After 12 years with the Fort Zumwalt School District, Andy Bethmann has a new job.

Make that two new jobs.

Bethmann is the director of the Montgomery County R-II A.C.H.I.E.V.E. school, an alternative school for middle and high school students. He is also the assistant principal at Montgomery County Middle School.

“I was looking to get started in administration,” Bethmann said. “(R-II Superintendent) Dr. Tracy Bottoms took a chance on me, so I’m trying to really make him proud and cement myself in the Montgomery community by helping lead one building and support another.”

As the new A.C.H.I.E.V.E. director, Bethmann is looking to help the students enjoy success at the school, which is located at 501 Niedergerke in Montgomery City.

“The exciting part is everything is new and kind of fluid, so we’re trying to find the balance of not only academics, but also life skills and those certain things,” said Bethmann, who was hired as director in June. “What I told people and parents in the past is that I come from Fort Zumwalt area where I watched an alternative building really thrive over a 15-year period and you can see the successes and graduation rate of these students when they’re given the opportunity to work in a small setting with more one-on-one work with teachers. So it’s been an exciting start. We’re making changes already to help fit the needs of the students, but it’s an exciting time to be a student of Montgomery to have that option.”

A.C.H.I.E.V.E., which opened on Dec. 5, will have its first full school year. There are 12 students – four middle school and eight high school – at the school.

“The exciting part is that we still offer chances for students to go back to the main campus,” Bethmann said. “Let’s say they go back for band (practice) or something like that. I’ve been transporting those students back to the main campus every day so they can still get that elective, but realizing the fact that they handle their academics in a smaller setting. What we did was create goals for each student because they’re all in different paths and different spots in their academics. They’re really just trying to meet the individuals so we can help them succeed.”

Recently, the school received the support from LaCrosse Lumber Co. in Montgomery City after the students used a math lesson to help make a plan to build a table and bench for the building. Also, several students repainted the parking lot at the school building.

“We’re always looking for new stuff where we can bring things to a smaller setting that maybe those students wouldn’t have the opportunity at the main campus,” Bethmann said.

A.C.H.I.E.V.E. stands for Alternative Curriculum Helping Individuals Earn Victories in Education. In May 2023, the R-II school board approved plans for the district to build an alternative school for students seventh through 12th grade, costing $420,000 on a 10-year lease. The school is housed in a 4,500-foot building that was formerly the Montgomery County Family Services Building.