Lynbrook hosted their ribbon cutting ceremony for the new Voyager Campus on Aug. 27. The campus, located near the tennis courts, replaced the 25-year-old buildings that previously housed the district-wide Voyager program for students requiring specific types of academic support. The new space includes several therapy, speech, behavior and multi-use classrooms, as well as an outdoor courtyard. With improved facilities, FUHSD will continue to support students across the district and improve their high school experience.
“I think it’s important for kids in a special education program to have a connection to a comprehensive high school,” FUHSD superintendent Graham Clark said. “Otherwise, they would be at the district office or some other off-site space, and then they feel very disconnected from the rest of the school population.”
The Voyager project is approaching its 26th anniversary. It was made possible in 1998 by the National Park Service Pilot, a state grant, to provide specialized student support for individuals with mental health and emotional challenges. Lynbrook is currently the central school at which the program is hosted in the district. The program is open to students from all FUHSD schools, but it also offers a few spots for students from other districts if available.
“We were already seeing a rise in needs before distance learning,” FUHSD Director of Educational and Special Services Nancy Sullivan said. “Afterwards, we had a spike in the need for students to re-engage with school, to get mental health services and support at school and to be able to access their academics.”
The district decided to construct a new facility for the Voyager program to provide a campus that, according to Sullivan, adapts to individual needs and creates a comfortable, safe and calm environment. Construction of the new building on the Lynbrook campus began in 2024.
“The focus is for our students to prepare for life after high school,” Sullivan said “There’s a big space with a lot of interesting, flexible seating. There’s also a mini kitchen and laundry area, so if people need to practice life skills, we can do that in that space as well.”
Voyager students receive one-on-one core education and supplemental therapy, speech and behavior classes. Class sizes vary depending on individualized needs, as well as the chance to take integrated classes on the main campus.
“This is a building I think will last for 50 years, and I think generations of students will enjoy it.” Clarke said.
