Changes are coming to the Mid-Prairie Alternative Learning Center (ALC) and High School Credit Recovery programs next school year.

At its recent meeting, the school board approved a personnel change converting the current position, which is split between ALC teacher and virtual instruction duties, into a full time ALC/Credit Recovery teacher position.

Superintendent Brian Stone said the decision was made in order to grow the ALC program and provide additional programming for students while also centralizing a resource for those utilizing the Credit Recovery program. The program is a way students can earn credit for classes they previously failed.

The position change means that Credit Recovery is now only available in the fourth block. Board president Jake Snider shared concerns that would force students to leave that block open during scheduling, preventing them from actually catching up, especially if they had required classes in that block. 

Stone said he is less concerned about those issues arising, “I’ve, since then, talked to Mr. Banks and Mr. Whittinger, our principal and counselor at the high school, and the fourth period block provides the most flexibility is what I’m being informed, so that’s why they did it. I appreciate the board’s mindset in that we haven’t done it in this capacity before, so it’s a good opportunity to see how this works. If it works great for kids, then great, and if it doesn’t we have to reassess the situation and look at ways to improve it moving forward.”

The personnel change and the accompanying structure changes were approved with a note to revisit them and reevaluate next year.