Houston County School District opens new Student Support Center

WARNER ROBINS, Ga. — “An empty room is an opportunity.”

Disney said that in their movie “Inside Out,” and the Houston County School District took their empty rooms and made them into multiple opportunities — not just for their students, but also for the community.

The venue: Lindsey Elementary School. The former building was closed down, but over the summer was transformed into a learning center that the school district called the “Lindsey Student Support Center.” The school district said this transformation was worth the time put in to make it over.

“We see that it will truly be able to help kids in more ways than just education,” Coordinator of Student Services Monica Smith said.

At the building on Tabor Road, the school district now offers multiple resources for students to take advantage, such as computer labs, a college resource center, school supplies and a clothing closet. The center is also a hub for mental health services, and is looking to expand the services they offer to students.

Parents will soon be able to take advantage as well. For adults in the community, the center hopes to offer adult education classes in subjects like cooking and financial literacy. The school district is aiming to have those classes available by the end of September.

Smith said the center is in its infancy, but as time goes on, the school district hopes to partner with local agencies and will add more resources and offerings.

They will also add later hours to accommodate the after-school crowd. The building currently is open from 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. but will expand their hours to later in the evening.

To gauge interest and receive feedback on the center, the district has released a needs assessment survey. Parents and students alike are encouraged to take the survey and give their opinion on what they want to see at the center.

Those interested in taking the survey are encouraged to visit the school district’s social media or their website: hcbe.net. The deadline to complete the survey is Sept. 9.

“We’re hoping once we get that feedback that it will open up other avenues and ideas and things that are truly needed by our students and [parents],” Smith said.

They said they have already received positive feedback on the center from those who have already taken the survey.

For Smith, the opening of the center is a reflection of the passion the district holds.

“Our leaders have been passionate about helping our students and really looking at taking care of the whole child,” Smith said. “That’s our vision for this center, is we’re looking at the whole child.”

One of the ways they hope to help the whole child is by helping them grow in more ways than just in the classroom.

“If their basic needs are not met, then students can’t perform at their best,” Smith said. “[By] being able to put these resources in place to help support the student, then we hope to see them grow even more.”

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