Fulshear Ranch Academy

Fulshear Ranch Academy is located in Nedville, Texas and is part of the Inner Change programs.  This is a beautiful country side residental program for girls. just miles from Sugarland, Texas not too far from Houston.  I toured the program in July to visit this unique all girls program for ages 18-24.  My tour was arrnaged by Ari of Innerchange and coordinated with the marketing director,  Irene Kotter and great staff and director of the program Dr. Gayle Jensen-Savoie PhD.  I intially meet in Irene in Sugarland and drive to the Phase III part of the program where students were actually begining the transition program and has a early breakfast with the girls.  The program actually from this viewpoint was moved backwards to understand the other phases at Fulshear.  We met with the psychologist, in Phase III and the program supervisor. We travled a brief distance to see the girls residence.

The setting is very home like and all the girls share in this setting.  At Phase II there are cottages for living on the property, very similar but also very well organized and scheduled.  The activities for the young women is more structured in Phase I and II.   In Phase III of the program the girsl are workiing toward independence, maintaning jobs or attending school.  My morning meeting with the girls involved speaking to them about the reason for coming to Fulshear?  Most of the girls, has significant challenges in the home setting, before coming to Fulshear including: conflict with parents, challenges with using substances, or difficulty with emotional control in the home setting and very often not having goals.  Each of the girls were very articulate about being at Fulshre and understood the nature of their behavioral challenges before and in the program.  All of the therapist were supportive of the girls and understood those challenge.   We met with Jeff Burgoet, and Kimmie Earley both clinical staff ata the program and discussed in detail the typical girl enrolled at Fulshear. 

When the girls openly discussed their challenges in being in the program, it was clear some has adjusted very well, and others had just entered the program having started new goals. One gial has been in the program previously and told me " she was happy the program invited her back becaqsue most program would not accept a student a second time.   She describes "it was her last chance" after her past in stealing , lying and past substance abuse in the home.  She expressed with deep regret many of the challenges she was facing even talking to her parents, which was helped by her therapist in the program. She admits to having limited control of this behavior in general and needed a more structured enviroment.

As we visited and toured the living apartment shared by the girls we also talked about how living independently was important for their lives.    The program is designed to empower young women toward healthy independent lives.    We discussed some of the challenges girls and young women are facing today, many of the girls had suffered from anxiety, eating disorders, interpersonal conflicts at home, emotional instability, sexual abuse  among other emotional challenges which they can traace back to living at home.

During our visit we had a early breakfast with staff and discussed, the other parts of the Phase I and Phase II of the program.   Phase I begins with basic skills and intensive therapy.  The girls are taught how to plan and cook their own meals,  they are  taught relationship skills, working on peronal prujects, communication skiils, chores as well as responsiblity.  In this phase the mission is clear to allow the gilrs to be more responsible, and to carry out task.  Thre are several therapist on site to work through this process with the girls, hlping them to problem solve and to make decisions on their own .   This phase ic critical to their understanding how to be responsible and developing trust.  In the second phase the girls move toward semi independence, sharing their learned skills from Phase I and also in both phases, equine therapy is implemented.

The program has a professionaly equine therapist working with the girls.  The program is certified and it has several areas where the hores are cared for by the girls.  Equine Therapy is very sucessful for the girls in this age group.  It provides the opportunity for the girls to understnd the connection between caring for the animals and developing trust.   The approach is helpful in all phases of the program.

Academcially, the perogam is individualized for each of the girls.  Most have either dropped out of school or simply not completed course even at the junior college level.  We discussed this with Kandace Nasis,  BA who is head of the Academic Program.  She describes the program as very individualized "working with the girls where they current at academically".  There appears both vocational opportunities and skill development in the program.  Other activies include: exercise and meditation, recreational therapy, field trips, and even frienship dates.  There is a "Rose Cermony" for each of the girls as they pass from one phase of the program to the next.  The cermoney is a very big event for the girls, and while, I was unable to see the entire cermoney, the preparation for the event alone was filled with anticipation.

