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from improving his grades.”
Another program to help dropouts is the “alternative education” offered at Piedmont Vocational School.
Students who are 18 or older and whose classmates have graduated attend Piedmont all day. TTiey study to pass the General Equivalence Diploma (GED) half of the day and take vocational courses the other half of the day.
Mrs. Fox said two students have completed their education that way this year. Once they have passed the GED they are considered graduates.
A related program is being offered through a “drug free schools” grant from the federal government.
The county schools received $6,000 from this grant program in the current year and have budgeted $8,800 for the coming year.
The money has been used to hire a counselor through the community mental health service, who has set up “stress management” groups of high school students.
The groups meet once a week and alternate times for their meetings so they won’t be missing the same class each week. Students with similar problems that might lead to drug use or to dropping out are grouped together.
Mrs. Fox said she was initially doubtful that the groups would do much good, but “they are benefitting a lot of kids.” She said that she and Ms. Good-Ewing are getting feedback from the parents that the
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