Hello!

My name is Ashleigh and my child attends the Henry County School of Scholars, a public school program that incorporates therapeutic interventions for children with severe behavior deficits and diagnoses.

Many of the children who attend this school were transitioned here from their assigned “home” schools due to lack of resources/accommodations, staff, and time necessary to meet their needs. Parents were called several times a week to pick their children up from school, to be made aware of yet another write up, and to be informed on suspensions. Parents would arrive at the school to find their children screaming for help, destroying property, engaging in self harm behaviors, and even locked alone in classrooms. Parents were given no resources, no suggestions or advice, and no alternatives other than threats of having law enforcement involved and the Henry County School of Scholars.

Though some parents were hesitant to transition their children to SoS, the change ultimately made a profoundly positive impact in their lives. At SoS, there are smaller class sizes, a soft space specifically for meltdown moments, a behavior specialist employed in each classroom to monitor and motivate behavior, group therapy, and the endless compassion and love from teachers with a gift of serving special needs children.

Our children finally found their place and their home, a refuge within the nightmare of our public education system. They were no longer being ridiculed and bullied by peers, but instead forgiven and accepted as they understood one another and could relate to one another. They were thriving academically as their needs were met. They were provided around the clock emotional support from the entire staff and felt safe to be themselves. They began developing coping skills and healthy relationships. Parents were at peace knowing they could send their children to school without fear of harassing phone calls, being told their child is “bad”, anxiety when their child runs out of the building and into a parking lot, concern for their safety, and knowing they could securely hold a job because they would not need to continue calling out or leaving early to retrieve their children. The School of Scholars saved each of our children and changed not only their future, but our hope in the education system.

Unfortunately, the Henry County Board of Education made a reckless decision to shut down the school without asking for the opinions of the families or staff. They made this decision with 3.5 short weeks left in the year and ultimately have inappropriately displaced 40+ children back into their “home” schools. There is not enough time to adequately prepare for the transition, nor have appropriate accommodations been put into place to ensure their success. The Board of Education has hired a single mental health facilitator for each school, who will not be able to be in every elementary classroom at one time and therefore cannot provide around the clock support that these children need. They have employed an additional 9 support staff across the entire county, to cover 53 schools. It is simply not enough. 

With little time to advocate and prepare, the families are ridden with anxiety and are pleading with the Board of Education to keep our special needs program intact. 

We are asking you to join us in this fight and be a voice for our kids, all across the nation. Help us stand up for them and give them the future that they undoubtedly deserve. 

They are bright. They are intelligent. They are forgiving. They are wonderful. They are happy. They are thriving. And we as parents want to continue to watch them flourish and grow up to be amazing leaders in our community at a school that encourages them to do just that.

Please consider signing our petition and help us impact their future.

Thank you,

The Parents of School of Scholars