Author Topic: Ridge Creek "School" - Unpaid Staff and Resident Riot (Read 18731 times)

browneyes · « **Reply #30 on:** January 25, 2011, 09:44:36 PM »

I will believe it when I see it. I hope that they really do. I will look forward to reading that report.

goose · « **Reply #31 on:** January 25, 2011, 09:45:14 PM »

I also understand that Grimwood is now gone, or at least gave notice this afternoon.

browneyes · « **Reply #32 on:** January 25, 2011, 09:46:29 PM »

That I cannot confirm other than I know that he was there this past weekend.

browneyes · « **Reply #33 on:** January 25, 2011, 09:46:56 PM »

Maybe he is NOT getting paid either......

goose · « **Reply #34 on:** January 25, 2011, 09:49:09 PM »

Yes, I know he was there this weekend. I can not say if he was fired, resigned, or if there is any two week notice involved. The details I have at this time are only that it happened this afternoon. I am waiting to get more details about the when he is leaving, if he is not already gone.

Jill Ryan · « **Reply #35 on:** January 25, 2011, 09:56:16 PM »

Well, then who is minding the store?

goose · « **Reply #36 on:** January 25, 2011, 10:01:33 PM »

That part is unknown at this time. It might be anybody that is currently on staff, if there is any staff left. Anything has to be better then Grimwood.

browneyes · « **Reply #37 on:** January 25, 2011, 10:07:48 PM »

I AGREE

Dysfunction Junction · « **Reply #38 on:** January 26, 2011, 06:38:31 AM »

Quote from: "goose"

Browneyes,

When I contacted the papers about the roit I was told that they knew about the money problems at the school, but had not heard about the roit. I was told informed that the paper had checked with LCSO and confirmed and that a story was currently in the works, due out 1/26 edition. I guess we will see about that.

I spoke to the local reporter yesterday. They are on the story. How deep they will dig is anybody's guess. Mine is "not very deep."

Record requests from LCSO have been made and records will be pulled today or tomorrow. We will get to the bottom of it shortly. It helps to know the tricks the Little General uses to try to keep his secrets. Once you know the m.o. it basically sets you on the trail.

Jill Ryan · « **Reply #39 on:** January 26, 2011, 12:21:18 PM »

Quote from: "Dysfunction Junction"

RCS appears to be in severe financial trouble and losing control of the population at the facility. See below a letter reportedly from Chris Grimwood to RCS parents that was sent last week:

Quote from: "Chris Grimwood"
Dear Parents,

It is important that we take a minute this afternoon to update you on a situation that occurred this weekend.

We went into the weekend with an unfortunate position, where as a company we needed to delay providing our staff pay checks. We currently have over $150,000 in uncollected tuition, which in combination with the economy has placed us in a difficult situation. There are plans in place for staff to receive these checks this Thursday, the 20th. We continue to have a core staff dedicated to the work being done with your children and the execution of the mission and vision of Ridge Creek School. The students, through whatever means, became aware of this situation and orchestrated a plan to create chaos and disruption on campus at lunch on Sunday the 17th. 16 students, simply stated to staff, “F-you, there are 45 of us and 7 of you,” and proceeded to walk out of the lodge. Our shift leader notified me, who called in an additional 7 staff to campus. We are blessed at Ridge Creek School to have the number of staff who live on campus and locally as we do.

What originally started as a student walk out ended with four students being charged by the Lumpkin County Sheriff’s Office after having broken windows on campus. Many of the students involved quickly settled back into the program upon the arrival of additional staff and were found to be in more of a follower role. A staff meeting was held this morning in which the incident was reviewed an each student staffed. The students behind orchestrating the event are being dismissed from Ridge Creek School due to the severity of their actions, most of which were new students into Ridge Creek. Student safety continues to be our number one priority, and we will continue to make whatever decisions are necessary to ensure that your children remain safe and are provided the opportunity to be surrounded by positive students and given the ability to make good decisions.

On that note, I want to take a moment to recognize the 29 students who had no involvement in this incident. These students truly showed their true character in a time of need, during which they followed staff directions, were supportive of peers and worked to provide a calm in an otherwise chaotic situation. One tearful conversation that truly sticks out was between members of our basketball team, in which they were worried they would have to forfeit the season due to the actions of some of their players, during which other students volunteered to join the team “even though I am not that great,” to ensure that they are able to complete the season that they have worked so hard in. It is this character that is the true character of a Ridge Creek School student.

