Valdosta, GA: High school wing becomes academy for kids with emotional/behavioral issues

Aug 4, 2018, Valdosta (GA) Daily Times: Academy finds new Horizon http://www.valdostadailytimes.com/news/local_news/academy-finds-new-horizon/article_60f859ac-cf10-5ba7-bd27-4593c04814be.html The Horizon Academy has a new home nestled in the former ninth-grade wing of the old Valdosta High School. The move begins a new partnership with Valdosta City Schools for Horizon Academy, a Georgia Network for Educational and Therapeutic Support program that helps special-needs children with emotional or behavioral issues. The program usually has about 100 students at a time, who are in and out of the program and come from Lowndes, Brooks and Lanier counties and VCS. There are eight classrooms with one to two paraprofessionals in each class. … “The transition has been very smooth, and the support has been awesome,” Clemons said. “We’re excited because we think this is going to be a great relationship. There was some apprehension about moving because we had been at Lowndes for so long, but that has since changed.”… Britta Mink, who has taught special education for 29 years and been with Horizon Academy for two years, was decorating her new classroom in preparation for the new school year…. “We have more space, and we’re excited about that because at some point we hope to have a musical therapist, which is really good for our students,” Clemons said. The program has an art therapist and service dogs the students read to, Clemons said. It has proved helpful for students of all levels of severity because it has a calming effect. …