Little Toy Soldiers

Ridge Creek School is closed and I will never look at little toy soldiers without thinking about the school, the students, familes, and colleagues I worked with while I was there.

Monday after lunch I broke the news to the students that Ridge Creek School would be closing it's doors by the end of the week.  There were tears and protests that it was not true.  Students and staff spent time at Lakefront consoling one another, then the students were dismissed to their dorms to pack and prepare for departures, whenever that would come. 

Later that day I saw some of the boys walking around and putting something on my car.  I asked what they were doing and they said they were putting out toy soldiers.  When I asked why, they said to protect the school.  The little toy soldiers are everywhere...in the Admin Building, the dorms, Academics, the Lodge, the Gym, on retaining walls.  When they ran out of toy soldiers they placed toy animals to watch over us.

It was clear the little toy soldiers were a metaphor for their feelings that day and the days that followed as the toy soldiers are still here, after everyone is gone, protecting Ridge Creek School.  These young men were feeling that they and their school had been attacked and needed protection. 

Over the next few days I heard students say that Ridge Creek was a family, they liked it here, it just started to get good for them and that they did not want to leave.  One student told me he knew he was Oppositional Defiant Disorderd because he did not want to come when he was sent here, and now that he was being forced to leave, he did not want to go.  Another student asked her father to let her spend the night one more time before leaving school.

Parents were, for the most part, incredibly understanding with the news and the scramble for getting their children home or to the next program.  I hear over and over how grateful they were that their child had the time here that they had, some claiming we had saved their child's life. 

The campus is now empty except for the staff that live here.  No more do I hear the shouts and laughter of the students as they return to their dorms in the evening.  The peace of the mountains surrounds the campus, unfortunately it will no longer bring peace and healing to the hearts and minds of troubled teenages.

Birthday Celebrations!

Ridge Creek School's Response to Randy Travis of Fox 5 News

The mission of Ridge Creek School is to provide a successful learning experience for students who have struggled academically or socially in other settings. We provide an opportunity for teens to turn their lives around after other interventions have failed. We do this through the cooperative effort of our academic department, counseling department, recreation department, and the parents of the students placed in our care.

Ridge Creek School admits students on a case-by-case basis and evaluates every potential admission in an effort to screen out inappropriate placements. We rely on the openness of parents to inform us of their child’s psychosocial history, including history of violence and legal charges, current, past, or pending. Sometimes parents do not completely reveal to us their children’s problems in their desperation to save their child. Despite this, and the challenges it brings to the integration of the child into the student body, once admitted we are focused on helping that teen be as successful as possible in completing both their therapeutic and academic goals.

Overall, prior outcome studies have clearly demonstrated our effectiveness in helping teens move away from their self-destructive life course toward futures bright with promise. We have found that the best outcomes came with students who competed the therapeutic curriculum and graduated from our program. Students who were withdrawn early, prior to completing the program, did not do as well.

Ridge Creek School is an accredited college preparatory high school. Our review on February 8 and 9, 2011, by AdvancED (formerly known as SACS, the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools) resulted in a 5 year reaccreditation. The Quality Assurance Review Team commended the school for the following strengths:

“In light of the fact that Ridge Creek School is in large part a “last chance” opportunity for the students, the commitment of all staff to the success of students is remarkable.”

“All stakeholders repeatedly provided dialogue referencing incredible passion for student success required daily by each staff member. The interviewees shared numerous success stories about students who have made successful transitions extending beyond RCS. Although the students stated that they would certainly rather be someplace else, when they were asked this question, “Three to five years from now, will you look back on this as a positive experience?” a resounding and unified voice of “yes” echoed throughout the room.”

‘The staff has electronic access to student data to effectively address the academic needs of students and guide instruction.”

“Teachers and counselors work collaboratively to address the therapeutic and academic needs of each student by means of the Individual Service Plan (ISP). The school uses the BestNotes program to identify a student’s academic and therapeutic needs based on past history. Teachers use the ISP as a resource to implement interventions and differentiate instruction to ensure the academic success of students. Students are given multiple opportunities to pass required courses by means of academic support sessions and course extensions.”

