Lone Star College-North Harris recently held a groundbreaking for its new East Aldine Center on Thursday, December 15 at 10 a.m. at the Aldine Independent School District’s Child Nutrition Center at 1802 Aldine Bender Dr., Houston.
At the same time, Aldine ISD broke ground on its second early college high school.
The LSC-East Aldine Center, designed by Texas IBI and Collaborate Architects will be LSC-North Harris’ third satellite center. Scheduled to open in fall 2018, and located within the new East Aldine Town Center, Aldine Mail Route Road, this state-of-the-art facility will bring affordable, higher education opportunities to the East Aldine community.
“Students who attend our centers have a distinct advantage of being located in areas with strong neighborhood ties and a collaborative spirit,” said Dr. Valschkia Dabney, vice president of centers.
Like its sister satellite campuses, the center will be a comprehensive educational campus that provides a mix of academic transfer courses and workforce training programs in high-demand fields including healthcare, electrical, HVAC and welding.
“We are very excited for students within the East Aldine community to utilize a new center that offers countless educational opportunities,” said LSC-North Harris President, Dr. Gerald Napoles.
The LSC-East Aldine Center will be located in the heart of the East Aldine community, and conveniently located on the Metro bus line 59 (Aldine Mail) route, providing accessibility for commuting students.
The 65,700 square-foot-facility will include seven classrooms and lab space for certified nurse aides, phlebotomy and the construction trades. It will also house student services including registration, academic advising, financial aid, open computer labs, a learning center and a testing center for students.
The center will also be home of the Aldine ISD East Aldine Early College High School, an elite high school program created to provide Aldine ISD students with the opportunity to pursue both a high school diploma and an Associate of Arts degree or two years of college credit toward a baccalaureate degree. The East Aldine Early College High School is the second Early College campus for Aldine ISD. The school will provide dual credit at no cost to students; offer rigorous instruction and accelerated courses; provide academic and social support services to help students succeed; increase college readiness; and reduce barriers to college access.
Both educational facilities will be located in the East Aldine Town Center. The Town Center is intended to reflect the needs and character of the East Aldine community and, when completed, will have more than 300,000 square feet of commercial and institutional space, which will include a variety of dining, shopping and entertainment options on its 62 acres. It is an economic development catalyst designed to enhance the skill sets and business opportunities of area residents and to introduce a new paradigm in local commercial development.
Additional features of the town center include:
· 100,000 square feet of commercial, retail and office space;
· Harris County 911 Call Center;
· East Aldine Management District;
· Non-profit Neighborhood Centers, Inc.;
· Recreational and cultural amenities including an amphitheater and community green space, splash pads and play areas.
Lone Star College-North Harris is located at 2700 W.W. Thorne Drive, one-half mile south of FM 1960 East, between Aldine-Westfield and Hardy Roads. For more information about the college, call 281.618.5400 or visit LoneStar.edu/NorthHarris.
About Lone Star College
Lone Star College offers high-quality, low-cost academic transfer and career training education to 98,000 students each semester. LSC is training tomorrow’s workforce today and redefining the community college experience to support student success. Stephen C. Head, Ph.D., serves as chancellor of LSC, the largest institution of higher education in the Houston area with an annual economic impact of $3.1 billion. LSC consists of six colleges, eight centers, two university centers, Lone Star Corporate College and LSC-Online. To learn more visit LoneStar.edu.
About Aldine Independent School District
Located approximately 15 miles north of downtown Houston, the Aldine Independent School District covers 111 square miles in North Harris County, with approximately 9,500 employees (4,400 of whom are teachers) who serve more than 70,000 students. One of the 11th largest school districts in Texas, Aldine ISD is a multi-ethnic district that reflects the diversity of the Houston area. Aldine ISD is home to 77 campuses: one Even Start center, eight Early Childhood/Pre-Kindergarten Centers, 34 elementary schools (grades K-4), 11 intermediate schools (grades 5-6), 10 middle schools (grades 7-8), five Ninth Grade Schools, five traditional high schools (grades 10-12), one Magnet high school, one night high school, one early college high school, one alternative education center and one dropout prevention center.
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