 I spent at leat two hours speaking to all the clinical staff about the program, the the key to the scuess of the program, appears it well thought out design by the entire team.  The staff includes a a psychiatrist, who visits weekly, and sehedule medical appointment to handle all the need of the girls outside the therapy schedule.  The girls are taught to make their own appointments, to do follow up and to maintina this healthy life-style both at Fulshear and after leaving.   Teh program is located in Nedville Texas.   The focus is on a "bridge to adulthood".  We believe this is an excellent program for young adult girls.  The holistic model is wonderful, and allows the girls to work on a self care management model.

A student who is fqcing challenges with independence, needing direction and support, would find this to be an excellent program for this age group.    As a transition program from wilderness or another therapeutic school, it miight also work for a student not yet ready to return home.   While the need to teach independent living skills is a very important part, assessing these areas is also critical for an educaional consulant.  We have a specific assessment for this purpose and this can be a useful tool in helping those in the admission department.

Admission to Fulshear is a rolling admission policy with guidelines foer admission based on the student IQ  and current challenges.  Current IQ must be at least 90.  As a consultant working with girls  and families in this age group, assessing th complexity of their psychiatric conditions is needed with testing in many cases.  A girl with a life threating siutations, is probably not a good fit until some assessment has been done.

Tuition is just above $7,000 (seven thousand dollars per month) and a registration cost added to this cost.  This does not include: clothing but it does cover housing, meals, tuition for some academic work, not for the cost for atteding college.  Parents will find the program nuturing and supportive.  The single gender transition program works very well with the girls.  The program is very well supervised by the clincial staff and the supervision in the living areas. 

Most students must maintain an IQ above 90 to be in the program.  A girl who maintains chronic challegnes both socially and emotionally would be a good fit for Fulshear.   The staff student ratio is 8:1 licenced recovery specialist work with the girls on addiction issues.   There is college entry and support in the program and also career planning and development.  There are horses, a stable and corral on campus, along with a swimming pool and a welath of activities for doing volunteer work in the community.   Fulshear is the "right program for the right girl".

Oxbow Academy

Oxbow Academy is a residental treatment program for boys `suffering from sexual abuse or sexaul misconduct. The school located in Wales Utah not far from the capital St Lake City, My tour was in the morning. Steve Shultz was gracious to get me to the programs which included Discovery Ranch. Discovery Academy and Oxbow. I have heard a lot about thess programs and their sucess by consultants but needed to see the programs for myself. The sucess of the program can be described by its sucess working with families with specfic needs, in this case addressing the student as a whole person with sexual issues.

The Admisssion Director, Erin Nester, is very familar working with adolescents in this population, having worked in similar settings in the past. Mr. Richard Hess, psychologist, and primary therapist Todd Spaulding are also familar with this type of student. We have meet several times during the year at various worshops and meeting with consultants to discuss the strong components of the program at Oxbow.
We met this occasion to discuss the overall program including it being a placement option for consultants. Oxbow by far is one of the best programs for sexual addiction and abuse for young adolecents. I have toured other program and found there are two program which are far reaching for this population which includes Birdseye Ranch and Stevenson.

The other two programs, one which I have toured and the other spoken to the Director of the Program extensively, have different size and structure to the program. I have toured several other program but this are of working with children and adolescents is very different. Depending on the size and structure of the program one would say this program has a good fit as well.
This carefully designed program is described by Steven Shultz, as a program designed by the staff which includes: Discovery Ranch and Discovery Academy which have a very different models for each program, at Oxbow "all clinical staff were involved in the development of the entire program".

The program is carefully researched based, using the most current methods of research and working with children and adolescents with this population. The workbook used in the program is designed for the population and exercies and assignments are part of the program.\
An intergral coonection with program is parents too, with extensive researched based intervention with families and interventions which help parents recognize their own behavior in the home. With these types of students having this in place makes the familiy more connected.
Many parents are very non disclosing of their own contribution to their past in dealing with children's behavior, ( viewing of pornography, sexual stimulation movies in the home and observing sexual behavior of adults is ofte minimized in a home setting or go unrecognized at times.

