There are many reasons to celebrate Monroe 2-Orleans BOCES new Ridgecrest Academy school that opened this year in Westview Commons on Buffalo Road, but the most important is the permanence of their new home. “We can settle in and plan for the future,” said Special Education Supervisor Rob Nells. “The teachers and staff quickly made their rooms feel comfortable and familiar; the students have made the transition more easily than we expected. They sense the stability of the new situation, and it’s been immediately supportive for them.”
There are currently around 40 students in grades 5-8 at Ridgecrest Academy, and now there is room for the school to grow. There is a large, bright, welcoming lobby. Classrooms, calming areas and offices surround a large central gym/auditorium space, designed to be the heart of the school. The school has a strong PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) program, most of the educational team has been together for at least six years or more, and school spirit is high.