HOUSTON – The first of its kind here in the Houston area.
Harris County's first public recovery high school for students who have completed a substance abuse rehab program, this school will help them stay on track for graduation.
Harris County Department of Education officials broke ground Tuesday morning.
The 20,000-square-foot facility on Spears Road in the Greenspoint area is being renovated this fall.
It will have seven classrooms, a computer lab, a library, a culinary arts program, a ropes course, zip line and walking trails.Â
The school will be partnering with substance abuse treatment center Turning Point for counseling services for each of their students.
School officials said this facility will make sure kids who have had past struggles with drug and alcohol abuse, will get a second chance.
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"In the past I've been a principal the way I've dealt with this. I've punished these kids knowing darn well I wasn't helping them. We are going through a paradigm shift that we're not solving the problem, we need to open our doors to help fight the issues of addiction," said superintendent of schools James Colbert.
The renovations should be complete by spring and 30 students will be on the roll call when the first bell rings.