We meet in the conference center to review the program components including the assessement part and how the program works and this was followed by a tour of the facility director Ms. Erin Nester. She showed me the living quarters as well as a typical day for students at Oxbow. The schedule is very intense and not one student is left alone. The clincial staff as well as the students also do peer modeling to recognize the students in this setting.

All staff are very familar with the need of these boys who's age range from 12-17 years of age to be supervised and to be monitored by staff is an example of who different this program is from other therapeutic schools or programs.

The program was actually developed using the very best ways to detect sexual misconduct, using polygraphs for students, with very well documented psychological reports, and therapy.

In fact, all the students receive a poloygraph and a complete psychological evaluation. I really wanted to speak directly to the student but they were in a group therapy session at the time of my visit. A few other consultant were ahead of me on the tour earlier, so my review of the program was made with the director and her staff.

The program addressed students who have issues with gender idenfification as well as those who have sexual disorders common in adolescents. The common sexual behaviors of children in the age group treated at Oxbow might include: addictio to pornography, mastribation contributed to stimulation of viewing sexual material, implusive behavior often associated with sexual stimulation or arrousal.

While many of the students are exceptionally gifted, they also need much direction and support and therapy. A comprehensive 90 day assessment includes both a polygraph and psychological assessment performed by the psychologist.A written statement or committment by the student along with goals are also discussed upon entering the program.
I reviewed the assessment used at the program, and was very impressed by the confidentality of the assessment, is overall application in helping these students and the information which is shared with the parent and the consultant.

The students are typically supervised 24 hrs a day in the program by staff for safety and to protect other students. While they live together is a close living enviroment they are encouraged to seek out staff and to work as a family. The safety in therapy is very comforting and any issues which are shared are held in the group and among staff.

The program actually protects many of the students from engaging in sexual behavior in the treatment, using positive peer culture. The program is also uniquely designed to help a small group of boys, than more traditional residental programs, with a larger number of boys. This is not simply warehouse program for these students and moninter their behavior and consequences, are not punitive, and dealt with therapeutically.The program helps parents and students in the process of identifying those behavior which are triggers for the parents.

While is definately has an approach to helping students, it also allows them to be more expressive with art therapy and an strong equine therapy program. The housing is in a coverted church building not far from St. Lake City. It is a one story building with a limit of 12 students in the program. We discussed the admission process with the director and staff.

The type of student most common to come to Oxbow Academy, has a typical profile of engaging in sexual behavior, which might be considered, inappopriate to their age group or even to others in a social context. While having siginificant social interaction implications, many students with identified sexual disorders, are classifed in the DSM-IV.

Most of the schools students are referred by Educational Consultants, and have a varied diagnostic grouping when I addressed the common Axis I and II of students attending Oxbow.This is a very specialized area of practice for most consultants who work with special needs placement. Therefore this type of student most commonly needs supervision and monitering as well as peer confrontations.

A significant sexual acting out behavior may be observed before admission but this behavior has gone on for some time. Many students would even had convictions for this behavior and many would be treated in an acute care psychiatic hospital and sometimes not with other adolsecents with similar challenges.

Many therapeutic school programming would be significantly different in size and in supervision but this program must be well supervised.

Students typically engaged in inapproptiate acting out sexual behavior: voyerism, exhibitionist, or mastribution are commonly seen in the program and prior to entering the program. There are monitered camera's in this housing unit and living areas of the house.
The boys ranging in age 13 -17 years of age, from all over the country. Due to our short time, we did not get an opportunity to speak to the students, however the staff provided much insight into the routine and progress of student and the families. Parents have ongoing opportunites to meet with clinicans to address their child's problems, as well as an extensive assessment completed both at the admission and discharge. The program has a 30 day assessment, which include: a complete psychosocial identifying the clinical diagnosis of the students.


Many parents who send their children to a program like Oxbow may find, the severity of their child's sexaul acting out may not meet the admission requirement, determined by the online assessment and interview.

