Remediation is a very important part of Gaston Middle School's academic success. When we first looked at implementing a remediation program we put it at the end of the day. Our teachers told us that this just wasn't working, the students were tired and concentration was poor. The school also has a number of community leaders who work with several students in a mentoring capacity. We have an attorney who adopts a couple of students and follows them throughout middle school.
Parental support is another big factor in the school's academic achievement.
Parents are 100 percent behind us. And last, but not least, said Underdue, is strict adherence to the Standard Course of Study. All of our teachers know what their students are expected to learn. We know they appreciate that support, and we believe that a lot of the academic success we're experiencing can be attributed to the creativity they put into lesson plans. The Person County School System implemented a training program for teachers and administrators in 1997 that is resulting in very successful conferences.