Education center at track takes off WHAT WE KNEW Two years ago, the Klein Family Learning Center was in the final planning stages. In a renovated building on the backside of Churchill Downs, track workers took classes in English and job skills, and a library of books in both English and Spanish was being set up. WHAT’S NEW The enthusiastic response has been a surprise, director Jennifer Hoert said last week. “Many people in the industry didn’t expect it to take off so quickly or successfully,” she said. More than 90 people enrolled the first year and more than 100 took part this year. About 250 have used the center. Programs have been added to the original plan, including “conversation tables” in which some school groups and Louisville Metro Police have some to practice Spanish while the students practice English. The “Groom Elite” program has allowed some workers to earn certification as grooms – a step up the career ladder in the horse industry. Hoert hopes similar programs for trainers and owners will be offered soon. With the fall meet over and the track now closed, Hoert and staff members will move for the winter to Trackside, a year-round training facility where they will have a trailer and office space. She will walk around the barns at Trackside, talking to workers, getting an idea what programs they might like and when they should be scheduled. In April, the staff will return to the Klein Family Learning Center at Churchill Downs, which will be open Monday through Friday until next December. — Paula Burba, The Courier-Journal, November 28, 2005