Foothills Education Charter high school celebrates non-traditional operations

MACON, Georgia (41NBC/WMGT) — Foothills Education Charter High School is celebrating two months after opening its doors in January.

Housed in a district school building, Foothills staff say they provide students opportunities they wouldn’t traditionally receive.

According to the Bibb County School District, Bibb Foothills students attend classes between 4 p.m. and 9 p.m., Monday through Thursday. 

Bibb Foothills co-leader Latrina Pennamon Nash says the school has just over 200 students in grade levels 9 through 12. The school also has about 30 certified teachers from different local counties.

Foothills Education Charter High School requirements

Pennamon-Nash says before attending the school, students must have:

• A semester of high school on their transcript
• Between 16 and 21 years-old
• No disciplinary disposition for an alternative school from another district

“The credits, the courses pretty much [match those] as a normal high school,” Dr. Latrina Pennamon Nash said. “One of the other big differences is that we don’t have extracurricular activities that a normal high school would have. But many of our students [remain] focused and they don’t want to necessarily [involve themselves] with other activities. They want to come in, get their work done, and graduate.”

Pennamon-Nash deems the mission as student-centered and flexible. She also says Foothills does not have traditional proms, rather two graduations per school year.