The ClearWater Team

Mr. Collins holds a M.Ed. in Special Education from Grand Canyon University, and an Ed.S. in Curriculum and Instruction from Lincoln Memorial University, and a B.S. Ed in Special Education from the University of West Georgia. He is certified in Special Education, both Adaptive and General Curriculum (K-12) in addition to Health and Physical Education, and has been teaching in special education since 2004. Having spent ten years in Fayette County schools, he was awarded Teacher of the Year in 2015-2016 by his colleagues at Whitewater High School. Tommy, his wife Ashley, and their two children love to spend time ministering to people with special needs and their families through Young Life’s Capernaum, Club 2.0, and their own ministry which serves adults with special needs. Tommy’s passion is teaching people with special needs, and he is excited to continue doing this with the ClearWater Academy family.

Mrs. Warrick holds an M.S. Ed. in exceptional education from Walden University, a B.A. in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University, and is also ESOL certified. She has over 19 years of experience in Exceptional Education. Before relocating to Fayette County, Mrs. Warrick was an Exceptional Student Educator with a background in Transition Services and Life Skills Coaching for high school-age students. Mrs. Warrick enjoys helping her students attain their full potential by becoming an active part of their community. Mrs. Warrick is excited to lead a great group of educators at CWA. “ClearWater Academy supports and fulfills a philosophy that I believe in. I knew the moment that I walked into the school that I wanted to be part of the team of wonderful educators and loving children.”

Ms. Harper came to ClearWater Academy with ten years experience in the Fayette County School System. The first seven years she spent as a Front Office/Clinic paraprofessional. The last three years she was a paraprofessional in a Kindergarten classroom. She was involved with the PTO and the Fayette County High School Band Boosters while her three wonderful children attended school. She received an Associate Degree in Marketing and Management from Lake Superior College in Duluth, Minnesota. Along with volunteering for the Special Olympics and Cancer Treatment Centers of America, Christine enjoys bowling and watching comedy. Christine loves the rewarding experience of being a part of helping students at ClearWater Academy develop their strengths.

Ms. O’Haver joined our team as the Financial Administrator in April 2018.  She was born and raised in Baltimore, Maryland, where she developed her skills as an Administrative Specialist.  In 1993 she moved to Georgia and began her career with AT&T where she filled several positions with the printer and publisher of the telephone directory.  She retired from AT&T in 2009.  She spent a few years as a caregiver before returning to work at a local company where she continued to build her knowledge base and improve her administrative skills.  Her philosophy is “Work smarter not harder,” and she uses her skills to improve processes when possible. She is a great support behind the scenes at CWA. Ms. O’Haver is an avid reader, and she loves being able to use her skills to support and serve at ClearWater Academy.

Ms. Mira is excited to join ClearWater Academy for her first year as a Teacher Assistant to help foster a positive and engaging learning environment. As she attended the Fayette County schools, she is excited to give back to the same community. She believes in the importance of building strong relationships with students and families, as collaboration is the key to success. Ms. Mira is committed to helping students reach their full potential through hands-on learning and personalized instruction. Mira is looking forward to cultivating a love for learning and encouraging critical thinking skills. She is eager to contribute to the vibrant community at ClearWater Academy and looking forward to a fantastic school year ahead.

Mrs. Nicholson graduated from Gordon State College with a Bachelor of Science in Early Childhood Education and Special Education. She is certified to teach on an Elementary Pk-5 in a General Education and Special Education Classroom. Mrs. Nicholson has been a part of the ClearWater family since 2020, and before that she worked as a Paraprofessional in 1st Grade and 5th Grade for the Fayette County School System where she had the opportunity to work with a variety of students with learning differences. She and her husband, Taylor, live in Tyrone and love serving at Flat Creek Baptist Church in the music ministry. Her goal, as a teacher, is to help the students feel included, independent, safe, and loved when they come to school. She plans to utilize her experience and education, as well as incorporate new techniques, to help further each student’s educational career and help them build confidence with their learning. Mrs. Nicholson is from Fayette County and is very excited about giving back by teaching in the beautiful community in which she grew up. She is elated to be a part of ClearWater Academy and to continue growing as a teacher.

