On Mar. 21, 2016, Past President Robert Kimball welcomed Paul Lauridsen from Partners in Alternative Learning Strategies (PALS).
Paul is a school intervention worker at PALS located on Vail Street in Sussex. Paul has been working in the public school system for ten years, and the last two he has been at PALS.
Paul explained the program supports students who have come to them with coping difficulties in the traditional school setting. Reasons range from anxiety, personal problems, financial struggles, or lack of support. At PALS, students work at their own pace and learn work ethic. The school aims to meet social, emotional, and academic needs for its students.
PALS in Sussex has a high success rate with its students who can take one course at a time.
For older students who cannot get the 17 credits needed for a high school diploma, they can opt for an adult diploma that requires nine required courses.