Douglass School in Leesburg, Loudoun County’s center for alternative education, houses seven different programs. The programs serve middle and high school students, and during the school year roughly 600 students will attend a program at Douglass.

The programs serve a wide range of students. Most of the programs at Douglass are voluntary, though students are assigned to attend two.

The Alternative Education Program is the largest Douglass program with 160 students. The maximum class size in this voluntary program is 15 and classes run on a block schedule. Half of the program’s graduates continue on to community college while the rest enter the workforce.

The Individual Student Alternative Program helps 16- to 18-year-olds prepare for the Graduate Equivalency Diploma exam and for careers thereafter. It’s a two-month, voluntary program that seats 15 students per session, and 70 to 80 students enroll in this program each year.

Middle School Transitions helps young students facing long-term suspension or expulsion. The program features individual instruction and what the school calls “a highly structured behavior management system.” Students are placed in the program at the request of their parents or a principal. Enrollment is typically limited to 12 to 14 students at a time and 25 per year.

Substance Abuse Education is a 30-day program for students who have violated the county’s drug policy for the first time, in lieu of a long-term suspension. In addition to continuing normal academic lessons from their home school, students can participate in a substance abuse program and a three-day Insights program.

The Insights program is a three-day class that addresses decision-making and drug use prevention. Insights helps students consider the impact of alcohol and drugs on their lives and determine how to avoid or resist peer pressure. Each year the program serves about 150 students who request a spot through their guidance counselor.

The Credit Recovery Program helps students who are one credit shy of graduation earn that credit in time for graduation. Students attend an extra two-hour class with an instructor at their home school (this program is only administered at the Douglass School). Roughly 50 students per year enroll in the Credit Recovery Program.

Saving Ninth Grade is a program designed to help students who risk failing all of their classes in ninth grade. Through the program, students salvage 5 credits from the year, helping them stay on track for graduation. Attendees must commit to summer school. Twenty-four students entered the program last year.

Dr. Jack Robinson, principal at the Douglass School, said no matter the program, the mission of the school remains the same: “Preparing competent, compassionate citizens for tomorrow, today.”