FAIRFIELD, IOWA -- The Fairfield High School’s Opportunity Center, an alternative learning program for students, is relocating from the basement of Fairfield’s Senior Center, to the vacated Lincoln Elementary School.
The program gives students a chance to recover credits if they are behind, work in a smaller student-to-teacher ratio, as well as offers a different schedule for students who have difficulty with the high school’s strict bell-schedule.
Superintendent Don Achelpohl says the new space is “very welcoming and open.”
“It's a cost-savings for the district because we have this building, so we save in the lease,” said Achelpohl. “ At the same time, it allows a little bit of a better set-up for supervision over here, plus the possibility for expansion down the road.”
Along with the new space, the students will utilize a new software program. E-20/20 allows students to actively participate in lectures, quizzes and assignments.
“I feel it's a very good program because it’s at their own pace,” said Nathon Watson, new instructor for the Opportunity Center. “They can go back and watch the lecture again if they want to. They can take notes online so they don’t have to worry about losing it or anything like that. It's all right there and they can bring it up at the touch of a button.”
Achelpohl says the program is an excellent way for the students to finish high school with a diploma. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, students who obtain diplomas make $25,000 more than those who do not.
Student Jake Fritts, who has been in the Opportunity Center for two-years, is really thankful for the new space.
“There's more to it here. Over at the other one, you had to go from room to room. [Here], if you have a question, the teacher is right there on hand. They're there. They help explain, they help me get a better understanding. Over at the high school, there's a lot more kids. It's confusing; you have to try to talk over [everyone]. It's just better here.”
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