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. Tommy, his wife Ashley, and their two children love to spend time ministering to people with special needs and their families through the FishStix Ministry, Jesus Prom and their own ministry which serves adults with special needs. Tommy’s passion is working with people with special needs, and he is excited to continue doing this with the ClearWater Academy family.

Mrs. Warrick brings more than 23 years of experience in Exceptional Education to ClearWater Academy. She holds a Master of Science in Exceptional Education from Walden University, a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education from Florida Atlantic University, and is certified in ESOL and Adapted Curriculum for grades K–12. Throughout her career, Mrs. Warrick has worked with students with a wide range of learning needs, including high school students in Transition Services and Life Skills programs. She is passionate about helping students recognize their strengths, build independence, and develop the skills they need to become confident and active members of their communities. Mrs. Warrick is excited to work alongside a dedicated team of educators who share a commitment to helping every student grow academically, socially, and personally. She believes that every child has unique gifts and abilities, and she is honored to be part of a school community that celebrates those differences.

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.

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 with their two children. They both love serving at Flat Creek Baptist Church. 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 to be returning to ClearWater Academy and being a part of the 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. Ms. Jamie  worked in the public school sector of education prior to finding her place at ClearWater Academy.  Ms. Jamie moved down from Canada in 2012 with her 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 has 4 daughters.  Jamie’s two older girls are in College and the two younger girls are a Senior and a Junior in High School.   Ms. Jamie is looking forward to her second year of teaching and supporting the needs of the students at ClearWater Academy. 

Mrs. Pierce joined the CWA family after many years of working with special needs students/families in the Coweta County area. She graduated from Southeastern Louisiana University in 1982 with a BA in Sociology and attended Georgia State University where she earned her MA in Human Services / Gerontology. 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, she entered the school system as a paraprofessional in a special needs Pre-K class and this led her to teach special needs students and have her own class. Mrs. Pierce retired from the Coweta County School System in 2019. Most recently, Mrs. Pierce (Ms. Cici) provided ABA therapy to students with autism at a local autism center in Newnan. Mrs. Pierce is thrilled to have the opportunity to continue to serve CWA students and to encourage them to be the very best they can be!

Ms. Kristi is looking forward to beginning her fourth year at ClearWater Academy, and she couldn’t be more excited to welcome another group of students. She holds an Associate’s degree in Early Childhood Education and brings over a decade of experience in Special Education, several years in the public school system.  She also provided ABA therapy to children on the Autism spectrum, which helped her develop a patient and understanding approach to teaching.

Ms. Kristi truly enjoys getting to know each child and takes pride in building meaningful relationships with her students. She believes every child deserves encouragement and support which is tailored to their individual needs. At home in Sharpsburg, Ms. Kristi lives with her husband and their dog, and she is the proud mother of three grown children. Her experiences as a parent have deepened her appreciation for the importance of nurturing, patience, and celebrating each child’s unique strengths. She’s excited to share another year of learning, growth, and fun with her classroom family

Ms. Mira is thrilled to begin her second year as a Teacher Assistant at ClearWater Academy, where she is dedicated to creating a positive and engaging learning environment. Having attended Fayette County schools herself, she is passionate about giving back to the community that shaped her. Ms. Mira values strong relationships with students and families, believing that collaboration is essential for success. She is committed to supporting students in reaching their full potential through hands-on learning and personalized instruction. Ms. Mira looks forward to inspiring a love of learning and fostering critical thinking skills in her students. She is eager to contribute to the vibrant ClearWater Academy community and anticipates an exciting school year ahead. Additionally, Ms. Mira will begin pursuing her degree in Human Development at Southern Technical College this spring.

Mrs. McSpadden, known to CWA as Ms. Angie, is entering her 17th year 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 improv, 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, 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. Strozier is thrilled to be entering her 6th 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. Mrs. Strozier loves working alongside her CWA family! 

Mrs. Dawson 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 with her husband, Kevin, in Peachtree City, Georgia. They have one daughter, Spencer, who lives in Birmingham, Alabama and works as a speech therapist. “What a joy it is to be able to teach students, work with families, and be a part of this great team here at ClearWater!”

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, and in the summer she works on the farm at Camp Southern Ground. She is married and has one daughter. Mrs. Stuart is excited to start her ninth 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 22 and 16. She has been a lead teacher and teaching assistant at the preschool level, working with students with varying learning differences. She has also spent many years volunteering in her daughters’ elementary school, working collaboratively with teachers. While volunteering, she discovered that working with children was her passion. She is looking forward to another amazing year at CWA.

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.

Allison is so excited to go into her second year at CWA! 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. Allison is loving her new role as a grandmother! She is looking forward to another great year at ClearWater!

Stefanie moved here in 2018 from beautiful British Columbia, Canada. This is her second year at CWA, and she feels very fortunate to be a part of such a wonderful school community. She truly enjoys working with CWA students and getting to know each of their unique personalities, strengths and abilities. Her goal as a Teacher's Assistant is to provide encouragement, patience, and support while helping students build confidence, independence and a sense of accomplishment. She loves celebrating the little successes along the way and being a part of each student's growth.

Mrs. Vickery is excited to return to CWA this year. She has a B.S. in Special Education from Union University and taught middle school special education in Memphis, TN before staying home to raise her children. Before working at Clearwater, she subbed in special education for Fayette County Schools. Bethany and her husband John are from Tennessee but have lived in the Peachtree City area for 14 years. They have two children, Jack & Claire, and one spunky golden retriever, Dolly Pawton. In her free time Mrs. Vickery enjoys traveling, spending time with her family, being involved in Southside Church, and volunteering with the Fayette Animal Shelter. She is looking forward to working with all of the wonderful staff & students at Clearwater this year.

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. 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.

Rita Collins and Ava have happily been a part of Clearwater’s Dog Therapy program since 2023. Ava is an eight year old Shitzu who was certified with the Alliance of Therapy Dogs in 2020. Ava completed obedience training & we also volunteer with R.E.A.D. program that helps children improve their reading skills with Ava calmly listening while the children read & give her belly rubs. We love to end our time with students by Ava performing a few tricks for treats. Ava loves riding around Tyrone on our golf cart, long walks at the park and watching any four-legged animal on TV! We have visited several libraries, colleges, and schools since 2020. On our ClearWater days, I ask Ava if she wants to go read with kids, and she jumps up and runs to the door “ready to go READ.” Our Clearwater kids make our visits fun and fulfilling.

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!