Next year,

Coweta County's ninth graders will be experiencing a unique educational

experience.

For the last

year, the Coweta County Board of Education has talked about starting a

ninth grade academy. Neighboring Troup County has an academy that serves

as a transition stage for students going into high school, said Superintendent

of Education Richard Brooks.

"It's

an effort to give specific skills and orientation to those students entering

high school," he said.

At last month's

school board meeting, the board voted to go ahead and start a program

in Coweta.

Troup County

houses all of its ninth grade students in a separate facility. While Coweta

is not considering a new building, Brooks would like to see all the ninth-graders

separated from the rest of the high school students.

"We'd

like to see it where they're only taking classes with other ninth-graders,"

he said.

A mandatory

class for all students entering high school would be part of the curriculum.

The class would

include topics such as note-taking and study skills, career planning and

advisement, graduation requirements and time management.

In addition

to the orientation class, all ninth graders will take English, biology,

civics, math, physical education and electives limited to band, chorus,

visual arts, weight training, word processing and technology education.