“RCS effectively uses data obtained from pre-tests to ensure that students are properly placed and given opportunities to achieve educational goals.”

“The beautiful, pristine, and remote wilderness setting of RCS provides a unique environment for the therapeutic, academic, and recreational services available for students, while providing opportunities for students to participate in athletic, cultural, and service sports/projects.”

“The school uses multiple modes of communication to keep all stakeholders involved in the continuous improvement process.”

The suggestions for improvement made by AdvancED included scheduling interdepartmental meetings, the creation of a curriculum map to assist with guiding instruction, engage in a comprehensive process to monitor the effectiveness of the educational program provided using a system of ongoing data analysis of both formative and summative student assessment results, and develop a Continuous Quality Improvement Committee to address issues of staff/student retention, outcome measurements for therapeutic and academic components, and alignment of the school’s future direction/goals. We have implemented some of the suggestions made and are in the process of developing better quality assurance processes.

We are very proud of our students at Ridge Creek. Many come to us with academic failure after academic failure, but they learn to be successful here. All of the students who received their high school diploma from Ridge Creek in May were accepted into college. A young man who is slated to graduate at the conclusion of our summer semester not only was accepted to the school of his choice, but he was also awarded a $40,000.00 scholarship.

Our students come to us as spiteful, oppositional, defiant teens. They learn through various service projects that they can make a difference in the lives of others. They volunteer regularly at the Humane Society, local food pantries, local homeless shelters, and take responsibility for keeping a stretch of highway clear of litter. Through giving back through service projects to the community at large or to the campus community, our students learn to look beyond themselves.

Family involvement is critical in the success of our program. We offer parent workshops to help our parents develop more effective ways of interacting with their child. Our students and families report successful interactions within the family unit during our break weeks, something that many families didn’t believe would be possible.

As our students move through the program, they take on a sense of ownership for their actions and stop blaming others for their problems. This sense of ownership results in the students holding one another accountable. Our students began and took ownership for an on campus NA meeting and this ownership is evidenced by the successful reduction of drug and alcohol use during our break weeks and the reduction in attempts to smuggle in contraband. There are many other small and large successes that lead our students toward a bright and promising future.

One of our recent graduates had this to say about Ridge Creek: “While this is a new chapter in my life, it’s just the beginning and because of Ridge Creek it’s not the end.” Another stated, “what I will leave here saying is I never thought I would be standing here feeling this proud of myself, thank you mom and dad, I love you. And even though I hated this school to the end, it really worked.”

The recent report on Atlanta’s Fox 5 television station was biased and reflected the opinions of two disgruntled individuals. We chose to not be interviewed because of our commitment to professional standards of confidentiality and privacy of our students and parents. We continue to be committed to the mission of the school, our students, and parents. We stand by the successes we see every day despite those who would undermine the future of the school and our students. Most importantly, we are here for the children.

Summer Days

 Summer is upon us here at Ridge Creek School.  Our location in the mountains outside of Dahlonega, GA,  means less heat, so outdoor activities are more enjoyable.  Chris Everhart, the newest member of our Counseling Department, took his group down to Lakefront for some fun activities designed to help them learn to work together as a group as well as share some good times.

First, there was canoeing.  With two boys to a canoe, they had to learn to work as a team to maneuver around the lake.                      The lake at Ridge Creek School is fed by a clear mountain stream, so it remains pretty chilly, even in summer.  Good thing no one tipped over their canoe!

Then there was fishing.  Our lake has some pretty large fish in it that like to hang out near the dock teasing our kids to try to hook them.  Uunfortunately no one caught a fish this day.

The afternoon was topped off by a cookout featuring hotdogs and hamburgers.  Spending the day outdoors can do a number on your appetite; but even with a bunch of hungry boys, we had a couple of burgers and dogs left over.                                                            All-in-all, the kids learned some valuable lessons for working as a group and had some fun at the same time!

Sometimes you just have to have a little fun

Lots of work goes on here at Ridge Creek School.

The students are back from May Break and Summer School is back in session.

Despite all of the seriousness of school, therapy, groups, and such the kids still get to have some fun.

The girls have been asking for some home ec classes, so I took a morning off from counseling them to teach them how to bake cupcakes.