Ms. Jamie is super excited for her new role in the ClearWater Academy family! She has a Bachelor of Arts degree in Early Childhood and Elementary Education as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Concordia, Montreal, Quebec. She has worked in the local public school system for the past six years as a substitute in both teacher and paraprofessional roles, at the elementary level.  She has worked mostly in the Exceptional Children’s Services program. Her favorite position has been at the Fayette Life Academy in the Thrive program. Ms. Jamie moved down from Canada in 2012 with her 4 daughters and has settled into Fayetteville, Georgia.  She is happy to have escaped the cold snowy winters of Canada and welcomes the super warm months and mild winters of Georgia.  Ms. Jamie is looking forward to this new journey and supporting the needs of the students at ClearWater Academy. She worked as a teaching assistant in the Lower School program for the past two years.

Mrs. Pierce joins the CWA family after many years of working with special needs students and families in the Coweta County area. She graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1982 with a BA in Sociology. and moved to Atlanta to attend Georgia State University where she earned her MA in Human Services / Gerontology Certificate. She married her husband, Nick, in 1987 and moved to Coweta County where she worked at Coweta County DFCS as an Adult Protective Services case manager. In 2004, the opportunity to enter the school system as a paraprofessional in a special needs Pre-K class sparked her interest to teach special needs students and have her own class. Mrs. Pierce retired from the Coweta County School System in 2019 after teaching special education. Most recently, Mrs. Pierce has provided ABA therapy to students with autism at a local autism centers in Newnan. Mrs. Pierce is thrilled to have the opportunity to join the CWA staff and continue to serve CWA students  and to encourage them to be the very best they can be!

Ms. Kristi, as she prefers to be called, has an associates degree in Early Childhood Education and spent many years teaching preschool until she started her family. She then devoted herself to her three children, volunteering frequently in their classrooms.  She spent the next six years working in the neighboring school system as a Special Education paraprofessional. This is where she realized her passion for working with students with special needs. She most recently worked at an Autism clinic. She is very excited about being a part of the ClearWater family.

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Ms. Hodges is thrilled to be entering her 5th year of teaching! Growing up, she spent each year in the PALS (Peer-Assisted Learning Strategies) club, where she built friendships and assisted in inclusion opportunities. After high school, she started working as a paraprofessional in various programs in both middle and elementary school. She graduated from Gordon State in 2021 and continued her career in Fayette County, first as a K-2 Adapted Curriculum teacher and later as a pre-K teacher in the SPROUT program. Year after year, she becomes more passionate about creating experiences to provide lifelong skills for students with disabilities. Ms. Hodges is looking forward to working alongside the staff at CWA who are actively doing just that, and she can’t wait to meet all of you!

Mrs. Dawson is excited to join the staff at Clearwater Academy in the upper grades and fully embraces the blend of academics, therapies, social emotional support, and teaching daily life skills. She holds a B.S. Ed in special education from Jacksonville State University, a M. Ed. in Special Education from Valdosta State University, and an Ed. S. in leadership from Lincoln Memorial University. She recently retired and has spent time teaching special education in both Fulton and Fayette County schools. Mrs. Dawson lives her husband, Kevin, in Peachtree City, Georgia. They have one daughter, Spencer, who lives in Birmingham, Alabama and works as a speech therapist. “Of all my experiences in education over my many years, my passion is teaching and working with students and their families to meet their needs and different learning styles!”

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Mrs. McSpadden, known to CWA as Ms. Angie, has spent over a decade learning and growing with the students and staff at ClearWater Academy. She holds a B.F.A. in Photography and Sculpting from Augusta State University and post Baccalaureate certification in Art (K-12) from the University of West Georgia. Ms. Angie holds an array of certifications from Child Psychotherapy and Play Therapy to Trauma Treatment for Kids, ArtWorks Therapeutic Art-making Intervention, Yoga, Pilates, Personal Training, and Vibrational Sound Therapy. She enjoys the dramatic art of improvisation, music-making, dance, creative movement, and is an accomplished photographer and multimedia artist. Ms. Angie believes art has the ability to open doors of thought, make interdisciplinary connections, and provide a forum to practice personal expression, as well as, having the power to educate, unify, build tolerance, communicate, entertain, inspire, and innovate. Ms. Angie’s love of art is inspired by a passion for nature, travel, and music that she shares with her husband, son and daughter.