Sexual pre occupation, pornography interest, are just a few of the addictive behaviors discussed at Oxbow. Sexual gratification, violation of others are common among students in this setting.

The program offers educational and therapeutic groups, which are very unique. The peer culture i s often used to addres these needs for students. Mooning and obcene gentures are also very common for student in this program. While the program is designed to help these students by carefully monitering their behavior clinicans are actively involved in helping them.

Red Flag behaviors are often dealt with in a group setting and other students generaly adddress the students rather than other staff. Much of the program also provides wrkbook exercises with both parents and students. Parents must be committed for the first 90 days and students are fully engaged in activities including: art therapy, academic remediation and help to address their school needs.

The clinical use of a polygraph to hold students and the family accountable to the behavior which sometimes is clearly masked in other treatment programs. Sexual acting out behviaor has some restrictions but not shame. The program has 11 clinical and administrative staff members. students are engaged in equine therapy as well as music and expressive arts.

All of the rooms of the dorms are supervised 24 hours a day by rotation staff on campus. Most staff do not live on campus, and come to the program. Erin says: " all of the boys know us and we know them". Confidentality plays a significant role in this program and all information must be held in confidence with parents and with staff. The dorms were very clean organized and most of the boys lived on a divided part of the house.

There is a 30 day supply of medication and a registered nurse to moniter the students. Many of the student have a range of Axis I and II diagnosis ranging from bi polar to depressive disorders. The monitering of the medication is performed by the staff nurse, who moniters all aspects of the students medication schedule, or weather termination can be determined by the staff physican.

We found the program to be very comfortable. We have visited another program in New England and his program seem much more connected in helping both the families and students.Academically most of these boys are very bright. It is very difficult to determine whether the program is for sexual offenders or victims.

There are no televisions not computer no electronic dreviaces at the school. There are no medical stimulation on campus but student do have the opportunity to discuss this when passes are provided after entering the program. Parents are likely to be helped in addressing this areas on home visits.

The program has significant strong points for consultants. While there is a small area for the program, it does have a good feel and it is equally connection with Discovery Academy. Students might be involved in or move from one program using the therapy services of other programs, without must notice of transition.

A consultant working with special needs are likely to see much progress for students interacting with their peers, not being resticted in a completely restricted residental program. There is more openess and less restrictiveness at Oxbow. A greater sense of openess, a very good connectiveness to families and certainly a very knowledgeable staff on working with children in this category.

We would recommend Oxbow for any therapist or consultant. Follow up by a consultant is certainly more desired. This program needs a consultant follow up for any boy entering or leaving the program and tranisitioning to a different therapeutic setting.

Buxton School

Buxton School is a co educational boarding school located in Williamstown, Massachusetts. This is a smaller boarding school, which has internationally recognition for curriculum by consultants. I regularly received the Arts at Buxton newlettter yesteday with information to keep me updated on the school. My touring was about six years ago, however, I do keep in contact with the school from time to time. At the time of tour, Buxton continued to have a good reputiation for being a very good college preparatory small boarding school. The school has a very non traditional approach focusing on both arts and developing individual learning. Student's do have the traditional "Harkness Table in classes, but the motivational level of student's at Buxton is with emphasis on developing types of learning than just collecting data in the traditional learning curve.

My first impression of Buxton was very good. It is a very nuturing school where student and staff can learn differently and still use their talents in a college preparatory program. Even after my tour we placed a student. We found many students returning to Buxton to teach or to mentor other students which is a great sign of sucess.

While many of the past students includingL Dina Jacir are now on the faculty, it is clear the school has had some impact on many students lives.The tour which was back 2004, years after my placement, was with several consultants who had been in practice.

It remains very tailored to student body looking for a small boarding college prepartory program, and its very intimate. Student do know one another and faculty has a good idea what they are doing too! The school has a very long history dating back to the 1700's, priding itself in having a very sucessful college preparatory program, While the school is a very liberal arts focused school some students studying enviromental science would also do well at Buxton.

Many of the students attending Buxton seem to lead a path in media and television as well as theatre and performing and performing arts. The school has a average of 120 or more students during the fall or winter term with sometimes a reported 200 students at maximum.

