North Florida School of Special Education gets new home along with stable for equine therapy

JACKSONVILLE, Fla. — More than 260 special education students in Jacksonville now have a new home and it’s all thanks to local benefactors.

The newly expanded North Florida School of Special Education held its ribbon-cutting ceremony Thursday morning.

The new campus is spread out over 32,000 square feet on Mill Creek Road.

Current students helped cut the ceremonial ribbon along with Mayor Lenny Curry and his wife Molly.

“What you see here today is, to me, represents what I’d like to see happening all over our city,” Curry said.

The $10.5 million project was completed in 11 months.

The new school has state of the art classes, with the latest technology. It will also teach students vocational education such as the culinary arts.

Michelle Gilliam is not only a board member but her son Harrison is also a student at the school. She said the new facility will help kids like Harrison grow.

“He can do anything that any other child can do, and this school is helping him reach his full potential,” Gilliam said.

It’s not just education inside the classroom that the students will benefit from -- the campus will also include a horse barn.

This spring, four horses will join the campus for equine therapy classes.

“This school is designed specifically for our students and the way that they need to learn,” Gilliam said.

Their previous smaller school building will still house upper school students but thanks to the expansion, the main campus will give students room to play, learn and just be themselves.

For more information about the North Florida School of Special Education click here https://www.northfloridaschool.org/.

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