Serving Boone, Blowing Rock, Banner Elk, and other towns of the North Carolina High Country | Founded 05-05-05

Rainbow Center Partners with Greater Fleetwood Preservation Organization to Establish High Country Academy

Three years ago, concerned citizens of Ashe County feared that the old Fleetwood Elementary School would go to waste or be torn down. Today, thanks to the hard work of the Greater Fleetwood Preservation Organization (GFPO) the school currently serves as a community center and a portion will reopen this fall as the High Country Academy.

“We’re excited about this partnership and the chance to bring education back to the Fleetwood School. This plan goes along with our mission. The building will be used for our community and that’s what our plan was. This will be a great thing,” said Rick Surber of the GFPO.

Rainbow Center – Children & Family Services (RCCFS) in partnership with the GFPO has created a plan to use the Fleetwood Elementary School and bring a much-needed day treatment program to the area.

“A collaborative partnership between RCCFS and the Greater Fleetwood Preservation Organization will ensure the success of both our endeavors. The GFPO has been working hard to establish the school as a community center. RCCFS needs an adequate facility to establish our new day treatment program. This is a great way for two nonprofits to work together to achieve their goals,” said RCCFS CEO Glenda Andrews.

The day treatment program that RCCFS plans to call High Country Academy will teach students who have been suspended from school appropriate behaviors such as anger management, substance abuse prevention and self-esteem.

The old Fleetwood Elementary School will house the program and it will serve students from Ashe, Watauga and Wilkes counties.

Andrews added, “The old Fleetwood Elementary School is ideal for a day treatment program. This location is approximately five miles off US 421 which makes it a central site and very accessible to students from all three counties. RCCFS has been serving children from all three counties for over 19 years in our residential care program.”

School superintendents from Ashe, Watauga and Wilkes have expressed the need for this service.

“This program will help meet the needs of our kids while keeping up with curriculum. I am excited about this venture,” said Ashe County School Superintendent Donnie Johnson.

Wilkes County School Superintendent Stephen Laws added, “This is a great opportunity for young people who need assistance with behavioral development and social skills. We are currently limited in what we can offer students who struggle with the day-to-day school experience. Day treatment will provide an outlet for these young people. Rainbow Center has a history of helping so many young people. We are blessed to have this partnership.”

The High Country Academy plans to open in fall 2007 and target students 11 to 15 years old with the goal of reducing school suspensions.

“We foresee that we will decrease the overall rate of suspension and offer an alternative program for children who have difficulty with behavior in school,” continued Andrews.

According to the ncchild.org website, students in North Carolina are 45 percent more likely to be suspended than the national average. RCCFS wants to be an advocate in ensuring that this statistic is addressed in northwestern North Carolina. This study also shows that children who do not complete high school are more likely to be unemployed, rely on public assistance and to be incarcerated. Students who are suspended are also three times more likely to drop out of high school.

“The day treatment program will be able to serve the needs of our students. We don’t have a program in place like this and we aren’t equipped. It will be a great benefit to have this facility to assist our kids with these needs,” said Watauga County School Superintendent Dr. Bobbie Short.

For more information about the High Country Academy and Greater Fleetwood Community Organization partnership, contact Koren Huskins at 336-667-3333 or khuskins@rccfs.com.