The fall is the beginng of the school year, with several vacations on holidays taken throughout the year. There is really no summer program at Buxton so this would not be a school to offer summer boarding. The campus is just down the street from Williamstown College, which has a good reputation as a liberal arts school. Williamstown is a very small New England town which has a history with Buxton over 75 years ago. Buxton has very family large kitchen used by students for cooking in a famly style setting. We met in the dinning hall with all the faculty on our tour with other consultants at the time of our visit. We found the school very warm and nuturing.

Buxton has a very nuturing and supportive enviroment for students to achieve sucess. Meals are served in a open dinning room and student do cook meals similarly to the type of enviroment of living with families. There are regular bed checks by staff, with some supervision in the dorms. This seems to be a perfect match for a student to feel comfortable in sharing with faculty as well. Many of the faculty live on campus, and get to know the students quite well.

Most of the students at Buxton are from New York, New Jersey as well as the surrounding New England area. There are work expectations on weekends but student having privelleges do leave campus for town. Buxton thrives on having students of varied ethnic backgrounds, from varied socio-economic and diverse cultural backgrounds, and countries.

Thirty five percent of the students are students of color and fourteen percent are international students. The national average of student on the SAT are indicated on its web site, but there is really no indication of the SAT needed for Buxton. Most student must submit a written essay and transcripts and the SSAT is required.

There is a 1 to 5 student to faculty ratio, so its impossible for staff not to know the students. Classroom size is about 9. We found even smaller classes at Buxton on our tour, with individual instruction in art and theatre.

Some of the noteable alumi at Buxton include: Peter Shummline, Christian Parenti, Journalist and Writer, Phillip Rickey. Sculpor, Frank Wood. Actor . and Marco Williams, Documentary Film Maker. Parents interested in their child attendng a school might be liberal in thinking, but certainly, the student should have well formed ideas about developing meaningful relationships. Buston has a good admission staff, with extra curricular activities.


We worked with a great family a few years ago, looking for a school like Buxton was not hard to find. We believed at the time Buxton as a great fit for the this particular family. The student was having less sucess in a public school, had good leadership ability and attending Buxton was a great opportunity for learning and use of those skills in a unique learning enviroment. We found some of the challenges at the school, for our student, were not engaging in activities or sometimes failing to discuss concerns with faculty or even to move in the direction to increase their interaction with this nuturing small baording school throuthout the semester.

While we believe the student did take some initative, they also did not find their nitch until after the parents concerns were addressed to the consultant. The student was actually not very actively involved with other students, which was problematic of his placement. Buxton, provided the learning enviroment but sometimes, students simply face challenges, much later in the placement which are less problematic or even identified by the consultant or the family. We believe the parents were terrific, but sometimes kids just get stuck in a rut and just don't move until they decide to do things themselves.

A student who is really for free thinking student, might do very well at Buxton, but not having a grading system which is tradition in other schools, might present a challenge for parents. It was difficult for our family to review his progress simply because the student was not informing teachers of his work or sometimes completing work and asking for credit later.

Parents almost always expect some notification from schools about grades, these days. Not having this until the end term was a challenge for any family looking for grades from this school. This loophole, provided this particular student with the opportunity to not take personal responsibility for soem of their work, sometimes blaming the school for his neglect. We realized many students not coming from a boarding school, are not use to being accoutable for their grades. This is usually left up to the parents. This freedom in learning might have also been better with an online grading system, than a narrative report, which was difficult for parents to understand. The schools mission is to develop this type of individual thinking rather than holding parents othe task of accountability.

A student placed at Buxton would be taking college level courses, and in college the expectation is to do the work without much prodding. The curriculum and the grading system are not traditional it is based on a college level direction which students have to be responsible for their own sucess. There is a personal invite each year to the school, which lets the student know they can either be accepted at Buxton or denied. This grading system is not fully explained on the web site, and I had to call to discuss this more in detail with the headmaster.

