A first look at the newly renovated Columbia School in Champaign

CHAMPAIGN, Ill. (WCIA) — The 115-year-old Columbia building in Champaign was redone just in time for the new school year, and it’s helping students learn in alternative ways.

Champaign schools’ Columbia building has been standing for more than 100-years.
And in April of last year, administrators decided to bring it into the 21st century.

“The benefits of being back in this space is that we are able to launch all of our alternative programing here in one spot,” said School Support Director Orlando Thomas.

The building was used for alternative classes for students with special needs. When administrators decided it needed work on the roof and HVAC system, as well as accessibility upgrades. They had to pull kids out of Columbia for a year and spread them out in schools around the district.

“Opportunity for our students and staff to collaborate is one of the benefits,” Thomas said. “Other pieces, is transportation. Families know that if you are part of one of our programs, you now come to one location.”

The new building hosts programs that help elementary students who would benefit from a smaller setting. It’s also bringing back other ones.

“Our Novak academy, which is an academic alternative for high school students only,” Thomas said. “We have our actions program, which is our alternative to suspension program. So, any student that makes a mistake, they don’t go home. They have an opportunity to come here.”

Along with some new ones.

“We have a middle school restore program, a very similar model, heavy in social skills growth mindset. And we do a lot of restorative practices.”

Administrators originally thought the school would be done in May, but they had to squeeze in some projects right up until the time students returned, like repaving the parking lot, but all’s well that ends well.

“The alternative route is certainly not less than; it’s just different. And so, any student that’s here at any of our programs, it’s not an assignment.  We view it as an opportunity.”

The Columbia renovations cost more than $11 million. Administrators say they used leftover ARPA money to upgrade the school.

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