Mrs. Stuart started her career in education as a kindergarten paraprofessional in Hartford Public Schools, Connecticut, where she worked for fifteen years before moving to Georgia. For eight years, she supported teachers in the Fayette County Public Schools with five years serving students as an Exceptional Children’s Services Collaborative Paraprofessional. She received an Associate of Arts in Liberal Arts from Capital Community College in Hartford, Connecticut. Her passion is growing her own vegetables! Mrs. Stuart is a member of the Peachtree City Community Garden where she serves as Registration Coordinator. She is married and has one daughter. Mrs. Stuart is excited for another year at CWA and cannot wait to greet the students.

Ms. Canby joined the ClearWater Academy team in 2020, bringing her love and passion for serving students with learning disabilities. Ms. Canby holds a B.S. in History from the University of Missouri. She is also a wife and mother of two daughters named Evan and Autumn ages 15 and 9. She has been a lead teacher and teaching assistant at the pre-school level working with students with varying learning differences.  She has also spent many years volunteering in her daughter’s elementary school working collaboratively with teachers.  After having kids, she soon discovered that working with children was her passion and she too is so excited to be a part of the CWA team.

Roberta J Haren has been an educator for over 39 years. She started at Bowling Green State University as a Music Therapy/Special Education major. In 1979, she married her husband, Brian, and began the life of an active-duty Army family. Her bachelor’s degree, from Methodist University in Fayetteville, North Carolina, was in Early Childhood Education.  Mrs. Haren attained her Master’s Degree in Mathematics from the University of Georgia as well as a Math and Gifted Endorsement.Along the way, she taught pre-school to middle school, in private schools and in DODDEA schools. Her experiences included regular education and special needs classrooms. In 2000, Mrs. Haren moved to Fayetteville, GA and she began teaching 5^th grade, working with diverse student groups. She retired from FCBOE in May 2021. Brian and Roberta are the proud parents of two young, professional women. But best of all, they have two beautiful granddaughters, Helen and Margot. In her free time, Roberta enjoys gardening, crafting (especially crochet and embroidery), camping, and loving her 3 rescue dogs.

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Mrs. Burns graduated from the University of Georgia with a Bachelors degree in Dance Education with a concentration in Choreography. She also attended graduate school at UGA in Exercise Physiology. After moving to Fayette County in 2002, she added Special Education to her certification. She has worked for the local school system as a special educator for the last twenty-one years. During the last eleven years, she held the title as LEA. She is a wife and mother of two grown sons and the grandmother to her pride and joy. Mrs Burns’ belief is that all children are worthy. She brings a positive attitude and is excited to be a part of the ClearWater Academy family.

Ms. Hayward holds a Masters of Arts in Teaching with a Concentration in Special Education from the University of West Georgia and a Bachelor of Arts in Communication Rhetoric and English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh. She has worked with the Fayette County School System’s Exceptional Children’s Services as a paraprofessional and teacher in their behavior programs at the elementary, middle, and high school levels.  Ms. Hayward and her husband are both proud U.S. Air Force veterans and have served at various bases throughout the United States and overseas. They moved to Peachtree City in 2015 and have one daughter who attends Clemson University.  In her spare time, Ms. Hayward enjoys traveling with her family, spending time with friends, reading, and exercising.  She is very excited to serve the students at ClearWater Academy and looks forward to building relationships with her students and their families.

Allison is so excited to join the CWA team! She recently retired from the Fayette County School System after 20 years in Special Education as a paraprofessional. She has 2 kids, Ashley and Allen. In July, her daughter and son-in-law, Grant, welcomed their first baby boy. Allison has loved her new role as a grandmother! She is thankful for the staff at CWA for being so welcoming and is looking forward to this year!

Stefanie moved here in 2018 from beautiful British Columbia, Canada. She and her husband have been married for 16 years and have two boys- Ashton (8th grade) and Kellen (6th grade). She is looking forward to building strong connections with both students and families, and making this year a great one for everyone. She is so excited for this new opportunity and can’t wait to meet all the students at CWA!

Ms. Butler is thrilled to be rejoining our ClearWater Family, where she previously served in the Lower School as a Teaching Assistant and After School Care coordinator. Martha received her BS in Psychology from Georgia Southern University and a Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education from Georgia State University. She is a retired educator from Fayette County Schools. After retiring, she spent 8 years working with Atlanta Counselling and Educational Consultants. Ms. Butler has two adult daughters and three granddaughters whom she has had the pleasure of homeschooling for the past five years, but she LOVES ClearWater and is excited to be back!

