Academics
Location: California/Nevada Border
Enrollment: Year Round
Student Ages: 13-18 Years Old
Accreditation: Northwest Association of Accredited Schools (NAAS)
Licensure: State of Nevada,
Department of Human Services
and Nevada Child Care Bureau
Horizon Academy provides a very progressive academic curriculum which is individual and competency based. The computer-based curriculum guides the students through the lessons at their own pace, giving them the chance to master concepts before moving on to more challenging lessons. This state-of-the-art software provides several multimedia teaching methods to enhance the learning experience, and is very demanding academically. In addition to the computer curriculum, Horizon Academy also offers elective courses in several subject areas, as well as small-group sessions led by teachers to cover particularly complex sections of the curriculum.
Students spend five hours per day, six days a week, in the classroom. At the end of each day in school they are required to fully account for their activities in class by documenting which subjects, projects, lessons, quizzes and tests they completed, as well as their scores for this work.
These reports are checked daily by academic staff, which gives encouragement for progress and issues consequences for insufficient effort. One requirement of Horizon Academy’s academic program, not often found in other schools, is that each student maintains an 80% average in each of their classes before being allowed to move ahead in the curriculum. Students who fall behind are given consequences for their academic deficiencies, and students who exceed the progress rate of their school at home are encouraged to go as far as they can. It is not unusual for students, who when first arriving at Horizon Academy were lagging behind, to graduate the program a semester or even a year ahead of their peers at home.
Special Education Needs
Horizon Academy does not provide diagnosis or treatment of students with learning disabilities. However, some parents do decide to enroll their children with special educational needs in spite of our policy, because of the other strengths of our all-encompassing behavior modification program. In these cases, we address each student’s academic needs individually, taking into account their academic history. In some situations, we may modify certain courses to allow the student to access foundation materials which he or she may have missed earlier in their education due to absences or other reasons. Other students may simply be encouraged to sign up for more individual attention from staff. In some cases, a student’s testing protocol may be altered to have additional time in which to take tests. Also, parents are given the option of securing private tutoring services for their child, as a premium service, either on an ongoing basis or for short-term assistance. Horizon Academy has arranged with an outside tutoring company to provide onsite services for these students, should the parents decide to address their child’s needs in this way. The tutoring company also offers small-group sessions in study skills, note-taking, test preparation, and remedial mathematics, English and functional literacy.
Horizon Academy Administration and Academic Staff
In accordance with the State of Nevada’s Department of Education’s licensing requirements for private school instructional staff, all of Horizon Academy’s teaching staff hold at least a four-year university degree.
The following is a list of our most senior administrative staff, and the members of our Academics Department.
James McKim Administrator, owner. James McKim brings a wealth of experience to Horizon Academy as a professional educator, administrator, owner and founder of Horizon Academy. Praised by students, parents and educators alike, James McKim has created a place where students can excel, often against all odds and expectations.
D. Jade Robinson and Cassie Robinson Program Directors. Email: jade@horizonacademy.net Jade and Cassie Robinson have extensive experience in specialty boarding schools in both staffing and management, in the United States and abroad. The Robinsons have devoted their lives to the betterment of youth and in helping them create strong and happy lives. Jade Robinson directs the day-to-day running of the school, as well as oversees all staff and students, as well as looking after the finances of the school. Cassie Robinson currently assists in the Character and Leadership component of the curriculum and is working towards her Masters Degree. Cassie Robinson’s email is cassie@horizonacademy.net .
Kristina St. Sauver Assistant Director. Email: kristina@horizonacademy.net Kristina St. Sauver is the Assistant Director of Horizon Academy and is involved in all day-to-day operations at the school. Kristina is responsible for the supervision of Shift Supervisors, Office Staff, and the smooth running of students’ progress through Horizon Academy’s character and leadership development program.
Lana McGlasson-Gitlin Principal. Email: lana@horizonacademy.net Lana McGlasson-Gitlin is the Principal of Horizon Academy and, in tandem with our Academic Coordinator and Registrar, Lew Gitlin, oversees the Academic staff as well as the formal education of Horizon Academy’s students. She has an extensive background in teaching and administration of private schools in Finland, France, and England, and has been a member of NAAS accreditation inspection teams for similar specialty boarding schools in Montana and South Carolina. With Horizon since 2006, Lana is working towards her Nevada teachers licensure and, subsequently, her M.A. in Educational Administration.
Academic Staff at Horizon Academy
The following is a comprehensive list of all staff specifically employed within the Academics Department of Horizon Academy. Currently we employ five teachers, three academic aides, and over 37 support staff to assist students in their schoolwork.
All staff of Horizon Academy, academics or otherwise, are required to hold Child Care Permit Sheriff’s cards in Nye County, as well as submitting to and passing a rigorous FBI background check as a condition of their employment.
Lana A. McGlasson-Gitlin (formerly Ann C. Milner-Phillips), Principal
M.A., University of London. Diploma, Teacher of English as a Foreign Language, Cambridge University, England. 8 years experience in teaching, administration and residential program management. Holder of State of Nevada Substitute Teacher license, 2009.
Lewis M. Gitlin, Academic Coordinator and Registrar B.A., New York University. Teacher of Math, Science and Videography at Horizon Academy, 2005-2007. Member, Nevada Broadcasters Hall of Fame.
Michael Wineski, Math and Science Teacher M.A., University of Nevada-Las Vegas. Choral Assistant for Clark County School District, teacher of Math and Science at Horizon Academy since 2007.
Lorett Guzman-Mills, English and History/Social Studies Teacher B.A., University of Tennessee. Teacher of English and History/Social Studies at Horizon Academy since 2008.
Joseph Mico-Monaco, Business and Finance Teacher B.S., LaSalle University. Teacher of Business, Finance and SAT/ACT Preparation Workshop at Horizon Academy since 2005.
The following individuals serve as Academic Aides at Horizon Academy. Their duties include:
Assisting students with clearing and opening tests and quizzes; responding to requests for paper, pens, calculators and other school supplies, checking out and turning in library books, organizing learning materials, seating students appropriately, investigating any disciplinary problems and issuing consequences; reporting equipment failures; setting up audio and video exercises; and other duties as necessary. All Academic Aides hold at least a high school diploma.
Academic Aide Staff
Ann Bartley
Carol Padilla
Tammy Waters
College Board Examinations
Students preparing for college are also eligible to take the national standardized tests of the SAT and the ACT, each of which we offer twice a year to students halfway through their junior year or beyond.
