FAIRHOPE, Ala. — The Marietta Johnson School announces the opening of its new Learning Center for home-schooled high school students.

The program offers a safe location where high school students can gather together for tutorial services, socialization and mentoring. Teens may participate in a variety of art programs including: drawing and painting, ceramics, sculpture, photography, folk dancing, violin, guitar and piano lessons.

“We’re hoping to fill a real need in our community,” says school director Leslie Mulcahy, “teenagers need an option to dropping out of school and working parents can’t always provide all the support necessary for home schooling in the upper grades.”

Program staff will assist parents in obtaining a church school home school cover and creating a course of study that meets the student’s unique learning needs. High school level textbooks, reference materials and a computer lab with wireless Internet access and individual work spaces will be provided. Tutors will be available Monday through Thursday for math, science, history, English and foreign languages.

Participants will find that the entire community is a classroom and are encouraged to explore internships and job experiences. Learning Center staff can assist teens in developing the skills necessary to obtain and keep a job or start a career, A list of interested local businesses willing to work cooperatively with home-schooled teens will be available.

For additional information about this program, please call 928-9347 or visit the high school page on the school Web site: www.fairhopeorganicschool.com.

The program is scheduled to begin Monday, Aug. 18. Home-schooling parents may choose one- to four-day-per-week options.

The Marietta Johnson School of Organic Education was founded in 1907. The Organic School is our nation’s oldest progressive school. Until the mid 1980s the campus was located on the 10-acre site in downtown Fairhope now occupied by Faulkner State Community College. The present location is just off South Section Street on Pecan Avenue. Programs are also available for children from Pre-K through 8th grade in a non-competitive environment that stresses project-based, developmentally appropriate, child-directed learning. Applications for enrollment are still being accepted for the 2008-09 school year.