By By Adrienne McKenzie
Last year Escambia County Middle Preparatory School eighth grade students were given the opportunity to take high school courses during middle school, which allowed them to take advanced courses in high school.
This year marks the second for ECMPS and principal Zickeyous Byrd recently announced another new program that will assist seventh grade students.
The “new classes” Byrd refers to include music production, dance, public speaking and scholastic bowl.
The eighth grade preparatory/magnet program follows a selection process, which will also be used for the seventh grade preparatory track program. Students must have a history in doing well in each subject and must also be motivated and self-disciplined.
Byrd said he was given the idea of a seventh grade preparatory program by his teachers.
Byrd hopes the program will prepare potential preparatory/magnet students, who will then take that knowledge into high school.