South Education Center

South Education Center is a special education and alternative school in the 7400 block of South Penn Avenue in Richfield, Minnesota.[1] It is part of Intermediate District 287.[2] Eleven school districts from Minneapolis and environs send their students to the center.[3][4] The population served is from pre-Kinder to 21 years of age. The school defines its upper-age limit as "Transition".[5] In 2022 there were 200 students.[6] In the early 2020s, the school served about 80% minority students.[7] Federally, the school is classified as suburban.[8]

Built for 350 students, the $25.4 million building construction began in 2006, and has lockdown capability: classrooms and areas can be electronically isolated.[9] The school features an Accessible Art Garden opened in 2012,[10] and in 2020 the students and teachers extended their art practice to the school's fence.[11] In 2016 the school phased out its use of metal detectors and instead provided with school safety coaches.[12][13] The school trained its staff in "trauma, crisis and de-escalation".[14]

In September 2021, the Superintendent said that the school "serves some of the highest-needs students in the state".[15] In 2022, she added that the school's focus is to provide "destigmatized mental health support".[16] That same year, following the fatal shooting of a student outside the South Education Center, the school district reinstated the metal detectors it had retired in 2016 because of "concerns about criminalizing student behavior."[17]

## Shooting

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In early 2022 a student was killed in front of the school and two injured,[18] one seriously.[19] A 20-year old was convicted for his involvement in the killing of a fellow student[20] and sentenced to three years in prison.[21] The 19-year old who shot and killed the student would later be sentenced to 23.5 years in prison after being convicted for murder and also pleading guilty to assault.[22][23]

## Awards

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The school won the 2011 Grand Prize from Food and Nutrition Service, an agency of the United States Department of Agriculture.[24] The prize was part of the Healthy Kids Recipe Competition promoted at the time by the White House.[25][26]

