Union Renovating Former Education Service Center

By David Schulte World Staff Writer

Union Public Schools is renovating its former Education Service Center so it can add an alternative school program for middle- school students.

Jarod Mendenhall, assistant superintendent for support services at Union, said remodeling has begun at the old Service Center as the district prepares to have it ready for next fall’s expansion of the new Union Alternative School complex, 5656 S. 129th East Ave.

One of the facilities at the growing alternative school will be the former Education Center, which sits to the south of the alternative school.

“Our intent is to add teaching staff and students for that program by identifying sixth-, seventh- and eighth-graders who need an alternative setting,” Mendenhall said.

“Extending services to kids at all levels down to the sixth grade was highly important to us. When you look at students, there are types of social and emotional things that come up, and you want to make sure that you are providing them as many services as possible.”

In recent years, the Alternative School has received many state and national honors. In 2005, the school was one of eight finalists for the U.S. Department of Education’s National School Dropout Prevention Program’s Recognition Initiative.

The Alternative School’s dropout rate has consistently been 2 percent or less during the past seven years.

Richard Storm, principal at the Alternative School, said the expansion of the school to include sixth through the eighth grade is also a preventive measure to help keep students in school.

“We want to catch students early in their careers so we can intervene before they become high-school students,” Storm said.

Studies have shown that students first consider dropping out while in middle school, he said.

Buildings A and B of the former Education Service Center became available when the district moved its administrative and support personnel offices to 8506 E. 61st St.

Renovations at Building A will include six new classrooms and two science labs.

“One of the science labs will have a greenhouse that is attached to the south side of the building,” Mendenhall said.

Renovations at Building B will include adding computer labs, family living classrooms and a commons area with a cafeteria and a new kitchen so the district can cook meals on site.

The district has been transporting meals from the Sixth and Seventh Grade Center, 10100 E. 61st St., for students in the alternative school program.

Next fall, high-school students in the alternative school program will have classes in Buildings A and B, Mendenhall said. Approximately 115 high school students are in the program.

Middle school students in the program will have classes at the original site of the alternative school. The district expects to have just under 100 middle school students in the program for next fall, Mendenhall said.

The total cost to renovate the former Education Center is $1.8 million. Renovations are expected to be completed before the start of school next fall.

The district is also renovating Union Intermediate High School, 7616 S. Garnett Road in Broken Arrow, to include eight classrooms on the north side of the building.

The cost to add classrooms is $2,000,075, and renovations are expected to be completed during the summer.

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