The Proper Resources | Palatka Daily News, Palatka, Florida

District, companies partner to unveil new center

Putnam County School District Superintendent Rick Surrency addresses faculty and staff at the Mellon Learning Center in Palatka on Monday.
T-Mobile mobile event expert Stephon Smallwood cuts the ribbon at the Mellon Learning Center Monday morning.
Positively Putnam FL

Mellon Learning Center is partnering with a Tennessee-based mentoring program and a major cellphone company to provide a resource room for teachers, parents and students.

District staff unveiled the room Monday morning to about 30 teachers with a ribbon-cutting the day before school started.

T-Mobile mobile event expert Stephon Smallwood, who also runs the Building Blocks Mentoring Program, said this is the first resource room in Florida and there are four in Tennessee. The goal is to give parents, students and teachers a moment to themselves, Smallwood said.

“We know you are busy. You are mothers; (you are) fathers. You are human beings,” Smallwood said. “It’s at your disposal. You have a room now you can use, of course, the students and parents can use. It’s all yours.”

Edward Waters College also assisted in making the resource room a reality. The space cost about $12,000 and includes a computer area, printing station, wall-mounted TV, tables and chairs, and a refrigerator.

Edward Waters College men’s head basketball coach Fredrick Summers said the room has a variety of uses.

“It’s good for the community,” Summers said. “Parents and kids can come in here to job search or to relax.”

Mellon Learning Center Principal Tracy Taylor said the resource center, which is next to the school’s library, is centrally located and accessible by foot or car. Taylor said she is encouraged through the private-public partnership.

“The district is looking for ways to tie the community and schools together, and this is a great way to do that,” Taylor said.

Mellon Learning Center was selected to support students with disabilities, according to a district press release. Mellon Learning Center, formerly Mellon Elementary, will house exceptional education students and prekindergartners. Superintendent Rick Surrency said adding the room is progress for the school.

“There’s a lot of good things happening at Mellon Learning Center this year,” Surrency said. “For Mellon Learning Center to be picked as the model school to do that, I’m so excited.”