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Good problem: Learning Center nearing capacity

The Huntington County Community School Corporation Board of School Trustees found themselves with a delightful dilemma during their regular meeting Monday, May 14, when they heard a presentation about the Huntington County Learning Center from Director Tiffanney Drummond.

She told the board that after being open to students for two years the center is nearing capacity.

“We’ve had to turn some groups away, which is crazy,” she said. “Less than two years in, we’re really excited about that.”

Drummond said popular programs offered to high school students such as the Human and Social Services, Welding, Precision Machining and Health Services programs have attracted 16 percent of Huntington North High School’s population as well as brought in students from other schools such as Norwell High School.

In its first year, the Human and Social Services program had 13 students, garnering the most interest from HNHS students. Next year the class will have 14 students plus seven more from Norwell, and a second year of the program will be offered.

Besides high school vocational training, the Learning Center offers college classes, adult basic education, industry certifications and community collaboration space for training and other uses. The center is open year-round, Drummond explained, and has been nationally recognized as a career/technical education model school. This summer classes include adult classes that meet during the day, summer internship placement and certification classes.

Fall classes include courses offered by Ivy Tech. The Learning Center is the only location in Huntington County for Ivy Tech classes.

Huntington University also holds classes and WorkOne provides employment services at the center.

“The beauty of the Learning Center is it’s a physical place, but it’s not a school; it’s never going to graduate a student,” Drummond explained. “The Learning Center isn’t a stand-alone entity. We’re a group of entities working together to help everyone.”

Drummond said a new class, construction and maintenance, will be offered in the fall through Huntington University, in conjunction with a welding course. Drummond said a construction program is on her wish list to add to the Learning Center’s offerings.

Another new program, called Viking PRIDE, will roll out in August, a program from the state offering a work ethics certification to students. Qualifications include class attendance, low tardy rate, low discipline and community service, as well as a grade point average of 2.0 or greater.

“That was something we hoped this day would come when that building was full,” said Board Member Gary McClellan. “It came pretty quick. So now us as a board, we have a problem. It’s a good problem. We were hoping this day would come and it sounds like it’s come.”

Board members also heard an update from Superintendent Randy Harris on the 2018 general obligation bond. Harris said the $5 million bond, which was taken out in 2017 to pay for various improvements to school buildings and facilities, is still under budget as a whole.

Work on two roofs at the high school have been completed, at a cost of $72,000.

Harris said projects that should be started soon include work on the Crestview and Riverview middle school tracks, which should begin before school lets out, in the next week or two. The cost for that work is $260,000.

Parking lot crack filling, sealing and striping is also expected to begin soon at nearly every parking lot the school district has, Harris said, awarded to Casey Sealcoating at a cost of $170,000.

Improvements in the high school gymnasium should start June 4. Projects involve stripping and refinishing the wood floors as well as painting the walls and ceiling. Bleachers and lighting updates are also in the works. Cost of the bleachers is $600,000 and quotes for lighting are still being obtained.

“We’re hopeful that somewhere around Labor Day the high school gym should be completed,” Harris said.

Quotes are also coming for auditorium improvements, which include carpeting, lighting and the sound system. The contract to put in new seating was awarded to Irwin Seating at a cost of $161,000.

In action items, the board unanimously approved extending the 2018 school year for special education students.

Harris said the time students would be in school during the summer varies from student to student, based on each student’s individual needs. The board also approved funding the staff for the extended school year, at a cost of $15,130.39.

The board also approved the head boys basketball coach contract with Craig Teagle for $26,032.6 for the 2018-19 school year, and the head girls basketball coach contract with Heidi Lawson for $15,609.60.

The board also accepted the resignation of Lincoln Elementary School Principal Chris Tillett.