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Alternative education program moving to Washington Park Elementary School

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Washington School District directors voted unanimously Monday to house the Intermediate Unit 1’s alternative education program in rooms on the lower level of Washington Park Elementary School, beginning with the 2018-19 school year.

The program, entering its 30th year, currently is housed at Clark School in Washington. Charles Mahoney, executive director for IU1, said the three-floor Clark building became too large after the IU1 moved its Comprehensive Therapeutic Emotional Support program from Clark School to its Laboratory campus.

“(The alternative school) has been a tremendous asset to our school districts,” said Mahoney. “It’s given kids who got into trouble a second chance. If they wouldn’t have been able to go there, they wouldn’t have made it, and they’ve done well. I think it’s a win/win for the alternative school and for Washington School District.”

Washington Supertintendent Dr. James Konrad said the district’s primary consideration when it was deciding whether to relocate the alternative program was the safety and security of students.

In a letter sent out to elementary school parents Tuesday, the district emphasized the space earmarked for use by students in the alternative education program, which serves high school students in Washington County school districts who are at risk of failing out of school, will be separated from classrooms used by elementary students. No elementary students will have access to that part of the school.

The alternative program, which can accommodate as many as 23 students, will be located in the same wing as the Leader Program, an after-school program run by Washington County probation services that develops youth self-esteem, social skills and independent living skills, and improves academic and classroom skills.

Alternative education students will have a separate entrance and exit into the elementary building, and will not enter at the main entrances.

The letter states, “Security gates inside the hallways will ensure that alternative education students cannot gain access to other areas of the school building; nor will they interact with any district students or staff.”

Additional IU1 security officers and staff will be on duty in the alternative education classrooms during the school day.

Alternative education students will not eat lunch in the cafeterias; lunches will be delivered to them.

Said Konrad, “We have the space to allocate to the IU1, and we’re trying to be good neighbors. We can provide a better facility for those kids to learn, and those kids have the right to a quality education.”

The move also will have a positive impact on Washington School District’s budget.

The district currently pays about $30,000 annually for utility costs at Clark School.

In other action, the school board unanimously approved the 2018-19 general fund budget.

The $28,186,807 spending plan, a 1.74 percent increase over last year’s budget, will not raise property taxes in the district.

At a February meeting, Director of District Operations Rick Mancini said unexpected additional state funding and other factors contributed to the district’s ability to hold the tax rate steady.

School board President Jeffrey Fine commended the administration for its efforts to keep the millage rate at 15.1578.

In other business, directors approved moving junior-senior high school assistant principal Darren Vaccaro to the elementary school, where he will serve as principal for students in grades 4 to 6 at a salary of $75,000, effective July 1.

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