High school dropouts and other adults who don’t have a diploma can go back to school this fall at the Barton County Academy, located at 1010 Taft St. in Great Bend. Several graduates will turn the tassels on their graduation caps next May, but it all starts with enrollment this month, said Steven Polley, director.

Enrollment will be open Aug. 5-16 at the Academy, which will be open Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. There are also extended hours on two Open House Nights, Aug. 6 and 13. On those two Tuesdays, the Academy will also be open from 5-7 p.m. and there will be ice cream and tours of the facility.

The Academy offers high school diploma completion and an ESOL program (English for speakers of other languages). During the school year, there is a free supervised playroom for students’ children.

“My hope is that we have a large number of new students,” Polley said. “Our goal is to reach out and invite the adults who want to obtain their diplomas for better employment.” Students may have other reasons to want a diploma, Polley said, but he recalled what one of the graduates said to him last May: “‘Now I can seek the career I’ve always wanted.’” Several BAC graduates have gone on to enroll at Barton Community College to further their education.

Adults who want to complete their high school education can work at their own pace, but they are required to attend two full school days, each 6.5 hours long, sometime between August 19 and October 4, Polley said. Then, the Academy will issue the students Chromebooks for their studies. They can do the schoolwork at home or come to the 1010 Taft location.

“It’s self-motivated,” Polley said. “We find out what classes they need and walk them through the procedure.”

For more information, call Barton County Academy, 620-792-7995.