For shoreline students seeking a college campus closer to home, Middlesex Community College is opening a new satellite site at Westbrook High School (WHS).

Starting with this spring term, Middlesex Community College will for the first time have a satellite shoreline campus at which community members can take college courses for credit.

"It was a nice coincidence. Both shoreline students and area political leaders expressed interest in having a shoreline college location," said Middlesex Community College President Anna Wasescha.

Westbrook Superintendent of Schools Pat Ciccone and Wasescha cemented the new collaboration with an agreement-signing ceremony before the holiday break.

This is the second time that Middlesex Community College has ventured out to offer college classes for credit on the shoreline. For about 10 years, the college offered a few classes in Old Saybrook, but enrollment in those subjects dwindled and the program was discontinued. This latest satellite college program will offer a broader range of college classes for credit.

"We're very excited to be back on the shoreline," said Donna Leonowich, Middlesex Community College Business Division chair.

Six college courses will be offered at the Westbrook High School satellite campus site during the spring 2014 term. All will be taught by Middlesex Community College faculty.

Five of the six courses-Introduction to Business, Public Speaking, English Composition, Freshman Seminar, and Intermediate Algebra-will be offered for community college credit. One course, Introduction to Algebra, will be offered on a non-degree basis.

To sign up for the math or composition classes, students must have taken the pre-requisite class. As an alternative, students can demonstrate comparable knowledge through a placement exam. On class registration day (to be announced), the college offers placement exams to allow students to demonstrate sufficient background to register for the college credit class.

Earlier this week, Middlesex Community College representatives held a special registration event at WHS as a convenience for shoreline students. Placement exams were offered along with the opportunity to register for classes.

Students who missed the satellite site registration day can still register for WHS-site classes through the Middlesex Community College's Middletown campus registration process. Spring term classes at all Middlesex Community College locations will begin the week of Jan. 22 to 27.

Classes are scheduled at WHS for one of four time slots: 5 to

6:25 p.m. or 6:35 to 8 p.m., on Monday and Wednesday or on Tuesday and Thursday evenings.

For information about how to register for classes, contact the Records Office at Middlesex Community College at 860-343-5724 or visit http://mxcc.edu/registration.