As construction crews start building a permanent North Olympic Peninsula Skills Center, supporters of the project are busy trying to reach enrollment requirements to gain skills center status.
The project is a collaboration among the Port Angeles, Sequim, Crescent, Quillayute Valley and Cape Flattery school districts, Peninsula College and the Clallam County business organizations.
For the program to officially gain skills center status from the state Office of the Superintendent of Public Instruction, an average of 150 full-time-equivalent students must be enrolled by the end of the school year.
So far, about 80 full-time equivalents are on the books for skills center courses.
“It is tough to enroll students when you don’t have a permanent, physical facility to serve as a main campus,” said Port Angeles School District Superintendent Gary Cohn.
“Nevertheless, we are committed to success and I am confident we can meet the requirements.”
Construction crews began preparing the ground at the permanent site near the intersection of Eighth and C streets — next to the old Lincoln School — this month.
A temporary location, 1903 O St., is being leased from the Port of Port Angeles.
If the enrollment requirement is not met, the $3 million in state funds allocated for the project by Gov. Gary Locke in June is not in jeopardy, said Kim Schmanke, media relations specialist for the Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction.
But in order to receive the state funds, officials must finish the building by June 30, 2003.
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