Hidden Lake Academy

Last updated

Hidden Lake Academy
Address
Hidden Lake Academy
830 Hidden Lake Rd.

Dahlonega
,
Lumpkin County
,
Georgia
30533
Information
Other nameRidge Creek School
Established1994
Closed2011
Age range13 to 18
Capacity150 [1]
Campus size215 acres
Tuition$6000 per month [2]

Hidden Lake Academy was a therapeutic boarding school in Dahlonega, Georgia, United States, in operation from 1994 until 2011. In 2006, it was the subject of legal action over accreditation. The school filed bankruptcy in 2009 and shut down in 2011. [3] [4]

Contents

History

The school was founded in 1994 by Dr. Leonard Buccelatto in Dahlonega, Georgia. [5] It was intended to "fill the need for a specialty school to fill the gap between services of residential treatment centers and traditional boarding schools." [6]

A federal class action lawsuit against the school by a group of parents was filed in 2006. Although denied class action status, the parties settled out of court for $400,000. [5] The lawsuit caused a drop in student enrollments and cost the school $1.5 million in legal fees. [5] This, combined with the impact of a poor economy, led the school to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in 2009. [5]

After the bankruptcy hearing, the school was renamed "Ridge Creek School". [7] In 2011, a disturbance occurred in which multiple students tried to leave the school. This resulted in the Lumpkin County Sheriff's Office being called out to the scene. [8] The school closed in 2011. [3]

About the program

New students had typically struggled with homework, depression, anger management, or various addictions. Some students were from outside the United States. The student population ranged from 15 to 200. Hidden Lake Academy was accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS), the Southern Association of Independent Schools (SAIS), and the Georgia Accreditation Commission (GAC). [9]

The length of the program was eighteen to twenty-one months. [10] [11] Each group consisted of fourteen students and the daily group counselling sessions were seven hours long. [12]

Campus

The campus included academic and recreational facilities designed to support student education and extracurricular activities. The academic facilities consisted of 15 classrooms, including a building with seven classrooms, a library, a computer room, and a science lab. Additional spaces were available for arts and crafts, aerobics, dance, and drama. [13]

Ridge Creek

The Ridge Creek wilderness program was founded in 2001 [14] and was listed on National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) website as early as 2003. [15] The address listed on the NATSAP and Ridge Creek websites is the same as that of Hidden Lake Academy. [16] The website states that Leonard Buccelatoo was the founder of Ridge Creek. [17]

Former headmasters

Notable alumni

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References

  1. ↑ Peterson's Private secondary schools 2006. Inc Peterson's Guides (26th ed.). Princeton, N.J.: Thomson/Peterson's. 2005. p. 1344. ISBN   0-7689-1736-0. OCLC   58788837.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: others (link)
  2. ↑ Pengelly, Martin (May 4, 2023). "Clarence Thomas: mega-donor paid for great-nephew's private school". The Guardian. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  3. 1 2 Aiken, Matt (July 29, 2019). "Filmmaker is focusing on Hidden Lake Academy". The Dahlonega Nugget, Dahlonega, GA. Retrieved May 5, 2023.
  4. ↑ Johnston, Abby (June 7, 2013). "To be or not to be Danny Malone?". AustinChronicle.com. Retrieved December 10, 2019. The facility has since closed, never quite recovering from a $400,000 lawsuit over accreditation.
  5. 1 2 3 4 Hall, Sharon (June 4, 2009). "Hidden Lake officials see Chapter 11 as chance to regroup". The Dahlonega Nugget . ISSN   2994-4627. OCLC   18486914. Archived from the original on June 8, 2009. Retrieved December 10, 2019.
  6. ↑ "Hidden Lake Academy website". Hiddenlakeacademy.com. Retrieved July 27, 2011.
  7. ↑ Faculty & Staff of Hidden Lake Academy (2010). "Explanation of the petition". Hidden Lake Academy. Archived from the original on June 29, 2010.
  8. ↑ Aitken, Matt (January 26, 2011). "Deputies respond to disturbance at Ridge Creek". The Dahlonega Nugget . pp. 9A. ISSN   2994-4627. OCLC   18486914.
  9. ↑ "SACS CASI Accredited Schools in Georgia". Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement. Archived from the original on December 11, 2007.
  10. ↑ "Hidden Lake Academy". December 31, 2005. Archived from the original on December 31, 2005. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  11. ↑ "Program Details - Hidden Lake Academy". October 12, 2007. Archived from the original on October 12, 2007. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  12. ↑ "NATSAP 2009 Directory" (PDF). National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs. p. 78. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 1, 2021. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  13. ↑ Peterson's guide to private secondary schools, 1996-97 (17th ed.). Peterson's. 1996. p. 1208. ISBN   9781560795865.
  14. ↑ "Program Details - Ridge Creek School". November 25, 2010. Archived from the original on November 25, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  15. ↑ "Program Details". March 25, 2003. Archived from the original on March 25, 2003. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  16. ↑ "Therapeutic Boarding School - Healthy Living For Teens - RidgeCreekSchool.com". May 16, 2010. Archived from the original on May 16, 2010. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  17. ↑ "New Page 1". May 2, 2006. Archived from the original on May 2, 2006. Retrieved May 7, 2023.
  18. ↑ "Hidden Lake Academy - Faculty/Staff". August 29, 2007. Archived from the original on August 29, 2007. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  19. ↑ "Hidden Lake Academy - Faculty/Staff". November 24, 2005. Archived from the original on November 24, 2005. Retrieved May 6, 2023.
  20. ↑ Peterson's private secondary schools, 1998-99 (19th ed.). Princeton, New Jersey: Peterson's. 1998. p. 1274. ISBN   9781560799726. OCLC   5164250814.
  21. ↑ Feuer, Alan; Salkun, Allen (July 24, 2009) "Terrible End for an Enfant Terrible, New York Times. Retrieved May 5, 2023
  22. ↑ O'Hagan, Sean; O’Hagan, Sean (September 19, 2009). "The last days of Dash Snow". The Observer . Guardian Media Group. ISSN   0029-7712. OCLC   50230244 . Retrieved May 6, 2023. Snow's rebellion against his family, and his mother in particular, seems to have begun in earnest when, as a disruptive child, he was sent by her to a boarding school called Hidden Lake Academy in Georgia which specialised in the treatment of children with Oppositional Defiant Disorder.

34°37′42″N84°04′16″W / 34.62833°N 84.07111°W / 34.62833; -84.07111

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