By OLIVIA HASELWOOD

Staff writer

During the hottest week of the year, Butler maintenance employees and director Amy Kjellin were busy moving furniture from Bown-Corby to its new location in Hill School.

Three rooms Butler will be using in the northeast corner have been painted, cleaned, and carpeted to fit Butler’s needs.

Kjellin said more must be moved before classes start Aug. 18.

The smaller space will take some getting used to, she said, but she is finding creative ways to turn two classrooms into multifunctional areas.

One on the lower level will function as a classroom and break area where students can study. An upper classroom will be set up as a hospital room for certified nurse assistant classes. When the hospital room isn’t in use, it will be partitioned off for other classes.

A second lower-level classroom will be converted into an office for Kjellin. Because of the high school’s switch to Chromebooks, Butler also could used an empty computer lab in the building. Another room in the building will be available at night if needed.

By using the high school’s Internet, Butler will be able to offer a wireless connection not previously available at Bown-Corby.

Parking will be behind the Performing Arts building.

Other than location not much at Butler of Marion will change, Kjellin said.

“We’re still offering all the same classes, except students and parents can come over here and directly enroll students when they’re enrolling for high school,” she said.

Butler is offering extra supplies from Bown-Corby to district teachers.

“We have a bunch of desks, chairs, and other classroom materials we won’t have room for after the move,” Kjellin said.

Butler will offer college general education classes four nights a week through Marion, Peabody-Burns, Hillsboro, and Centre high schools. Most night classes will be video-conferencing classes with Butler in Council Grove, she said.

“Marion has been great about creating a lease that’s convenient and affordable, and realizing the importance of what we do for students swayed the feeling that we need to be here in Marion,” Kjellin said.

High school principal Todd Gordon said he doesn’t know exactly how Butler and the school will work together until classes begin.

“Amy has worked great with kids and parents before so I don’t expect that to change,” he said. “I think it will work wonderful.”

In the future, Gordon said would like to work with Butler to purchase an electronic message board to replace the high school’s current sign, which he says is close to falling down.