headed by a director. The program includes the
Adolescent Intervention Center and the North East Transition School.
-
Also added was another
counselor and a behavior management specialist
Mission
To
provide a successful alternative education structure to meet
each student's identified psychological and educational
needs and To provide opportunities that will lead to responsible
citizenship.
Goals
To provide an educational
program that will meet the diagnosed needs of students to
either, (1) transition back to the regular high school,
(2) graduate through the Center School program, or (3)
participate in a community/vocational program as a means of
attaining self-sufficiency.
To improve
socialization skills through developing effective communication
and problem solving skills.
To provide opportunities
that will lead to responsible citizenship.
|
