Secondary Learning Center in Renton is almost open

Published 2:24 pm Thursday, August 23, 2012

Principal Ron Mahan prefers to call the newly constructed Secondary Learning Center a non-traditional school, as opposed to an alternative school, the common name for such education centers in the past.

“Just because older people, when they hear alternative, (they) think dumping ground and that’s not what we are,” said Mahan. “There are a lot of kids who will choose to be there and that’s what we want to hear from them.”

Under construction since summer 2010, the Secondary Learning Center will open its doors to students for the first time on September 4. The center is located at 7800 S. 132nd St. on West Hill and boasts a variety of educational programs and curriculum to fit students’ needs, and also has environmentally conscious architecture.

Every student who comes to the school has gone through an application and interview process.

“They’ve probably been advised and strongly suggested to come here, but it doesn’t really work well when they’re sent,” said Mahan. “And that’s what most older people think when they hear alternative.”

The school will house a variety of programs to fit the different needs of students, but ultimately will help them earn a diploma and other career certification if they want it.

There will be a Virtual High School, where students work remotely online, but use the school as a base to check in. A step back from that are students who will work in classrooms with online coursework at their own speed and assisted by teachers. Other students will work from textbooks in a traditional classroom, too, but with flexible timelines to work at their own pace or faster.

For the 60 middle school students who will attend and also students with bigger learning needs, there will be the traditional model classroom, but smaller class sizes with more readily available help from teachers.

There will be a total of 360 students at the school.

“Most of our students come in behind on credits,” said Mahan. “Some of them just want a different smaller environment too. Some of them are real strong students who don’t like 1,500 kids or a big crowd and are looking for a smaller space, smaller more intimate surroundings.”

The Secondary Learning Center will also have seven Career Tech Education teachers on site, with an IT Academy.

Students will be able to take tests on site to get industry certification on skills in networking and software.

There is a full-time instructor for the culinary arts program and a production art program, focused on the workplace application of art.

The latter program has a graphic design component, but also ceramics and might encompass jewelry and hands-on crafts.

“It’s kids who need a difference; different style, different learning model, more flexibility,” said Mahan. “That’s our goal to help them find a way to get to graduation or the job or the college that they want to get to.”

School is an environmental teaching tool

The Secondary Learning Center will offer its students many opportunities to advance their education, but also offer lessons in conservation.

“The building is actually a teaching tool, for all teachers, but I would say more so for our science teachers,” said Principal Ron Mahan.

The building has meters and lights that alert occupants to the current state of efficiency in electricity, water and gas use.

“At any time in the building the kids can see how are we doing right now on our energy efficiency,” Mahan said. “It even breaks down into levels, if we want to have a competition between sections of the building.”

The building has solar panels, lots of natural light, rainwater collection from the roofline to flush the toilets and rain gardens to capture surface water from the parking lots.

Mahan imagines that a student-led recycle or green club will develop at the center, as well as other characteristics to help give the school personality.

“What we’re most excited about is personalizing it (the building) and we’re going to have the students help us with that,” he said. “We have not chosen the colors or mascot or anything like that.”