The icing on the cake, so to speak, was decorating them!

Yep, sometimes you just have to have a little fun!

Ridge Creek School Students Hike to Raven Creek Falls

Term break is upon us here at Ridge Creek School.  A few of our students stayed with us, so we have been keeping them busy with hikes, tubing, rock climbing, and other adventures.  These are a few photos of our recent hike to beautiful Raven Creek Falls, located a short but curvy 45 minutes from the school. 

Here we are, the intrepid hikers heading off into the wilderess.

The trail is a relatively easy trail and the kids quickly out-paced me.  Luckily Meridith, one of Ridge Creek's recreation staff members, was able to keep up with the kids.

One of the girls climbing up from the falls.  The kids had a great time playing in the water and climbing on the rocks.  It was a great break from hiking on a warm North Georgia day.  What we did not realize was that we had not made it to the destination falls, but were only half-way there.  The group decision was to hang out a bit, cool off, then head back to Ridge Creek School.

Raven Creek is a beautiful mountain stream.   The trail follows the creek along its descent from the falls higher up the trail.  Rocks abound, inspiring one young lady to bring home a few to set on her desk.

Ridge Creek Eagles All-Star Player Selected for All-State Team!

All-State Eagle

Since the first day of practice, Michael T. has been with the Ridge Creek Eagles Basketball team. He has been the glue that held the team together through tough times. A 15 year old sophomore from North Carolina, Michael has a love for basketball that is addicting. During any activity period or practice time Michael can be found in the RCS gym developing his ability. He will be “shooting his threes,” practicing his free throws, and perfecting his passing and dribbling technique. The boy loves to have a basketball in his hands. In fact, if he can’t find his own ball, he will steal yours. He will pester anyone into a pick-up game, and he will always try and get the last word on the court. To Michael this is not only a game it is an escape. It is his dream, and his chance to do something great.

Michael started off the season slow, intimidated by other players, and in the shadows. He rarely talked much during the game and would pass the ball before even thinking of taking a shot, and when he did, he would usually miss. His determination began to grow. Inside of him there was an itch to be a leader. Something in him began to shift, something that would help spark the team to make a dream run at a championship. Michael found his passion and used it the best way he knew, to help his team succeed. In doing so he secured a position on the Georgia All-State Basketball Team.

His determination made him special and helped him to earn the position of Team Captain. Averaging more than 20 points a game, he led the team on a run that helped to give the RCS Eagles a shot at the state championship. He became a leader on and off of the court, pushing his teammates to succeed academically, as well as athletically, to ensure their eligibility to play.

Last night, Michael was recognized for his achievements by the commissioner of our conference. He was selected by coaches to the All State team. A position reserved for the best basketball players in the state. He was also approached by coaches of other teams telling him he has a chance to play in college if he works on certain aspects of his game. Michael accepted these accolades with uncharacteristic humility.

This special moment will not be forgotten. After the final buzzer last night, Michael said something to me I will never forget. This was told to me about an hour after receiving the award and we were getting ready to leave the campus. He told me that this was one of the happiest moments of his life. At first I thought he was talking about receiving the award, and I asked him and he explained his statement, telling me that it wasn’t the award or the recognition. It was the chance that the game gave him to escape the everyday problems in his life. It was about finding a game that had become part of his life and given him hope. It was about finding hope, a hope that fueled by a dream and a desire to be successful.

First Therapeutic School to Receive Accreditation by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools

Ridge Creek School is proud that we were the first therapeutic school in the country to apply for and receive accreditation by Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). We feel that this definitely paved the way for greater op­ opportunities for all struggling students to receive placement consideration and acceptance at colleges and traditional boarding schools.

SACS is now known as AdvancED and our 5 year reaccreditation team has just left campus. We are very pleased that not only are they recommending us for continued accreditation but that they commended us for the remarkable commitment of all staff to the success of Ridge Creek School students. They were especially impressed by our professional atmosphere where students feel concern, care and respect from adults. All students who were interviewed said that they would rather be somewhere else especially during the first 6-8 weeks but when asked if in 3-5 years they would look back on this as a positive experience, all students interviewed resoundingly said "YES".

