Woodstock School District 200 to take over, relocate Challenger Learning Center

Woodstock District 200 officials have decided to acquire Aurora University’s Challenger Learning Center for Science and Technology.

The district board met Tuesday and voted on the plan, which calls for the relocation of the learning center from Aurora University’s facility at 222 E. Church St. near downtown Woodstock to Olson Elementary school.

The facility is a space science education center that teaches students about science, technology, engineering and math. Students use hands-on techniques such as space-life simulators to apply STEM skills during “missions” at Challenger.

Olson Elementary is located at
720 W. Judd St, less than a mile away. The district will need to complete about $440,000 in renovations to the school to accommodate Challenger. The university will donate $340,000 to offset those construction costs, according to the district.

Under District 200, the center is expected to have one full-time employee and several part time instructors for the program. Existing district staff will likely fill the full-time position, according to the district.

The annual operating cost to run the program will be about $180,000, which includes staffing, an annual membership fee to the National Challenger Center program, marketing and software, according to the district.

The center brings in about $300,000 a year, according to the district. The center had total revenues of $334,600 in 2018 through a combination of programming and grants, according to the district.

More than 160,000 students throughout the area have participated in Challenger programming in Woodstock since the center opened in 2001, according to the district.

The center held 313 “missions” in the most recent school year. District 200 hopes to open the center at Olson by September. Missions are already 80% booked for next school year, Aurora University officials said.

“We’re excited about the ability to keep this valuable facility here in Woodstock and thrilled with the educational possibilities for our students,” said Superintendent Mike Moan. “There are no limits to what our creative staff can do to enhance science and technology learning by combining their skills with the national Challenger Center organization.”