It might have been better to provide example for parents, during their orientation or tour, enough to explain how grading is performed by faculty. However there also need to be a more clear description on the web site to explain why this grading system is implemented.
In transfering to another private school, our student was accepted at a good private school, but the grading system still left the admission office very unclear about the value of this grading system.

The web site does tell of the grading system, but few parents would understand this coming from a traditional school or public school. In public school grades are not on line and there is daily and even semester to semster grades kept on students.

We asked the admission department several times about grades and we were unable to get the grades, without consent by the parent after sending our agreement to the school before admission of student. This was one issue including the activities, which were clearly not always clear to families.There were however, clearly planned activities and events on campus. We found after calling the school very organized trips to Washington DC and even a graduation party given by a parent.

Our student had good sucess in the off campus activities, took some leadership role in activities but needed more structured activities, and this probably would be very much needed for a student coming to Buxton from another part of the country. A student is active, need ongoing activities, and this needs to be improved at Buxton. While we did determine a student who did not initate interest in an activities might be very challenges too! Buxton, is simply a school for some students who have leadership ability. Because there is no hand-holding for these students. A student must initate the process of learning themselves at Buxton.

Many of the activities on campus included: biking, capoeira, chamber music, chorus, dance, drumming and percussion, horsebackriding, photography, snowboarding, skiing and studio art. Team activities included basketball, track and field, soccer and ultimate frisbee. We found on our tour, great students who seem more interested in the arts and community service. The average tuition at Buxton

Buxton accepts a standarized application with SSAT required for admission with an interview and essay required by the student. The Admission Director is Annie Shuker Haines, is a good Admission Director with a good staff who spend a significant amount of time marketing the school. Margo and Annie are also on staff at the school, and both have been helpful to families. We did find on the financial aid part at Buxton, our parents received regular statements of cost for activities monthly but without some explaination.

Many of the schools charges were not fully explained in detail, and I did find myself calling the school to speak to everyone from the headmaster to the admission to the financial aid department. Many parents were also challenged by the financial statements sent by the financial aid office. While we do have a good relationship with the school, this did present a problem for our parents.

The student we placed at Buxton is now in a public school, and while we spent a significant amount of time working on helping this student, the concern we had was Buxton perhaps liberal in the curriculum. We had difficulty getting transcripts for the family, we had holds placed on grades, when we had requested the grades, not knowing whether the family was up to date in their financial agreement. When we found out they had paid for the school and the amount owing was relatively small, the school insisted payment in full on the account, which made the family uncomfortable in addressing the financial piece with the consultant.

While our tour was very impressive initally, and certainly the school did much to help in coordinating a tour, having lunch on the campus, and explaining the admission processs, there were gaps in the communication with the family and the school. One example: is when the student had not been attending classes the parent were not informed, nor was the consultant. Record keeping of attendance was not based on a attendance book. The student assignments seemed to be unclear, when communication was needed with family which made it difficult for the consultant to obtain this information.

While my belief is Buxton still has a good school, there is clearly some challenges with the communication of departments. Annie was great in getting information completed in the admission process, however we simply did not know if there was any significant challenges in our student until we finally received a call from the parents.

My impression of Buxton, has been mixed. My thoughts are we do need to have greater communication with families. The school is very non traditional in the dress code, but the school has great community services. Fees are high and there clearly needs to be better communication between the consultant and family. We believe, student activities need to be more clearly explained to families at orientation. This simply because, the additional cost which is added to tuition might not seem very cost effective with parents who do not anticiapate this in the tuition. This can be very surprizing to some families and our experience, could be more explained.

Buxton has a great parent committee, and parent are involved with students and alumni. A student which might be a good fit for Buxton, must have the ability to work independently, be creative, focused, not easily distracted, willing to take the challenge of a college preparatory program, have good writing skills, looking for a liberal art college, have interest in theatre or the arts, have a direct link in wanting to learn the arts.

A student in creative arts or theatre might do well since Buxton is clearly interested in the arts or even performing arts. Many of its graduates are now working in the arts, and the maticulation to other colleges seem very good with a large number of student attending very good art progams.

