Board hears update on Innovative Learning Center, district outlines placements and capacity

Washington County Public Schools administrators briefed the Board of Education on the district's Innovative Learning Center (ILC), a consolidated alternative-secondary program that now houses virtual instruction, extended (evening/after-school) courses, an "elected" in-person option and behavior-support ("supported") programming.

Dr. Jennifer Webster, associate superintendent for administration and leadership, told the board the ILC brings previously separate programs together under one principal and one team to create both staffing efficiencies and a single point of contact for families seeking nontraditional secondary options.

District staff reported enrollment and program counts as of December: 119 students in the extended program (after-school/evening classes), 31 students in the elected in-person program (students who applied to opt in), 60 students in the supported behavior program, 10 students in an enhanced Summit special-education classroom, and an overall total of 361 unique students served across the four programs. Staff said about 31 of the 60 supported students are elected placements (former supported-program students who applied to remain in day programming), and that a small number of students take both daytime in-person classes and evening-high classes.

Principal Dr. Kane Kirkpatrick provided outcome figures for the supported program: the ILC conducts a 45-day review of students admitted via referral and aims for 90 days or less average stay; she said roughly 78% of students who enter return to their home school within 90 days.

On capacity, Chief Operating Officer Jeff Proulx noted the state-rated building capacity for the Antietam site (now the ILC) is 200 students; however, he said the practical in-building capacity depends on how classroom spaces are used. Some classrooms are dedicated to staff teaching virtual sections, which reduces the number of in-person seats available at any one time. ILC staff described flexibility in scheduling and said they adjust sections between middle and high school to reflect demand.

Board members probed several operational points: how students move from wait lists into virtual sections, whether families know about alternatives such as the elected or extended programs, transport availability (staff confirmed bus transportation is provided), the weekly referral-review schedule for admissions, and whether parents must consent to alternative placements. District staff said placements via discipline (extended suspensions or expulsions) do not require parent consent but referrals for alternative placement do require parental agreement.

Several board members, including Mr. Evans and others, pressed district staff on whether ILC capacity and offerings were sufficient to address a rise in behavioral referrals across the system; speakers described increased volume in early grades (pre-K–2) and said additional supports have been added in some city middle schools and at South Hagerstown High School. Dr. Webster said the district is evolving its approach and will bring further material to future meetings: South Hagerstown's principal will present on that school's changes at the next work session, and staff will also provide a focused update on pre-K–2 behavioral strategies in March.

District staff emphasized the ILC's goal to match students to appropriate programming quickly when possible and to maintain review points to assess readiness to return to home schools. "Our goal is 90 days or less. We do a review at 45 and we're pretty successful around, 78% of our students will return at 90 days," Principal Kane Kirkpatrick said.

Board members asked for follow-up detail on state-rated capacity versus functional capacity and on how waiting families are informed about alternatives; staff said they will continue outreach via counselors, school flyers and direct counselor follow-up and will bring additional metrics to upcoming meetings.