Beyond One Barb Transition Center named by DeKalb School District 428 students

DeKALB – The DeKalb School District 428 board approved a plan recently to name the new home of the district’s transition program the Beyond One Barb Transition Center.

The transition program is dedicated to serving students with intellectual and developmental disabilities ages 18 to 22. The program previously was based out of DeKalb High School.

I’m very proud of and humbled by the fact that you all worked together and took the ownership to really think about the naming of that building and that service that is being provided to our students.”

—  DeKalb School District 428 Superintendent Minerva Garcia-Sanchez

In a unanimous decision Tuesday, members of the school board voted to support the measure.

District 428 Superintendent Minerva Garcia-Sanchez commended students’ involvement in the new site of the transition program’s naming process.

“I’m very proud of and humbled by the fact that you all worked together and took the ownership to really think about the naming of that building and that service that is being provided to our students,” Garcia-Sanchez said. “I really appreciate that. I wanted to make sure that it was known that I am very grateful that you took the time to do that … and that it is a space that you can feel that you can belong to.”

Located at 530 Charter St., the new site of the district’s transition program is expected to open in January with the start of the spring 2025 semester, officials said.

The district said renovations are underway to prepare the space for the program’s needs. Furnishings and appliances specifically have been chosen to meet requirements set by the Americans With Disabilities Act and ensure accessibility for the diverse needs of the program’s students. Bathroom facilities also are undergoing renovations for the same reason, officials said.

The district said most of the work required is inside, but there will be some exterior work on entrances, ramps and parking.

The transition program has been housed out of DeKalb High School since the dissolution of the DeKalb County Special Education Association Cooperative dating back to the 2008-09 academic year.

The district said the Illinois State Board of Education requires all school districts – if they have a new school – to have a Region County District Types Schools Code for any entity serving students.

Kyle Gerdes, the district’s director of student services, said that since the transition program is slated to make its move to Charter Street in January, it’s important that the district try to hit the July 1 deadline.

Gerdes said students had collected a lot of words that had meaning to them and narrowed down their selection to one.

He said the name went to a vote by students in the transition program.

Gerdes said the name allows students to feel like part of the community while at the same time providing the support and resources to meet their post-secondary goals and facilitating a more seamless transition to adult life.

“It’s pretty solid,” Gerdes said. “A lot of thought and energy went into it.”