A wing of the South Elementary School building in Cosmos, which has been unoccupied since last year, may soon again serve a useful purpose.

Pat Thomas, supervisor in the Meeker County Social Services Department, outlined to the County Board Tuesday a tentative plan under which a day treatment program under the auspices of the area special education co-op would use five classrooms in the school building.

The program, which would serve the counties of Meeker, Renville and McLeod, would be geared to students in grades kindergarten through eight who have emotional disturbances that prevent them from gaining from mainstream educational experiences.

Thomas noted that although this type of service is available in Buffalo, Minn., and St. Cloud, Minn., it is lacking in this area. A student enrollment of 12 to 16 is projected.

Morning classes would focus on academics, according to the plan, with afternoons devoted to therapy. School districts participating would pay about $20 per student per day and provide transportation.

The Atwater-Cosmos-Grove City School Board has not approved of the new use of building’s wing. The ACGC School Board was to discuss the project at an upcoming meeting, Thomas said.

Read more from the board meeting in the March 20 Independent Review.