New Portage School of Leaders, teen center share building in downtown South Bend

SOUTH BEND — A new high school that opened in downtown South Bend this month will share a building with the Boys & Girls Club of St. Joseph County's first space devoted solely to teenagers.

The Portage School of Leaders and The Club Teen Center held a grand opening Friday after an 11-month construction project to renovate the former Temple Beth-El building, at 306 W. Marion St.

The school is the fourth opened by the Career Academy Network of Public Schools, a charter schools system that was founded in 2011 and now enrolls about 1,600 students. The network includes another high school, a middle school and a primary school.

The Portage School enrolls about 30 students so far, leaders said, but this month marks the first time they've been in the new building. Students spent the fall sharing classroom space with Ivy Tech Community College.

The charter network's main pitch to parents and potential students is that its methods expose young learners to experiences that translate to high-demand careers, particularly those in science, math, engineering and technology. Jeremy Lugbill, the system's superintendent, said the goal is to educate more entrepreneurs and leaders.

Large classrooms in the new building hold 3D-printing and precision machining technology, a space collectively called the Future Lab. The vision for the lab came to fruition after the Indiana Department of Education awarded the charter network a $4.5 million grant to expose K-12 students to STEM careers, according to Lugbill.

In a recorded video shown Friday, Katie Jenner, the state's secretary of education, said the Portage School aligns with Indiana's goal to make requirements for a high school diploma "more flexible and relevant to students, employers and communities." The department wants more students to have access to work-based learning programs, Jenner said.

Despite the STEM focus, Andrew Hoyt, the Portage School's leader, said teachers will draw from various disciplines to help students lead well-rounded lives in their communities. Hoyt, who was previously head of school at La Lumiere School in LaPorte, said the state-of-the-art facilities signal high expectations to students.

"Our teachers have an unwavering commitment to figuring out how we can find pathways that focus on learning and not on seat time," Hoyt said, "on mastery of knowledge and not just how long you were here, but what did you really learn?"

Boys & Girls Club opens first teen center

At The Club Teen Center, housed in the same building, kids aged 13-18 can hang out after school until 9 p.m. and make use of the Future Lab, gaming equipment and spaces for content creation. There's also a kitchen where they can make dinner if they stay late.

On top of the technology, the club will also employ an on-site therapist and a restorative space — complete with a massage chair, a yoga mat and a sensory pathway designed to improve well-being through interactive use — to help teens find calm.

The space's relaxing functions will combine with mentorship opportunities, said Lindahl Chase, the Boys & Girls Club's director of development. The center's programs will bring kids together with leaders in business and government so they better understand career pathways available to them.

"The idea is: How can we help kids graduate from high school and go on to be really socially, emotionally, academically confident adults?" Chase said.

All students enrolled at the Portage School will have access to The Club Teen Center and the Future Lab, Chase said. But all students in the community ages 13-18 can join the club by registering at www.bgcsjc.org/theclub-teencenter. The center will be open Monday to Friday from 3:30-9 p.m.

Changes come as South Bend public schools set to close

The charter network’s expansion comes as the South Bend Community School Corp. will close Clay High School at the end of this academic year. School officials say they're taking the measure to consolidate students from multiple high schools that are half empty.

Speaking at Friday's grand opening for the Portage School, South Bend Mayor James Mueller addressed a common criticism of charter schools: that they funnel money away from ailing public school systems.

"Even if you're the staunchest advocate for traditional public schools, you can still be excited about this happening in your city," Mueller said.

"We know we need to do more to give our children the opportunities to develop and to become the next generation of leaders," Mueller added.

A different charter network opened a K-8 school in South Bend this fall, as well.

Paramount Schools of Excellence opened in the former Tarkington Elementary School building. The Indianapolis-based charter network was awarded the building over Career and Success Academy in June 2021 under a state law that allows interested charter schools to purchase or lease a closing public school building for $1.

Email South Bend Tribune city reporter Jordan Smith at JTsmith@gannett.com. Follow him on X: @jordantsmith09

This article originally appeared on South Bend Tribune: New high school and teen center open in downtown South Bend