## References

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1. ^ "Police identify shooting suspects outside South Education Center; 1 still in critical condition". KSTP-TV \- ABC 5. February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022. "the South Education Center — a special education and alternative learning school"
2. ^ Paul Walsh; Eder Campuzano (February 1, 2022). "2 arrested after shooting outside school in Richfield kills one student, injures another". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 7, 2022. "South Education Center, an alternative school in the Intermediate District 287 that serves students from pre-K to age 21. Police found the two students wounded outside the school, in the 7400 block of S. Penn Avenue"
3. ^ John Bacon (February 2, 2022). "'Altercation' among students sparked shooting that left 1 dead, 1 injured at Minnesota school". USA Today. Retrieved February 7, 2022. "South Education Center serves several school districts"
4. ^ Jennifer Lewerenz (February 2, 2022). "Police: Previous Dispute Likely Lead Up to Fatal Shooting Outside Richfield School". KNSI. Saint Cloud. Retrieved July 7, 2022. "South Education Center, which houses an alternative high school and special education programming and serves 11 school districts from Minneapolis and the surrounding suburbs"
5. ^ "South Education Center".
6. ^ Neil Vigdor; Isabella GrullóN Paz (February 2, 2022). "Student Killed in a Shooting Outside a Minnesota School". The New York Times. Retrieved February 7, 2022. "South Education Center in Richfield, Minn., a school that serves about 200 students with special and alternative-learning needs from prekindergarten to age 21"
7. ^ South Education Center Academy US News
8. ^ "Search for Public Schools - School Detail for South Education Center Academy".
9. ^ Adam Johnson (October 24, 2006). "Function and flexibility governs the design of South Education Center in Richfield". Finance and Commerce (Journal). BridgeTower Media Holding Company, LLC. ISSN 8750-6149. Retrieved February 7, 2022. "$25.4 million project at 7440 Penn Ave. S. [...] will serve about 350 students [...] The building also will possess lockdown capability, with electronic locks that can isolate sections and classrooms"
10. ^ "GALLERY: Richfield SEC Students Turn into Artists". April 23, 2012.
11. ^ "Students, teachers create George Floyd tribute on Richfield fence". June 2, 2020.
12. ^ Paul Walsh; Mara Klecker (February 2, 2022). "Students' dispute led to shooting at Richfield school, police say". MSN. Retrieved February 7, 2022. "Hicks added that South Education Center previously phased out the use of metal detectors at school entrances"
13. ^ "Alfredo Rosario Solis, Fernando Valdez Alvarez ID'd As Suspects In Fatal Shooting Outside Richfield School". CBS Minnesota. February 3, 2022. Retrieved February 3, 2022. "The district had previously made the decision to remove its metal detectors and hired school safety coaches to be positioned in the buildings"
14. ^ Elizabeth Shockman (February 4, 2022). "Superintendent sought student mental health help months before shooting at Richfield school". Minnesota Public Radio. Retrieved February 7, 2022. "Within the last several years the district has made investments to become more trauma-responsive — training staff in trauma, crisis and de-escalation"
15. ^ Kim Hyatt (September 10, 2021). "Student in custody after bringing gun to District 287 school in Richfield". Star Tribune. Retrieved February 7, 2022. "Superintendent Sandra Lewandowski said [...] "As a school district that serves some of the highest-needs students in the state"
16. ^ "Alfredo Rosario Solis, Fernando Valdez Alvarez ID'd As Suspects In Fatal Shooting Outside Richfield School". WCCO-TV \- CBS 4. February 2, 2022. Retrieved February 7, 2022. "Superintendent Sandra Lewandowski said [...] focuses on destigmatized mental health support."
17. ^ "South Education Center will install metal detectors after student was shot, killed outside school". Star Tribune. "The district did away with metal detectors and school resource officers in 2016, citing concerns about criminalizing student behavior and opting instead to rely on safety coaches"
18. ^ Mike Hanks (December 15, 2022). "Defendant acquitted on 5 of 6 counts in Richfield murder case". Sun Current newspapers. Retrieved January 15, 2023. "Two other students were injured during the incident"
19. ^ "Superintendent sought student mental health help months before shooting at Richfield school".
20. ^ William Bornhoft (December 8, 2022). "Richfield School Shooting Trial: Alfredo Solis 'Not Guilty' Of Murder". Southwest Minneapolis. Patch. Retrieved January 15, 2023. "the death of Jahmari Rice, who was a fellow student at the South Education Center."
21. ^ "Alfredo Solis sentenced for role in fatal shooting outside Richfield school". CBC News Minnesota. WCCO-TV. January 3, 2023. Retrieved January 15, 2023. "Alfredo Solis was sentenced to three years in prison"
22. ^ Duxter, Adam (March 1, 2023). "Fernando Alvarez sentenced to 23.5 years in fatal shooting of Jahmari Rice outside Richfield school". WCCO. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
23. ^ "Shooter sentenced to 23 years in murder of teen outside Richfield school". KARE 11. March 1, 2023. Retrieved March 1, 2023.
24. ^ Marsha Trainer (July 29, 2011). "Richfield SECA's Journey to the Top of Healthy Kids Recipe Competition". Patch. Retrieved July 16, 2022. "at the reception that evening, Guthrie, a Richfield South Education Center Alternative (SECA) teacher, along with Parasole corporate chef Todd Bolton, student Dolores Popescu and Bloomington Public Health Nurse Mary Lair, made and presented a recipe, which are mini turkey burgers, that her life skills class had helped to create and refine [...] the SECA group won top honors"
25. ^ "'Porcupine Sliders' Win School Lunch Contest". July 29, 2011.
26. ^ Carina Storrs (January 4, 2016). "Rules to make school lunches healthier are working, study finds". CNN. 3 of 13. p. 3\. Archived from the original on January 9, 2016. Retrieved July 12, 2022. "GRAND PRIZE WINNER [...] dreamed up by Chef Todd Bolton and students, community members and school professionals from the South Education Center Alternative School in Richfield, Minnesota"`{{cite news}}`: CS1 maint: location (link)

44°52′04″N 93°18′40″W﻿ / ﻿44.8679°N 93.3110°W﻿ / 44.8679; -93.3110