The Washington School Board approved the expansion of the Behavior Learning Center, or BLC, unanimously at last night’s board meeting. The BLC is located at the high school. Director Mary Alice Smith says it currently serves 12 students, nine from the district and three from outside of the district.

Superintendent Dr. Mike Jorgensen explained that to expand the program to another classroom and keep the BLC program in one wing with its own entrance, an English classroom will have to move. He said that due to fire codes, there isn’t another option for the BLC program. The English teacher, Kerrie Willis, will have the chance to move closer to the other English teachers or to a classroom in the new wing.

Jorgensen explained expanding the BLC program with an addition of four external students, at $50,000 revenue per student, $200,000 would be generated for the district. After adding staff to the program, he estimates at least $120,000 more for the district each year. Something he says will help the district in both special education and regular education in maintaining present and future staff needs, especially with graduating a class of 170 students, followed by a class of 150 next year.