Mountain Education Charter High School (MECHS) has opened a new campus in Banks County.
Classes began on Monday, Aug. 8 from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m at Banks County High School.
“We are an accredited high school,” Carol Wiley, a principal at the Banks County site, said.
Wiley said that they are neither an alternative school nor a GED program. They are able to give high school diplomas.
“We like to think of ourselves as a second chance for students who need another opportunity to earn a high school diploma,” Wiley said.
In a press release from Mountain Education, MECHS serves roughly 2,500 students in 18 counties as one district throughout North Georgia. The school week is Monday through Thursday and the students can determine their own schedules.
“We realize that we're working within a non-traditional environment, so we just really try to work with the kids to provide more or less a tailored education to help them achieve a high school diploma,” Wiley said.
MECHS is a school for students where traditional day school won’t work with them. This could be for a number of reasons such as they have a full-time job, a family they are supporting, need more flexibility, prefer smaller classes, or want a different educational experience.
Just like other public schools, there is no tuition to attend MECHS and students also get free dinners. They also offer students that attend a traditional day school the opportunity to gain extra credits. That, however, comes at an extra charge.
MECHS does not have sports nor do they have a prom, but they help prepare the people that come through for life after getting their high school diploma.
“We offer job skills and we offer career fairs. We take them on field trips to Lanier Tech, to North Georgia College – all those things to help them as they're pursuing post-secondary,” Wiley said.
http://accesswdun.com/article/2022/8/1123779/mountain-education-charter-high-school-opens-in-banks-county