The Miami Trace Local School District will be presenting the new Miami Trace Learning Center (MTLC) on Friday, Aug. 9.

The open house will be from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. Parking will be in the grass off State Route 41 near the modulars. The modulars have been re-purposed for the project.

New floors have been put in, new paint added to the inside, updated furniture has been placed and the outside will be repainted as well.

As previously reported, according to Miami Trace Local Schools Superintendent David Lewis and Miami Trace Assistant Superintendent Kim Pittser, the MTLC will provide two programs—one for alternative school students and one for behavioral students.

Housing the alternative and behaviour students in the MTLC will allow them to remain on the Miami Trace campus.

The campus already houses all of the Miami Trace schools and its district office.

According to the MTLC pamphlet, the vision of the project is to “use customized educational services in a healthy environment to support students in developing themselves as responsible, independent learners and productive community members.”

The alternative school will be on one side of the modulars. One classroom is for K-6th grade while the other classroom is for 7-12 grades.

The other side of the modular belongs to the behavioral students.

Other rooms that were updated include an intake room, a lunch room, restrooms, a community room and sensory room.

Staffing for the MTLC includes director Debbie Southward, Alternative School coordinator Joe Henry, intervention specialists Becky Bennett and John McHugh, three full-time educational aides and Tara Walker.

Walker is a full-time on-staff mental health counselor through a contract with Eastway.

There is a larger room set up to act as an office space for Southward, for Miami Trace Resource Officer Monty Coe, who is a Fayette County Sheriff’s Office deputy, and for Miami Trace Student Safety and Attendance Coordinator Jack Anders.

Lewis and Pittser invite the community to attend the MTLC open house to see the new space and meet some of the MTLC staff members.

Reach Jennifer Woods at 740-313-0355.

This room will be for mental health purposes and will also serve as the sensory room in the new Miami Trace Learning Center.

https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/08/web1_20190729_111535.jpgThis room will be for mental health purposes and will also serve as the sensory room in the new Miami Trace Learning Center. Jennifer Woods | Record-Herald photos

The community room will be used for presentations and programs from outside programs including drug-intervention programs.

https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/08/web1_20190729_111750.jpgThe community room will be used for presentations and programs from outside programs including drug-intervention programs. Jennifer Woods | Record-Herald photos

The new Miami Trace Learning Center is nearly ready for the upcoming school year. The center will house one side for alternative school and the other side will be for behavioral students. The room for behavioral students is made so different sections can be used for different age groups.

https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/08/web1_20190729_111938.jpgThe new Miami Trace Learning Center is nearly ready for the upcoming school year. The center will house one side for alternative school and the other side will be for behavioral students. The room for behavioral students is made so different sections can be used for different age groups. Jennifer Woods | Record-Herald photos

One classroom on the alternative school side of the Miami Trace Learning Center is for 7-12 grades.

https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/08/web1_20190729_112201.jpgOne classroom on the alternative school side of the Miami Trace Learning Center is for 7-12 grades. Jennifer Woods | Record-Herald photos

The alternative school section has two classrooms with an open door between the two rooms so staff can easily travel between the two.

https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/08/web1_20190729_112210.jpgThe alternative school section has two classrooms with an open door between the two rooms so staff can easily travel between the two. Jennifer Woods | Record-Herald photos

The second classroom on the alternative school side of the Miami Trace Learning Center is for K-6 grades.

https://www.recordherald.com/wp-content/uploads/sites/27/2019/08/web1_20190729_112217.jpgThe second classroom on the alternative school side of the Miami Trace Learning Center is for K-6 grades. Jennifer Woods | Record-Herald photos