Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School District, in partnership with four other regional Districts, is proud to
announce the opening of The Up North Learning Center (UNLC). Thanks to the generosity of a $5.2
donation from Sourcewell, Walker-Hackensack-Akeley School District was able to use those proceeds to
build a state-of-the-art facility to meet the needs of students from our five district partnership.
This full-day, special education program for students, serves students in kindergarten through 6th grade
with significant behavioral and emotional needs that have previously not been successful in their local
school district. A variety of service providers are on staff to deliver specialized instruction for students.
Staff receives ongoing training in non-verbal crisis prevention and developmentally appropriate
intervention strategies, as well as verbal problem solving, de-escalation, social and academic skills
instruction so they can meet the needs of students and successfully transition students back to the least
restrictive environment in their home District.
The Up North Learning Center’s mission is to support children with significant social emotional and
behavioral needs to be successful active members of the community as they grow and thrive. It is a safe
place for students to achieve socially and academically with intensive mental health services to increase
individual student skills, knowledge, and confidence. Our goal is to foster a love of learning, promote
independence, cultivate social and behavioral skills as well as work with families and member districts to
become successful learners in our individual communities.