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Chisago Lakes Achievement Center has satellite office in NBFrom the Chisago Lakes Achievement Center In October 2003, the Chisago Lakes Achievement Center (CLAC) opened a satellite office in North Branch in the office building behind the AmericInn motel. The consumers - students and young adults - at this site will will primarily be engaged in community-based employment. CLACís goal is to enhance agency collaboration while assisting local schools to fulfill their mandate requirements for transition services. In order to achieve this goal, the CLAC has hired staff members for the North Branch office. New staff members include Mark Hofmeister, student transition coordinator and Mariah Biedermann, program coordinator. Hofmeister is a native of Springfield, Minn. He spent two years in the military, received a bachelor of science degree in industrial education at Winona State College. He also holds a driverís ed teacher license. Mariah Biedermann, the NB satellite program coordinator, was born in Rockford, Minn. She has a business management degree from the University of Phoenix. She initially studied microbiology and chemistry but eventually found the field she loves - social services. As program coordinator at the NB office, her goal is to uphold the quality of services that have been provided at the Chisago City CLAC. Leeann Hill has trained consumers in supported employment at the CAC for more than 4 years. She was awarded Job Coach of the Year in 2002. For the past three years, the CLAC has been promoting transition services for developmentally disabled students for school districts in Chisago County as well as the Forest Lake district. The new site has a kitchen, living room, bedroom and exercise and work areas where students practice semi-independent living skills. ©ECM Post Review |