New Beyond One Barb Transition Center to help DeKalb students better navigate adult life

DeKALB – Officials for the newly renovated Beyond One Barb Transition Center and DeKalb School District 428 recently celebrated the transition program’s new off-campus location at 530 Charter St.

The event this month marked the grand opening of the new transition center, which first opened its doors to students and staff at the start of the winter semester.

The celebration consisted of brief remarks followed by a ribbon-cutting and building tours.

Notable guests to mark the occasion included DeKalb Mayor Cohen Barnes, District 428 board President Deyci Ramirez, District 428 board Vice President Christopher Boyes and District 428 board member Steven Byers.

Kyle Gerdes, the district’s director of student services, said knowing the transition program has a renovated space means a lot to those it serves.

“It’s more than just a building‚" Gerdes said. “It’s a testament to our unwavering commitment to provide the very best for young adults with disabilities.”

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DeKalb School District 428 representatives along with teachers in the district’s transitional program cut the ribbon Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, during the grand opening celebration of the Beyond One Barb Transition Center in DeKalb. The transition program has been in place to facilitate students with intellectual and developmental disabilities aged 18-22 into adulthood and independent living. (Mark Busch)

For years, the district has strived to create an environment where students ages 18 to 22 with intellectual and/or developmental disabilities can continue their education.

The transition program previously called DeKalb High School, 501 W. Dresser Road, home.

“We now have increased opportunities for our students to work toward being independent in adult life.”

—  Jessica Marcellis-Montavon, special education teacher

Special education teacher Jessica Marcellis-Montavon, who leads programming at the Beyond One Barb Transition Center, said the renovations help the district better serve its students.

“Our new center has also increased opportunities for our students to become independent and increase their everyday life skills, as our accessibility features were built right into the plans, like Kyle said,” Marcellis-Montavon said, “from the fixtures and the furnishings that allow students, regardless of disability, mobility or height, to have access to all areas of our center, all of our appliances, our sinks and everything you see here.”

At about 2,400 square feet, the center has three toilet rooms, a staff break room, an administration office, a classroom, a living room, a kitchen with a laundry area, two sensory rooms, two storages spaces on the main floor and a basement.

Marcellis-Montavon said she expects that students may gain more from the program based on how it’s set up going forward.

“Our Beyond One Barb Transition students are now in the best learning environment possible by being in the community-based setting,” Marcellis-Montavon said. “We now have increased opportunities for our students to work toward being independent in adult life. The community setting is important because it is a setting that they’re going to be living, working and enjoying adult life within.”

Gerdes said he sees the transition center as a positive development for the district and its young adult students.

“It is my hope that this center stands as a symbol of our commitment to inclusivity, empowerment and a belief that every student deserves an opportunity to succeed,” Gerdes said. “This is also just the beginning. Jessica and her team have been in this building and have been already working on settling in and figuring out how they can take those next steps as a program.”