The city of Waynesboro will be the site of only the second recovery high school in the Commonwealth.
Recovery high schools enable students of high school-age who are recovering from addiction to complete a high school education.
Following the model of Valley Academy in Fishersville, Waynesboro has acquired staff, including Director Amy Christian, formerly assistant principal at Kate Collins Middle School, teachers and other necessary staff. The new school is waiting to hear from a Social Studies teacher.
Christian said the school may be called River Ridge Learning Center or Beacon Ridge Learning Center and the school’s color will be blue.
“We have been collaborating with so many of our community partners,” Christian told the Waynesboro School Board at its regular meeting Tuesday in an update on the new school.
In the spring, Christian will travel to the Augusta County School Board and other meetings to share word of the new school.
Christian said that her goal within one year or two years of opening this fall would be to obtain accreditation from the state. She thanked Waynesboro staff and the school board for their support and participation in the process to bring a recovery high school to the River City.
Waynesboro School Board Chair Amber Lipscomb thanked Christian for her “leadership and innovative thinking, because starting something new and fresh and using the people around you to develop that and I’m really excited to see what [logo] we’re going to pick.”
“Thank you for taking the risk in little, tiny Waynesboro to do something pretty innovative,” said Waynesboro Schools Assistant Superintendent Dr. Ryan Barber.
Waynesboro‘s recovery high school is made possible by funding through the Virginia Department of Education. Waynesboro and Augusta County students will attend the school in Waynesboro.
Virginia Beach is also planning a recovery high school in Hampton Roads and Loudoun County is planning a recovery high school. Both are expected to open this fall along with Waynesboro’s.
Related stories:
Waynesboro, Augusta County Schools announce planning for regional Recovery High School
Waynesboro: KCMS assistant to direct recovery high school
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Rebecca Barnabi
