Waldron Schools launches Early-Middle College program
WALDRON — The Waldron School District has officially launched an Early Middle College program in partnership with Kellogg Community College.
The program begins with sophomores through their “fifth” year (one year over their senior year); the fifth year of high school education will be full time at Kellogg Community College where students will receive their high school diploma at the end of that year.
Waldron students will attend the Grahl Campus through KCC online with remote learning into class sessions in Battle Creek providing high school students to obtain an associates degree and up to 60 transferable credits upon graduation. Some students may earn a professional certification.
With the launch of the program, Waldron became the first in the county to have its own Michigan Department of Education approved Early Middle College.
“We can offer them dual enrollment at a large variety of colleges, Early Middle College, career center options through both Hillsdale Area Career Center and the Branch Area Career Center, work-based learning and job shadowing,” said Jenn Fether, Waldron’s student support advisor. “We have clear avenues for our students, be it the trade route or college/trade school route.”
Students enrolled in the program pay zero dollars out of pocket (unless they were to fail a class), Fether added.
The program requires weekly meetings with smaller cohorts of enrolled students to provide high quality educational relationships in a personalized environment, Fether said.
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“They learn time management skills, personal accountability, critical thinking, college prep and complete required community service and job shadowing,” Fether said.
The Waldron School District’s approach to a broad education starts in middle school and has helped with enrollment due to the district’s one on one planning with students and the various options the district offers.
“We are one of only a few districts in the entire state that have been approved to implement the ‘Your Future Matters’ curriculum which includes grant funds to expand students’ minds regarding college, trade school and work experiences,” Fether said. “We are implementing this in both middle and high school.”
— Contact Reporter Corey Murray at cmurray@hillsdale.net or follow him on X, formerly Twitter: @cmurrayHDN.
This article originally appeared on Hillsdale Daily News: Waldron Schools launches Early-Middle College program
