A vacant Longview building previously used as both a skating rink and a fitness center will soon become a behavioral center for K-12 students.
A program of Educational Service District (ESD) 112, Quest Academy will serve students with support and assistance designed to help them improve their academic and social skills, develop more appropriate behavioral controls and increase self-esteem.
Quest Academy will be modeled after a similar program in Evergreen Public Schools, known as the 49th Street Academy, where certificated special education teachers and trained support staff work closely with students’ schools and families to maximize academic achievement.
The center will be located at the former Three Rivers Athletic Club space (1946 8th Avenue) in Longview.
“We’ve talked about a program like this in Cowlitz County for many years,” said Susan Barker, Castle Rock School District superintendent, in a press release. “I often hear of the ‘planets being in alignment’ and believe it was a similar set of circumstances that allowed us to achieve this long-time dream.”
Tim Merlino, ESD 112 superintendent, and Mary Mertz, associate superintendent of specialized services birth-21, worked with the Cowlitz County school superintendents over the past two years to make Quest Academy a reality.
ESD 112 is currently recruiting staff for the program and plans to open the center by November 1.
