Gary’s Mosaic school finds a new home
By Christin Nance Lazerus cnance@post-trib.com August 15, 2012 1:50PM
Updated: September 17, 2012 12:58PM
Mosaic Middle School will open its doors on Aug. 22 in a former daycare center in Gary’s Midtown neighborhood.
The private school, which will serve 75 students in grades 6 through 8, moved out of the former Miller School after it was discovered that the owner owed more than $56,000 in unpaid property taxes and penalties. The building was scheduled to by sold at the Aug. 17 county tax sale before the owner — Douglas A. Young of Grayslake, Ill. — entered into a payment plan with the Lake County Treasurer’s Office.
Mosaic executive director Andrea Coffer said the new building, located at 1949 Broadway, has already passed building and fire inspections.
“The great part of situation is with the Miller location we had to bring the building up to code,” Coffer said. “This building is turn-key ready, so we can make sure open to on time.”
Coffer said furniture, records and other items will be moved into the new building over the next few days. The school, which is part of the state’s voucher program, will host a meet the teacher open house for parents and students from 5:30 to 7 p.m. on Monday at the new location.
Coffer said Mosaic is leasing the property and they will have a portable classroom put up at the new location within the next month. After the experience with the former Miller school, she said board members made sure that the new property did not have any delinquent tax issues.
“It’s not up for auction, and it’s not a foreclosed property,” she said.
The school will have five teachers, and the school day will start at 8:50 a.m. and end at 3:50 p.m. Kids will also participate in an after-school drug and alcohol prevention program.
For more information, parents should call (888) 793-8826.
