JCCC has a College Close to Home site at the former Lawrence Centennial School, now the Lawrence Virtual School, 2145 Louisiana Street.

JCCC has expanded outreach efforts into Lawrence after being invited to serve county residents by the Douglas County Career and Technical Education Consortium with the approval of the University of Kansas.

"JCCC's focus in Lawrence is on technical/vocational education and workforce training that does not duplicate what KU offers," said Dr. Bill Osborn, associate vice president, Instruction.

JCCC's College Close to Home program offers credit classes that count toward an associate's degree or certificate at off-site locations near students' home. College Close to Home sites are in high schools in DeSoto, Eudora, Gardner-Edgerton and Spring Hill and at Bishop Miege North and KU Edwards Campus.

Douglas County Close to Home classes include Business Math, Introduction to Writing, Fundamentals of Math, Technical Math, Job Search Skills, Career Life Planning, Industrial Safety, Workplace Skills and Certified Nurse Aide and Certified Medication Aide labs.

"The College Close to Home site in Douglas County is a huge benefit to the Lawrence business community, the Lawrence public schools and students, and, ultimately, to JCCC," said Dr. Loralee Stevens, assistant dean, Community Outreach for Credit Instruction.

The College Close to Home partnership is a natural extension of the Douglas County-Johnson County Technical College Preparation Program that allows high school students in both counties to receive advance-standing credit for high school classes when applied toward a JCCC technical certificate.

JCCC's location in Lawrence Centennial School is one block south of Lawrence High School. It offers a classroom with Internet access, a health occupations lab and a resource room for instructors, staff and students.

For more information, contact Stevens at 913-469-8500, ext. 2750, lstevens@jccc.edu.