The recovery high school itself will be just one part of a larger system of support that hopes to include alternative peer groups (APGs) that could possibly operate at schools, churches, and community centers across Wake County. Supervised by clinical staff, APGs can provide support for students as they transition from Wake Monarch Academy back to their traditional schools, but can also support recovering students who did not attend a recovery high school. But even before COVID-19, Mary Ferrari said she was surprised by how challenging it was to get school counselors in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools to refer students to Emerald School of Excellence.