School System Takes Next Step With Putnam Middle College

25 to 50 Putnam County students are expected to participate in the Putnam County Middle College program in its first year.

Future Ready Supervisor Sam Brooks said he is pleased with that number. He said if the program is run the right way, it will grow on its own. The program provides another alternative for students interested in gaining college credits, by placing them full time on the Vol State campus.

“Basically, what we pick up with the middle college is we pick up space at the actual campus and we pick up the ability for our students to concentrate on that option, their focus being dual enrollment and giving them space and time at the campus to do that,” Brooks said. “And I think a lot of the draw for middle college is there are students out there who want to max out that potential with those dual enrollment classes to the point to where they could actually graduate high school with an associate’s degree at the same time.”

Brooks said he and his team are meeting with Vol State and Tennessee Tech every two weeks to find ways to effectively explain the program to parents. Students will have to decide whether to enroll in Middle College by mid-July.

Brooks said once they do, a series of meetings will begin to teach them exactly what being a Middle College student entails. He said Vol State funded a comfort room and a study room specifically for Putnam County Middle College students.

“Furniture and some unique things that will be associated with this room for our students,” Brooks said. “To fund that and be able to work with us as the entity that’s going to be supplying these students has just been really phenomenal,” Brooks said. “We just can’t say enough about our relationship.”

Brooks said former Vol State President Orinthia Montague made strides in making Vol State a more student-centric entity. He said her support for Putnam County Middle College was key before her passing in September. He said much of that support is still evident in the growth Putnam County Middle College has seen.

“For her to really change kind of the attitude and focus of Vol State, we’ve really seen that on our end,” Brooks said. “This is just one of the things that’s kind of come along with it. It just made sense to them since we already have so many dual enrollment students in Putnam County.”

Brooks said much of the draw to Putnam County Middle College is the desire to max out the potential of what the program offers. He said having space at the campus and support from leadership allows students to make their Putnam County Middle College anything they want it to be, including a tool that leads to earning an associate degree before even walking across the high school stage at graduation.

“We pick up space at the actual campus and we pick up the ability for our students to concentrate on that option being their focus, being Dual Enrollment,” Brooks said. “Giving them space and time at the campus to do that.”

Brooks said Putnam County Middle College has big plans coming down the line in partnership with Vol State with will continue to grow the program.