After multiple delays with construction, the portables for the POST program were cleared by district officials for occupancy. 

“[The students] will finally have a set place and routine for the new year,” PACE instructor Starlyn Olsen said. “It is hard to change classrooms at the beginning of the school year and not have all your items available to use.”

The new classroom space was meant to be finished before the school year started, but due to construction and mechanical issues, the POST students were required to occupy a temporary space in the E building.  

“The district has proper procedures we have to follow to make sure the classroom is safe to access,” Olsen said. “District approval can take some time, but finally everything has been inspected and approved for our students and teachers to move in.”

Since the POST/PACE programs are expected to grow in the next five years, additional classroom space had to be built and new instructors had to be hired, in order to comply with the requirement that two classrooms be assigned for their specialized usage.

“I expect that my students will be excited to have a settled room to [have classes in],” POST instructor Allenda Zionch said. “Previously, we moved between different rooms, so they weren’t always sure where they would have their classes. It added unnecessary stress to my students.”

Now that the POST students have settled into the portables, they will be focusing on life skills and the curriculum, which includes counting and organizing files. They will also be going on trips to different work locations to shadow the workers and learn the life skills necessary for employment. 

“Now that we have our room, I can focus only on the students and not worry about when the portables will be done,” Zionch said. “I am really happy with the room and it allows for consistency with my students since there will be no more moves. Now with the new rooms, it allows for me to teach my students easier and create a comfortable learning environment.”