Tulare County Office of Education

What Is the Impact Center?

The Impact Center is a multi-media educational facility designed to provide unique and exciting learning experiences which supplement and reinforce the classroom curriculum. The center is located in the Educational Enrichment Center building on the northwest corner of Burrel and Woodland in Visalia and is composed of two specially designed classrooms: the Multi-Media Educational Theater and the Sam B. Peña Planetarium.

A variety of educational programs are offered throughout the school year and are available to all students in Tulare County, including Special Education and preschool.

Viewing a Solar Eclipse

All Impact Center programs must meet the criteria of enriching and expanding the classroom curriculum while providing a learning experience which cannot be duplicated in the regular classroom. Because of these special program criteria as well as the unique nature of the facility, all shows are developed and produced in-house by the Impact Center staff.

The Impact Center is provided as a service to the school districts of Tulare County through funding made available by the Tulare County Superintendent of Schools.

Who Can Visit The Impact Center?

All schools are eligible to participate in Impact Center programs. Admission is free to schools in Tulare County. The participation fee for out-of-county schools is $1 per person.

Due to booking demands and the fact programs are designed to supplement the classroom curriculum, reservations are generally limited to the grade level determined for each presentation.

How To Schedule A Visit

Reservations are required for participation at Impact Center programs. You may schedule your class or group for a visit by calling the Impact Center reservation desk at (559) 733-6433. Reservations may be made by teachers, teacher aides and school administrators; however, reservations will be taken only at the phone number indicated above.

Reservations are taken on a "first come, first served" basis. Therefore, the earlier a booking request is made, the better the chance of obtaining a reservation on a desired date and time.

Preparing For Your Visit

A teacher's packet containing the reservation confirmation, any necessary preparation material, and important instructions regarding your Impact Center visit will be mailed approximately two weeks prior to the visit date. It is important that the teacher read all the materials in this packet, and it is strongly recommended that any preparation materials be reviewed with the class so students can receive maximum benefit from their visit.

Because of the tight scheduling of programs, it is very important that classes arrive at the Impact Center on time. Late arrivals disrupt the schedule. Please plan your trip so that you can arrive a few minutes early. This will allow your students a restroom break prior to the show. With the increased size of the new planetarium and theater, you may be sharing the room with another class. Therefore, it is very important that your class be seated and ready for the program to begin at the designated time. Visitors will not be allowed into the program after the show has started. If your group is unable to arrive when scheduled or if you need to cancel an appointment, please call the Impact Center office and inform us as soon as possible.

To make the most of your trip, you may wish to plan another activity for your class to coincide with its Impact Center visit. Many private businesses and public service agencies will gladly arrange tours by reservation.

Bus Loading and Unloading Is at the Front Door of the Educational Enrichment Center

Busses should enter at the parking lot entrance on Woodland Avenue. Bus loading/unloading and parking is at the front of the Educational Enrichment Center building. Please have students remain in the bus. An instructional assistant will greet the class inside the bus and escort the students to the Impact Center. After unloading the students, the bus may remain parked in front of the building but should pull forward as far as possible.

If your group has walked to the Impact Center, please do not bring your class inside. An instructional assistant will greet your class and escort them inside.

Sara Sutton,
Impact Center Supervisor
phone: (559) 733-6871
phone: (559) 733-6328
fax: (559) 730-2747

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