Ridge Creek School Welcomes 2 New Faculty Members

We, the faculty and staff Ridge Creek School, are excited to welcome Dr. Anne Edens and Keith Bishop to campus.

Dr. Anne Edens is a Licensed Clinical Psychologist who holds a Doctorate of Psychology from Baylor University, a Master of Science in Community Agency Counseling from the University of Tennessee-Knoxville, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from the University of Georgia. Anne has over 30 years of experience across a variety of settings in the mental health field. As Director of Counseling, Anne is responsible for the supervision of the Counseling staff as well as Counseling and Psychology Interns. In her spare time, Anne is also a professional photographer and enjoys a variety of crafts and hobbies.

Keith Bishop is our Program Administrator and comes to RCS from Eckerd Outdoor Therapeutic Program where he served as Facility/Program Director and Master Counselor. Keith is a natural leader, who brings focus and innovation to all career endeavors, as can be seen by his many achievements and commendations earned while serving in the Air Force. While his primary focus here at RCS will be facility operation and organization, he is an avid outdoors man, who is dedicated to developing the wilderness/recreation curriculum at RCS. We are delighted to have his expertise as an addition to our talented staff.

Eagles Defeated by The Indians after a Heart-Breaking and Courageous Effort

On Friday, December 3, the Cherokee Indians donned their war paint and invaded the RCS aerie hoping to grab more Eagle feathers for their war bonnets. The Indians began their foray with some fierce tomahawk chops, resulting in some heavy hoops casualties, taking the lead by 17 early in the battle. But, the mighty Eagles were not to be plucked that quickly. The B-Ball Birds sharpened their talons and swooped back and inflicted serious damage to the Indians’ lead. Led by Michael T. the RCS Raging Raptors ripped up the court and narrowed the Cherokee lead to one point at the half. When the battle resumed, its outcome was anyone’s guess but, though they fought valiantly with beaks and talons tearing, the Cherokee Indians rode home bruised but carrying a few Eagle tail feathers. The final score of the engagement stood at Indians 59 and Eagles 56. What a heart-breaking and courageous effort by the Mighty Eagles!!! Those RCS Birds have a lot of heart!!!

Thanksgiving Turkey has been Gobbled!

Well, here at RCS the Thanksgiving turkey has been gobbled and winter is knocking at our mountain door. Students are back on campus, full and rested from a week spent with family and friends, and the academic semester is rolling toward its fruition. Teachers and students are preparing for the final few weeks of the term, putting pens to paper and noses in books, while the campus takes on the festive colors of December. Christmas Trees and Menorahs are appearing along side of inflatable snowmen and plastic dreidels. Spirits are high in anticipation of a Ridge Creek Holiday season and all of the extra activities it brings, including a student-judged Chili Cook off scheduled for Welcome Back Day!!!

Eagles Swoop in to Dominate the Anteaters

The Atlanta Adventist Academy Aardvarks burrowed into the Mountain Aerie Arena Tuesday night expecting ant pincers and instead were greeted by the powerful talons of the Ridge Creek Eagles. The Big Bird Basketballers took control early, swooping in to dominate the anteaters with Eagle-eyed shooting by Birdballers, Aim-sure Singh, Big-gun Barrett, and Dead-shot Long. Demoralized by the antics of the frantic, feathered Superfans and the dominating defense of the RCS Raptors, the waddling animals from Atlanta fell prey to the Eagles in a 38-33 defeat and had a long ride home to the termite mound. Today, the Eagles spread their powerful wings and sharpen their talons for a match-up in Atlanta against the pussy cat panthers prowling their den at Brandon Hall.

Running Eagles Gain Ground to Finish in the Top 5!

This past Saturday, October 23, 2010, The Ridge Creek Running Eagles participated in the Cross Country Championships at Boundary Waters Park in Douglasville, Ga. The Eagles were competing against some truly tough teams, many from schools much larger than RCS, and yet with every RCS runner improving his or her time, the Running Birds managed to finish 5th in a 26 team field. This is quite an accomplishment that earned a measure of respect for the Feathered Striders from RCS in this challenging new league.