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Mrs. Miller graduated from the College of St. Catherine with a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and a Master of Arts in Occupational Therapy. Annette has been an OT since 2000 specializing in Sensory Processing Disorder and childhood development in clinic, home and school settings. Annette lives in Peachtree City with her husband and 4 children. Annette enjoys reading, travel, hiking and holistic healthy living.

Mrs. Bender graduated from Auburn University with a Bachelor of Science in Communication Disorders and from the University of Tennessee with a Master of Arts in Speech Language Pathology. She has over 20 years of experience and has worked in a variety of settings including a subacute care facility, private practice, and a hospital. Twenty of her years were spent working in elementary education in both private and public settings, including the Atlanta Speech School, Greenville County Public Schools, and Fayette County Public Schools where she spent the last ten years. Mrs. Bender lives in Peachtree City with her husband and their two children. She enjoys exercise, reading, spending time outdoors, and scuba diving with her family. 

CORRAL was formed in the fall of 1987 to provide therapeutic horseback riding facilities and instruction for the mentally and physically challenged. Operating out of the historic Sewell barn in Roscoe, CORRAL started in the spring of 1988. There have been continuous renovations of the barn to provide better facilities for the horses and the students. They look forward to future progress with the continued support of the community. CORRAL’s mission statement is, “To provide and promote equine-assisted learning for physically and/or mentally challenged individuals in a safe, loving and Christian environment by offering participants exposure to a sense of freedom and achievement while enjoying the outdoors.” As a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization, it has been CORRAL’s goal to provide its classes free of charge to all participants. They rely on funding from grants and private donations, as well their volunteer force, to achieve this goal. They are also able to receive individual designated donations through United Way. They are an Accredited PATH International riding center.

Ms. Hall, along with Libby, our new therapy dog, has been working with us since 2020.  Libby is a three-year-old English Labrador Retriever. She completed her training as a therapy dog in Spring of 2019 and is certified through the Alliance of Therapy Dogs. She is also qualified in The American Kennel Club (AKC) Canine Good Citizen and the AKC Therapy Dog Novice titles. As part of her training, Libby completed obedience classes, specialized therapy dog classes and visited medical facilities, libraries, and schools. Libby loves visiting people of all ages and especially enjoys listening to children read books to her! Libby visited ClearWater Academy several times before becoming a part of the family, and was very popular with the students and staff. She now looks to continue providing encouragement and motivation to the students at ClearWater Academy on a regular basis. Becky is a lifelong animal lover and former elementary school teacher and librarian. Her involvement in dog training grew in 2012 when she became involved with the Guide Dog Foundation for the Blind (GDF) as a Puppy Raiser. Becky continued working with the GDF as a Puppy Raiser through 2015, during which time she was excited to see the positive reactions the puppies received while training in public. This led her to become interested in raising a puppy to become a therapy dog. Shortly after her last GDF puppy graduated, Becky began training her own puppy, Libby, for therapy work. Now Becky is an assistant dog trainer and sometimes brings Libby with her to help in puppy classes, private lessons and to supervise puppy play dates.  Becky is excited to have the opportunity to bring Libby to ClearWater Academy each year, and continue bringing joy and encouragement to students and staff alike.

Shannon Adams, MA, MT-BC, LPMT, is happy to be a part of ClearWater Academy to provide music therapy sessions in the lower and middle grades.  As a board-certified music therapist, she worked for over 10 years in pediatric hospitals in Texas, Utah, and Georgia, including CHOA. She received her bachelor’s degree in Elementary Music Education from Brigham Young University and her master’s degree in Music Therapy from Texas Woman’s University. She really enjoyed teaching music in the public schools for a few years, but studying abroad earlier in a Romanian orphanage opened her eyes to the power music could have across languages and skill levels, and she couldn’t resist the eventual pull into music therapy, so she went back to school. She loves working with groups as well as one-on-one, and she looks forward to bringing a new therapy to the students at ClearWater. Her focus in the group setting varies session to session, but targets goals like socialization, impulse control, communication, and coordinated movement.  She is excited to make music with CWA students and get to know them! In addition to music therapy, she also teaches piano and organ lessons, helps out at her husband’s chiropractic office in Hampton, and volunteers with her church. She looks forward to meeting many of you throughout the year!