Ribbon cutting held for River to River Education Center in Ullin, Ill.

ULLIN, Ill. (KFVS) - After a ribbon cutting ceremony Monday morning, a special education facility for parts of southern Illinois now calls Ullin home.

The River to River Education Center building, serving Pulaski, Massac, Johnson and Alexander Counties, has been three and a half years in the making.

And leaders at the education center say the new facility will improve education for students with special needs in the area.

“We’re just trying to have an environment for students where they feel at home, they feel safe,” said Executive Director of JAMP Education Kim Clayton. “We have smaller group sizes, and we have different techniques that use de-escalation techniques and things like that. So we can focus on those things here in this environment that’s soothing and farming and more therapeutic.”

River to River Education Center will serve 11 different school districts. And students started taking classes in the building last month.

Vienna Schools Superintendent Joshua Stafford says this shows the facility’s commitment to everyone’s education.

“For this to be serving our kids with special needs, right--students that are sometimes our most vulnerable if you will--and having this great facility for them is all the better, it makes the experience all the better,” Stafford said.

Stafford says if your child is suffering from learning disabilities, it’s important to get them the help that they deserve.

“If there are families out there who are maybe struggling with some things as their children are going through school, reach out to your local school. Make that connection with that counselor, make that connection with that principal or social worker, because there are resources there to help them,” Stafford said.

Right now, 20 students are transported to the school. Clayton says the smaller class sizes allows their students to get the education they need.

“They might be a little different than the average student, but they have every bit as much potential and we just have to tap into that. We have to give them those special things that they need,” Clayton said. “And so, I think it’s just important that we recognize our importance and we celebrate our differences.”

The River to River Education Center says it will not raise property taxes or sales taxes for residents in the Pulaski, Massac, Johnson and Alexander Counties.

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