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About Our School

Mission: The staff of the Lieberman Learning Center Program is committed to providing comprehensive educational services to secondary students who, for a variety of reasons, are unable to adequately complete their education in a conventional setting. We are committed to creating a caring and nurturing environment, establishing opportunities for students to succeed, and teaching students to interact harmoniously, so they will become citizens capable of making mindful decisions and contributing to our democratic society.

Vision:
The University City Lieberman Learning Center is a place where we:

  • encourage independent and collaborative thinking, learning, and problem solving.
  • foster excellence in all members of our community, including self.
  • value and practice honesty, respect, compassion, and empathy.
  • are aware of and responsible for our thoughts and actions and accept the consequences.
  • appreciate creativity and a sense of humor.

Programs and Services

The Lieberman Learning Center provides secondary students with opportunities to succeed and grow in a non-traditional, safe, educational environment that promotes the necessary academic, emotional and behavioral changes needed for future educational success. The program provides:

  • individualized programs of study
  • flexible scheduling
  • assistance in developing pro-social skills
  • Opportunities for credit for valuable training through community service or work experience based on student’s career interest, credit possibilities, and job location and student transportation.
  • an environment that will provide personal and social nurturing
  • student enrollment is on a semester basis.

In order for students to automatically continue in the program, they must pass 8 out of 8 classes each semester and have at least a 90% attendance and discipline referrals.

Program History

Recognizing that not every student is able to thrive educationally in a large school setting, the District created an Alternative School Program in 1992. The program was renamed in 2007 to honor the then-retiring school board member Joy Lieberman, who served the community for 24 consecutive years.

LLC hallway by artist Sara Zigman

Over the years, the program has been housed in various locations from above businesses in the Delmar Loop to behind a church on Olive near I-170 and under the same roof as the administration building. However, things changed drastically during the summer of 2021 when the administration building was sold and the District relocated LLC students to their own space inside University City High School. District leaders vowed to give them the space that they needed to thrive.

Thanks to the talents of St. Louis area artist Sara Zigman, bright modern murals with big pops of color that are printed on jumbo adhesive vinyl decals that can adhere directly to walls. The murals are intentionally inspirational and modern, appealing to the sensibilities of an older teen dealing with modern pop culture, the dynamic and changing world of everyday technology and the very modern challenges in their daily lives. They include quotes from Michelle Obama, Amanda Gorman, Greta Thunberg, Kobe Bryant and Eleanor Roosevelt. There are also references to Heart of a Lion and the core values of LLC.