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52 GUIDE TO YELLOW SPR INGS | 2021– 2022 school districts. Fur ther, GCESC also runs the Inten- sive Needs Classrooms for students with severe com- munication disorders and behavioral issues. Preschool programs are r un by the GCESC for Yellow Springs, Ceda r C l i f f , Be l l b r ook - Sugarcreek and Greeneview school districts. The Greene County Educational Ser vice Center also provides an array of educational programs for students with emotional and/ or behavioral issues. GCESC is the first ESC in the state of Ohio to operate an accredited mental health agency and has served all the Greene County districts with school-based mental health ser vices for the past 20 years. To find out more about the GCESC and updates on what services are of fered, visit the website at www.greeneESC.org. Greene County Learning Center C : Brad Kayata, Director of Education, 360 E. Enon Rd., 937‑767‑1303, ext. 1141 E : bkayata@greeneesc.org The Greene County Learn- ing Center, or GCLC, is a publ ic “separate faci l i ty” school program for students in grades K–12. We serve stu- dents from all school districts in Greene County. The caring staff at GCLC work as a team to meet the academic and emotional needs of the youth that they ser ve. The major objectives of the program are to help the individual gain self- awareness skills, learn new coping skills, increase the ability to make appropriate choices and improve social- interpersonal interaction with peers and adults. An additional objective is to help the stu- dents achieve academically to the best of their abilities. The ultimate goal is to help each student to successfully return to the home school environ- ment and to function more fully in the world around them. Open Air Village W: www.openairvillage.com Open Air Village is a nature- based educational facility for preschoolers ages 3–5 and elementar y school grades K–3, located on the campus of Antioch College. The mission of Open Air Vil- lage is to provide a respectful and nur turing environment for the developing child. The school’s programs are designed to encourage each child’s growth by being in tune with their social, emotional, physical and educational interests. As a Reggio Emilia-inspired school, Open Air Village aims to treat its environment as a child’s “third teacher,” putting careful thought into the space in which learning evolves and takes place. Open Air Village is cur- rently at capacity, but has a waitlist for new students. For more information, and to sign up for the waitlist, visit www. openairvillage.com. Yellow Springs Public Schools C : Dr. Terri L. Holden, super‑ intendent, 937‑767‑7381; Megan Winston, Mills Lawn principal, 937‑767‑7217; Jack Hatert, McKinney School/Yellow Springs High School princi‑ pal, 937-767‑7224 W: www.ysschools.org Students in Yellow Springs have the oppor tuni ty to pursue an education in three award-winning schools: Mills Lawn Elementar y School , McKinney Middle School and Yellow Springs High School. Recognized as leaders in project-based learning, the schools have a longstanding reputation for encouraging critical thinking, individual creativity, respect and appreci- ation for diversity and authen- tic learning in science, the fine arts and the humanities. The public schools are a vital and integral part of the Yellow Springs community and pro- vide an education based on the belief that small schools can provide big opportunities. Yellow Springs High School provides a comprehensive and varied curriculum for ninth- through twelfth-grade stu- dents. Advanced placement courses, college prep courses, vocational courses (through the Greene County Career Center) , Post Secondar y Educational Options (PSEO), and a variety of electives are offered in many subject areas. Students in grades seven and eight at tend McKin- ney Middle School, which is under the same roof as the high school, but McKinney School students have their own band and orchestra pro- grams. Emphasis is placed on assessing and accommo- dating the uniqueness of the early adolescent child in a middle school environment. Numerous co-cur ricular oppor tunities are available to both McKinney and YSHS students, including athletics, music, student government and many more activities. At Mills Lawn School, ele- mentary students are empow- ered to be active and engaged members of their commu- nity and learn at high levels through project-based learn- ing. Students are encouraged and of fered oppor tunities to tackle important issues facing our community through their projects, including af fordable housing, hunger and envi- ronmental issues. Students are of fered extracurricular opportunities such as Girls on the Move, Junior Lego League and the all-school musical. EDUCATION Continued on page 51