Coordinates: 34°37′42″N 84°04′16″W / 34.62833°N 84.07111°W
| Hidden Lake Academy | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
 | |
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830 Hidden Lake Rd.
Dahlonega , Lumpkin County , Georgia 30533
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| Information | |
| Other name | Ridge Creek School |
| Established | 1994 |
| Closed | 2011 |
| Age range | 13 to 18 |
| Capacity | 150 |
| Campus size | 215 acre |
| Tuition | $6000 per month |
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.
History
The school was founded in 1994 by Dr. Leonard Buccelatto in Dahlonega, Georgia. 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."
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. The lawsuit caused a drop in student enrollments and cost the school $1.5 million in legal fees. This, combined with the impact of a poor economy, led the school to file for bankruptcy under Chapter 11 in 2009.
After the bankruptcy hearing, the school was renamed "Ridge Creek School". 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. The school closed in 2011.
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 about 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).
The length of the program was eighteen to twenty-one months. Each group consisted of fourteen students and the daily group counselling sessions were seven hours long.
Ridge Creek
The Ridge Creek wilderness program was founded in 2001 and was listed on National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) website as early as 2003. The address listed on the NATSAP and Ridge Creek websites is the same as that of Hidden Lake Academy. The website states that Leonard Buccelatoo was the founder of Ridge Creek.
Former Headmasters
- Joe Stapp
- Charles W. Cates
Notable alumni
- Dash Snow, artist