Ridge Creek Drama Birds

The Ridge Creek Drama Birds are deep in the midst of a grueling rehearsal schedule blocking and emoting each afternoon from 3:00 till 5:30. Lines are being memorized and stage business is being solidified. Rookie director and history teacher Tim Lawson is guiding the RSC thespians steadily toward footlight glory with a strong hand and a dedicated heart. Opening night is weeks away and, with the progress these dramatic Eagles are making, it promises to be a grand evening when it finally arrives.

Ridge Creek School Team Achievements

The Ridge Creek Soccer and Cross Country teams are in the midst of tough seasons with stiff and experienced opponents, but the RCS kickers and runners are determined to give their all, during each outing. There have been some remarkable individual and team achievements which are not reflected on the scoreboards. On the running birds’ cross country team, several Eagles have completed their races in the top 10 finishers in large fields of runners. The kicking Eagles have seen some strong effort from several dedicated players. In addition, the team has come together to help any member that may be struggling academically. Both Eagle’s teams are displaying sportsmanship that will see them through this tough formative year and, more importantly, will provide lessons that will last a lifetime.

RCS Students Wrap up the 3rd Week of Classes

Well, we’re wrapping up our 3rd week of fall semester and students have found their academic strides. Some are stumbling and some are sprinting, but all are hard at work learning, growing, and expanding their scholastic skill sets. The RCS Eagles soccer club has had a rocky start, but the big birds seem to have found a workable flight pattern, putting a talon to the rear ends of staff members in a student vs. staff match yesterday that the club won handily, 10-0. It was an afternoon of bonding and school spirit-building. The mornings are cooling and the trees are beginning to show hints of their autumnal splendor. Fall is fast approaching the Ridge Creek campus.

Ridge Creek Eagles beat the Warriors of Cherokee Christian

Today the Ridge Creek Eagles flew down to Woodstock, Georgia to take on the Warriors of Cherokee Christian. In a hard fought first half, the first goal of the game went to Alex assisted by Jack and Scott. Cherokee Christian fought back and scored before the half to tie it at 1-1. The second half was a defensive stand for Ridge Creek as the defense led by Jake, Frankie, and Jack. The Ridge Creek Eagles with about 15 minutes left in the game, got a break and Braden shot the ball which deflected off a defender and went into the goal to have the score read 2-1 us. For the next 15 minutes and entire second half, Jeff in goal saved 12 shots and at times got vertical as well as horizontal to make amazing saves. When the time ran out, the Ridge Creek Eagles won their first soccer game of the season and leaving Jeff as player of the game! It was an exciting end to a long week. Next game is against Horizon Christian Academy on Tuesday in Cumming, GA. Our first home game is Thursday against Gables Academy out of Stone Mountain, GA. Hope to see everyone there next week. Thanks again for everyone that attended this week with our three games. The fan support is greatly appreciated.

First Week of Classes at Ridge Creek School

As the first week of fall classes draws to a close, RCS students are mopping their brows with the realization that they have a challenging and exciting semester ahead of them. Schedules for most students are adjusted and solidified, and their academic direction for the coming months is mapped. After this rigorous first week, it would be safe to say that Ridge Creekers are looking forward to a three-day Labor Day weekend filled with activity and relaxation.

Dramatic Eagles Continue Auditions for Fall Theatre Production

Today, the RCS Dramatic Eagles continue auditions for Ridge Creek’s Fall Theatre Production. Budding stars of stage and screen are vying for the opportunity to win a role in the annual event. Participating actors, actresses, and tech people will let their talents shine for an audience of family, friends, faculty, and staff. In addition, all students participating directly in the presentation of this sure-to-be memorable show will be eligible for an off-campus visit with their parents immediately following the final performance. Learn those lines kids and make the characters live!!!

Fall Semester Starts at Ridge Creek School

Well, Fall Semester has begun at Ridge Creek. The air is cooling and academics are heating up. Halls are filled with hectic students checking their schedules and finding their classes. Syllabi are being distributed and expectations explained. Classrooms are remodeled and new faculty members are settling in. The campus is alive with the buzz of new beginnings and anticipation for the coming academic year. As the week progresses, look for faculty biographies and course descriptions.