North Florida School for Special Education is getting $6 million upgrade

Changes are coming for some special needs students in Jacksonville.

Sally Hazelip, the head of the North Florida School of Special Education said they raised $6 million to build a new school for their students.

“It will include a full-size gymnasium, eight additional classrooms and state of the art therapy rooms. It will also have a commercial kitchen, “ Hazelip said.

Currently, there are 160 students from ages 6 -22 who attend the school. Last Thursday school officials announced they were adding a new building and expanding by 32,000 square feet. This will allow more space for current and new students to receive care.

“I think it will open up so many more opportunities for kids and young adults who have intellectual differences in our community,” Hazelip said.

Lena Winslow has a 13-year-old daughter who has special needs. She said ever since her daughter Catherine was a baby she noticed an intellectual developmental difference.

“Catherine was diagnosed with autism well I knew something was going on at the age of 9 months. When you have a child with challenges you can hardly stop thinking about their day and what’s going on with them,” Winslow said.

That is why for the past four years she chose the North Florida School of Special Education to care for her daughter.

The school will also have an equestrian program which has shown to help improve developmental skills for students. This will also be open to other special needs kids after school and on the weekends who aren’t current students.  There is a waiting list for students to attend this school so organizers are hoping the new building will free up space.

Winslow said she’s looking forward to other families having the opportunity to receive the same care as her daughter.

“As a mom just going into this world of autism and treatment I had no idea where to look. I’m just grateful that there’s going to be more kids able to benefit from a place like this,” Winslow said.

The project is expected to be completed by January 2020.

Cox Media Group