KCKCC and the school district formalized an agreement Thursday at the new KCKCC Pioneer Career Center that will expand technical education programming in the community. The center will be housed in the former West Intermediate School, 1901 Spruce St. in Leavenworth. The school formally housed fifth and sixth grade students, but closed at the end of the 2013-14 school year. It has been vacant for the last two years. The career center is expected to be ready in August, in time for the start of the 2015-16 school year.“We could not ask for a better partnership. We are creating something special,” said Mike Roth, superintendent of the Leavenworth School District. “The rest of the state can really learn from our developing partnership. This will benefit the community as well as the surrounding area.”
Programs that will be located at the career center include culinary arts, computer repair, building and property maintenance, health careers (CCNA, CMA and medical assistant) and office assistant, among others. Many of these programs are aligned with Senate Bill 155 that was passed in 2012. The goal behind this bill is to increase growth in career and technical education by providing eligible juniors and seniors in high school with free tuition at technical schools such as the career center.
“This is a wonderful occasion for us. We are proud to join hands with the local school officials in one of the college’s service areas,” said KCKCC President Dr. Doris Givens. “This aligns with KCKCC’s vision of a forward thinking, forward moving partnership. Thank you to the KCKCC Board of Trustees for their support.”
As part of the partnership, KCKCC will provide instructors and be responsible for facility and operational expenses. The Leavenworth School District will be responsible for the exterior building as well of the grounds, which includes athletic practice facilities for the baseball and softball teams at Leavenworth High School. In addition, the school district will fund some minor facility upgrades, which are estimated to cost less than $50,000.
“We are so thrilled to be able to use this school not only for our students, but for the community,” said Nancy Klemp,” president of the Leavenworth Board of Education. “I believe this is truly a win-win for everyone.”
For more information on the partnership between KCKCC and the Leavenworth School District, contact Jake Potter, public information officer for the Leavenworth School District at jake.potter@usd453.org or 913-684-1400 or Susan Lindahl, interim Chief Financial Officer for KCKCC at slindahl@kckcc.edu or 913-288-7645.