I am sure by this point all parents are wondering where their child fits into this incident. Those parents of involved students were all notified yesterday of their child’s involvement. For the remaining parents, however, I am certain that you will hear all about it from your child via email and during your call this week. The students were in the dormitory while this happened, and only have limited information as to the actual details. It is understandable that they will want to discuss the “excitement”, however it would be more beneficial to discuss what characteristic they used when faced with the decision to join in or not, and how they were supportive while this was occurring.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me, and I will do my best to respond within a timely manner.

Take care,

Chris Grimwood, MSW

Executive Director

Ridge Creek, Inc.

706-864-4730 x2206

This place appears to be coming apart at the seams.

I am really having a problem with this letter. For one, it doesn't make sense that Buccellato would ALLOW this letter out and sent to parents no less. Nothing leaves RCS without his approval, and this letter is absurd, poorly written, and beyond ridiculous - even for Grimwood. Now if Grimwood resigned, was attempting to tick Buccellato off and/or attempting to write a parody for Saturday Night Live, it would be understandable. If Grimwood sent it out, he surely would have been canned as it is an embarrassment to Buccellato and that would not be deemed acceptable. One would surely have to be inebriated to compose a fragmented letter such as this.

Dysfunction Junction · « **Reply #40 on:** January 26, 2011, 12:45:08 PM »

We need to get an original forwarded. It's the only way to verify. The bad writing, bad grammar and general mangling of the language doesn't surprise me at all however. I see this all the time from people far more educated than Grimwood.

DEE · « **Reply #41 on:** January 26, 2011, 01:41:24 PM »

This is all pretty bizarre and speculative. The date "Sunday the 17th", as others have noted, doesn't match up with January. It does match with last October, when is about the time the article describing "a mini-riot" at RCS appeared in the Dahlonega Nugget, and was quickly retracted from the on-line version. The letter which we are told was written by Chris Grimwood is also strange, to say the least. If he actually wrote this and sent it to parents, it's a good bet he'll be fired. Bucchi would never have approved such a letter going out. Far too revealing, and unprofessional; but then, what would you expect from a guy who bought his "graduate degree" for $89?

Dysfunction Junction · « **Reply #42 on:** January 26, 2011, 01:45:22 PM »

Quote from: "DEE"

This is all pretty bizarre and speculative. The date "Sunday the 17th", as others have noted, doesn't match up with January. It does match with last October, when is about the time the article describing "a mini-riot" at RCS appeared in the Dahlonega Nugget, and was quickly retracted from the on-line version. The letter which we are told was written by Chris Grimwood is also strange, to say the least. If he actually wrote this and sent it to parents, it's a good bet he'll be fired. Bucchi would never have approved such a letter going out. Far too revealing, and unprofessional; but then, what would you expect from a guy who bought his "graduate degree" for $89?

I am waiting for a copy with the full email header intact. I have spoken to two RCS contacts that both say they received this email last Monday, verbatim, including the time it was sent. Could I be getting short-stroked? Stranger things have happened.

Quote

cc Chris Grimwood <cgrimwood@ridgecreek.org>
date Mon, Jan 17, 2011 at 1:50 PM
subject Ridge Creek School

hide details Jan 17 (9 days ago)

FWIW, that's why the OP has the word "reportedly" in it. I'm not satisfied with the supporting documentation yet either. However, regardless of the time frame, this event or similar did happen at RCS. Take note that it also says that checks will be sent out on "Thursday the 20th," which was last Thursday, not in October.

Do you know anywhere where we can get a copy of that article? It isn't in the archives of the website.

DKincaidCFS · « **Reply #43 on:** January 26, 2011, 02:47:02 PM »

Quote from: "goose"

The problem is, Chris may be putting MSW behind his name on e-mails, the school only list him as the Executive Director, with no Alphabet soup behind his name.

Here's a snapshot of Chris Grimwood's phony credentials from the Ridge Creek website where they list him as an "MSW":

browneyes · « **Reply #44 on:** January 26, 2011, 02:54:56 PM »

take away the facial hair and that is him.

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