POWELLSVILLE – With the start of school just a few days away, Three Rivers Academy has announced a change in the educational programs the charter school will be offering in its first year.

Seventh-grade classes will now be offered as part of the school’s curriculum after the new leadership stated earlier this summer those classes would not be provided.

Global Education Resources, a private charter school management firm, assumed the charter of the former Heritage Collegiate Leadership Academy (HCLA) back in the spring and re-branded it as Three Rivers Academy (TRA). The new management also relocated the school from its original Windsor site to Powellsville in the former C.G. White Middle School on Main Street.

“We’re looking to serve more students aiming to get the most out of their education,” said Melissa Grimes, currently a member of the school’s Board of Directors, but who will now serve as principal of the new school.

Grimes added that the relocation will provide students with a proper option for their education needs in Bertie and Hertford counties and beyond. The school choice offered by the academy, she says, will be vital for helping the kids to grow and to have an option for their educational needs.

“School choice is critical for the children of eastern North Carolina,” Grimes stated. “We are hoping with our move that we will continue to offer the best educational product to children in our local community.”

The academy also announced that longtime Bertie County educator Nick Shook, former principal at HCLA, will be the Executive Director for the school this upcoming year.

Three Rivers also say they will offer help for students with special needs and include a diverse curriculum that offers many activities for students of all sorts. The school will also offer free lunch and busing, plus there is no tuition for parents. Free breakfast services are also available to students as well.

“Parents are encouraged to get their kids signed up to attend the school as soon as possible,” said Ken Robol, the school’s communications director in a press release. “There is a waiting list for the school due to its popularity and unique features. The full application process can be handled online through the Three Rivers website so parents can help their kids get access to this prominent school.”

Grimes says she is encouraging parents interested in having their children attend classes at Three Rivers Academy to visit the school’s website: www.threeriversacademt.net. For the latest details on the school and other information, including benefits the school has to offer, she says to visit the school’s Facebook page at www.facebook.com/threeriversacademync.