When L’Anse Creuse Public Schools realized in 2005 that their alternative education program was outgrowing its current building, the administration knew changes had to be made.

“A real struggle for us that we found, was that there was no place for kids to just gather. Part of being in a school is the social aspect. The hallways were so tight, and … (we) had a capacity for 200. We are at 385,” said Michelle Irwin, senior director for community relations and programs for L’Anse Creuse Public Schools.

Fast forward to Nov. 1, 2009, when L’Anse Creuse held a dedication ceremony for the new DiAnne M. Pellerin Center, home to Riverside Academy, perhaps Michigan’s only custom-built alternative high school. The $9 million-dollar project takes up close to 40,000 square feet and is named in honor of the district’s superintendant, DiAnne Pellerin.

“(Pellerin) is a huge supporter for Riverside Academy and the adult education program,” Irwin said. “We have tech ed programs, performing arts, … she is a strong believer in different pathways to learning.”

Considering all the things Pellerin has done for the education community, the building’s planning committee felt it was only right to name the building after the woman who made the new addition possible.

The Pellerin Center was truly designed with its students in mind. Each classroom is designed differently to promote Riverside’s environment of individualized instruction and self-paced learning. The center features a large commons area, a media center, café, soundproof counseling rooms, and a fitness center.

 “We wanted to add (a gym), but we just didn’t have the space on the lot. So we have workout machines, ellipticals, bikes, two Wii fitness centers…, and then there is a big (TV) screen where they can do yoga and Pilates. So we’re trying to instill in them lifetime fitness instead of organized sports, which is (unique) from what traditional schools are doing,” Irwin said.

The math center, which takes up about 2,000 square feet, features a large, open space and plenty of computers for individualized learning plans.

“We’ll have students in the algebra lab, and some are on algebra part one, and some are on algebra part four,” Irwin said.

Each classroom is designed to be team-taught, Irwin said, meaning that each class has at least one teacher and one teaching assistant.

The science lab also features an open-classroom design similar to the math lab.

“One side of the science class is a traditional-looking lab, and the other side is a classroom side,” Irwin said. “We have a bank of computers along the wall, so students may be asked to watch a PowerPoint or video on frog dissection, then go over and complete the lab.”

Irwin said the classrooms are just less than 1,000 square feet each, with the option of opening into two classrooms for cross-curricular classes, a common occurrence at Riverside.

Since students float in and out of the building, the planning committee decided it would be best to install coin-operated lockers. Students can choose any locker they wish for their day’s storage by putting in a quarter. At the end of the day, students can retrieve their items and get their quarter back.

The school’s café is far from traditional in the sense that it is run by students of the Directive Study course. Those taking the elective receive 15 hours of online instruction on topics such as sales, service and inventory, then report to the café manager, a staff member, for work times within the café.

Irwin said the concept behind the café is a grab-and-go. With students constantly on the run, most of them aren’t willing to order a large meal. So students can stop by the café and get something as simple as a bagel and cappuccino, then head to the commons area to study or gather with friends.

A unique aspect of Riverside Academy that played a large role in the design of the DiAnne M. Pellerin Center was the counseling students receive. Each student at Riverside attends daily group counseling with a professional to speak about what issues they may be facing as young adults, and how to overcome those issues and other barriers. The new building features four soundproof group counseling rooms that are divided by an expandable wall so groups may join together if they wish.

Each counseling room is about 400 square feet and includes a DVD and VCR player, though no computers.
“It was about creating a (close-knit) environment … where you could build trust,” Irwin said on the counseling rooms.
However, with all its exciting features designed to benefit its students, Irwin finds the most-valuable feature to be the symbolism the building provides.

“Alternative education has a negative connotation attached to it,” Irwin said, referring to the fact that historically, it’s perceived that these students receive “hand-me-downs” from traditional schools and programs.

“So I think one great thing it does is, it gives credibility to the students; it says that the district values these kids,” Irwin said.

And the student and staff reaction to their new accommodations has been well-received. Most say that the building, which was designed with an industrial, warehouse feel, is similar to being at a community college. Students have the resources needed to excel, and the staff has the learning environment they hoped for and needed.
For more information, please visit the L’Anse Creuse Public Schools homepage.