Class Dates:

• Classroom days by session:
  • Week 1 – June 2, 3, 4, & 5
  • Week 2 – June 9, 10, 11, & 12
  • Week 3 – June 16, 17, 18, & 23 (please note the dates on this week!)
  • Week 4 – June 23, 24, 25, & 26
  • Week 5 – July 7, 8, 9, & 10
  • Week 6 – July 14, 15, 16, & 17

Classroom Information:

• Students will meet at HCCA the first 4 days of the class from 8:00 am until 4:30 pm.
• Once the initial classroom days are completed, students will only be required to return to campus 2-3 days during the remainder of the month. These days are considered "driving days" and will be assigned by the instructor by the end of the fourth classroom day.

Lunch:

• Students are responsible for making arrangements for/or bringing lunch/snack each day.
  • They can bring lunch, have lunch delivered, or someone can pick them up for lunch.  (We do have a refrigerator and microwave for those that may need it.)
  • Lunch will be at approximately 11:30 daily.

• Students no longer receive a paper gold card, as the state has adapted an online/virtual gold card instead. 
• If/when the driver skills test is passed, the student can either go online to renew their license or go to the State Trooper's office. However, it will have to be on a week day and may take 24-48 hours AFTER the student's birthday for the information to be updated into the system. This simply means that, due to the new online system, most students are not recognized by the state to receive their driver's license until the day after their 16th birthday, or that their information will still show a "y" restriction. In order to receive their license, the "y" restriction will need to be removed by the state.
• Steps to see if the "y" restriction is lifted and license is ready to print (or system is up to date at the Trooper's office):
  • Go to alea.gov
  • Click "Renew License"
  • Enter all information and submit
  • Make sure "y" restriction is gone
  • If "y" restriction is gone, then the system is up to date, and you can print your new dirver's license OR go to the State Trooper's office to get it. HOWEVER, if the "y" restriction is still listed, their system has not been updated and it may take 24-48 hours to be lifted, so keep checking.

To receive your license, you may either print it off at home or call the state trooper’s office to schedule an appointment.  Whichever method you prefer, the steps below are how to procede:

• Students no longer receive a paper gold card, as the state has adapted an online/virtual gold card instead. 
• If/when the driver skills test is passed, the student can either go online to renew their license or go to the State Trooper's office. However, it will have to be on a week day and may take 24-48 hours AFTER the student's birthday for the information to be updated into the system. This simply means that, due to the new online system, most students are not recognized by the state to receive their driver's license until the day after their 16th birthday, or that their information will still show a "y" restriction. In order to receive their license, the "y" restriction will need to be removed by the state.
• Steps to see if the "y" restriction is lifted and license is ready to print (or system is up to date at the Trooper's office):
  • Go to alea.gov
  • Click "Renew License"
  • Enter all information and submit
  • Make sure "y" restriction is gone
  • If "y" restriction is gone, then the system is up to date, and you can print your new dirver's license OR go to the State Trooper's office to get it. HOWEVER, if the "y" restriction is still listed, their system has not been updated and it may take 24-48 hours to be lifted, so keep checking.

Some insurance companies require a certificate of completion before your student can be added to your insurance or in order to receive a discount on your insurance.   Certificates are typically provided to each student at the end of their driver’s ed course, but should you need another one for any reason, please feel free to email jernigan.shalane@hcboe.us.

PLEASE READ THE RED PARAGRAPH BELOW TO UNDERSTAND MORE ABOUT THE DRIVER'S ED CLASS AND OUR HCCA CAMPUS:
We understand that there is a great need for Driver’s Education in our area, unfortunately, there is no way that we as just one school can accommodate every student in our Wiregrass area that need it. The Houston County Career Academy is the Career Technical Center for the Houston County School System.  This is where students in the HCS system come to take hands-on educational classes such as Health Science, Automotive, Engineering, etc. for two class periods of their school day. We are not a driving school.  During the school year, driver’s education is taught on the campus of our 5 main base schools (Ashford, Cottonwood, Houston County, Rehobeth, and Wicksburg) as a class on the students' schedules.  The county chooses to offer driver’s education classes during the summer at our office location in order to serve their students and parents with a more central location for all that may need it. 

The driver’s education classes offered on our campus are offered first to our county students in order to accommodate as many of our students as possible that may not have had the opportunity in their schedule during the school year to take the class.  Once our county students have been given time to register, the county then opens up registration to all other students in the Wiregrass area, whether they go to a private school, are in another school system, or are homeschooled. The registration process takes place in our main office during normal school days while we not only have students on campus but also possibly other visitors from our central office.

Driver’s Ed takes a lot of manpower, and we are grateful to all those who extend such grace, patience, and understanding with us during the registration process. While we wish that we could accommodate everyone in this area, please understand we are just one school as a host location and our resources are limited. Between an instructor shortage AND our building having many other meetings and obligations occurring during the summer semester outside of driver education, it just isn’t feasible.  Thank you again for your understanding, and we look forward to seeing you at registration this year!