Leominster Center for Excellence details new building, internship focus and EmpowerED credit‑recovery program
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Summary
John Vansallet, principal of the Leominster Center for Excellence, updated the School Committee on LCE’s new building at 236 Lancaster Street, its Innovation in Career Academy internships, and EmpowerED, a credit‑recovery program that enrolled 45 students last year and graduated 26.
John Vansallet, principal of the Leominster Center for Excellence (LCE), told the School Committee that LCE now occupies its own building at 236 Lancaster Street and described two programs: the Innovation in Career Academy (ICA) and a newer credit‑recovery program called EmpowerED.
Vansallet said ICA emphasizes interest‑based, real‑world learning and internships. He described an app used by students, named Emblaze, that tracks internship sites and student check‑in/out times. He said ICA students have access to high‑school extracurriculars, including sports and band, and listed sample internship sites ranging from mechanical shops to farms.
Vansallet described EmpowerED as a program started the prior year for older students needing credits to graduate. He provided program statistics: last year 45 students enrolled; the average credits students had upon entering the program was 140; to graduate they needed 230 (as reported). He said the cohort included 15 juniors and 30 seniors; 26 of those students graduated. By the time of the meeting EmpowerED enrollment had risen to 35 (with two new students reported the day of the meeting, with a projection to possibly reach 37). He said the current average credits are about 148 and the average age is 17, with eight juniors and 27 seniors in the cohort at that time.
Vansallet listed EmpowerED goals: improve graduation rates, boost attendance, strengthen family/community engagement and improve school climate. He said attendance is a primary challenge for the population the program serves. He also reported students from both ICA and EmpowerED go on to college; he cited examples of applications to Mount Wachusett Community College and Fitchburg State.
Why it matters: LCE’s move to its own building and its expanding internship and credit‑recovery work indicate district investments in alternative pathways for students at risk of not graduating. Committee members asked questions about GED access, graduation dates and program outcomes.
Ending: Vansallet said graduation was tentatively scheduled for May 28 (subject to change) and noted a second‑trimester exhibition of student work was upcoming; the committee requested earlier notice of graduation timing so members could plan to attend.