The Oliverian School

The Oliverian School is a college preparatory boarding and day school located in Haverill, New Hampshire. This past week, we visited the school and meet with the Director of Admission and Headmaster Emeritus, Barclay Mac Kinnon Jr, who has always been a part of the schools ongoing development.

Barclay spoke to me, as well as other consultants, on the tour, about the mission and the extensive development growth of the school over the past 10 years. There has been several changes which have occured, including: finding the construction of several new building in the staff with the addition of the admisions director, Carl Lovejoy is the current admissions director, replacing Barclay, who was performing both roles as headmaster and admissions director.

Carl has been in the industry for some time and as excellent knowledge of traditional boarding schools working in familiar schools in New England. He brings to the schools the very missing piece for the curriculm and a wealth of knowledge having worked at several boarding schools and having a good knowledge of day and boarding schools.

Barclay is now Emeritus headmaster moving his position to an honorable position, than direct headmaster. While he admits, " its taken some time to know mission of the school", he also acknowledges his role the made changes from being a therapeutic school to a college prepatory program. This change has taken time, and much decidication, based on their student population and the feedback from consultant and parents.

Many boarding schools are located in New Hampshire, having college preparatory program, however Oliverian is unique in its "pedalogy". The mission, similar to other college prepf schools has a curriculum matching these schools, but its student's are sometimes more academically challenged. The very practical learning focused on life science and experimentation, its clearly a school for a student who is wanting to experience life skills application, but its focus is on college preparatory admission.

The nature beauty of the school is cascade by its very lovely enviroment, which is green friendly and shares with students how to care for others, besides themselves. This experience includes: a creamery, livestock for caring for and a extensive horticulture program.

Staff at Oliverian are very enviromentally friendly too! The most interesting piece in the school mission, is its ability to challenge students grades 9 through 12 and will accept students in upper grades. A traditional boarding school would not allow admission in the 12th grade in general. This not the case for Oliverian.

The school offers snow skiing, snow boarding, and typical winter sports, while offering different activities in the summer like softball and soccer. Students come from all over the world. There are student from the states, at least 20 different states are included. These students may be underachievers, or they might be middle or moderately underachievers. The more capable of achieving in the school the more sucessful the student might be.

The enviromental science for example is a learning lab. We might consider these students otherwise not be admitted at traditional boarding school, but probably in a therapeutic school placement.

The curriculum is similar to a traditional boarding school, but there are not the pressure of having a regular boarding school. The program offfers sucess but under different circumstances. The residental treatment program component is not really noticeable, becaue it looks like a therapeutic school and not a boarding school.

Several consultants including myself met with the school last week to hear about the changes at Oliverian. During our fourth day of touring several school in Massachuttes, Vermont, and New Hampshire were also involved in the tour. Consultants from Canada. Washington DC and Bermuda, Massachutes, and Vermont were in attendance.


We had a very nice lunch after touring several of the new contruction ares of the campus, The campus renovations included: the fine arts building, the girls housing, the boys housing the library, along with the housing for staff located in over 1,400 acres of land with a natural pond used for ice skating in the winter and swimming in the summer. The program also has a summer program with less the amount of students.


The maticulation to colleges at Oliveran seem very sucessful with many going on to local colleges after Oliverian. The faculty provides direction for students in college admissions helping all students find direction in testing, having AP courses as well as tutoring. We had lunch with all the staff and they answered all of our questions regarding the sucess and challenges of the school. The school does have a very academic center, art and music studio, organic gardens, forestry barn and horse stable, including a riding area. The counseling and fitness center is also an addition to the program. The school has a live stock barn with many animals used by the school.


This type of approach to learning is a perfect fit for students both a residental treatment and therapeutic boarding school setting. The school also has a academic preparness which is helpful. A creamary is on campus where they produce dairy products, and teach recycling, as well as enviroment science. the admission office is at the front of the housing and classroom areas.

"Our goals of the program is to teach individual skills for independence, "not baby sitting", according to the new admissions director, Carl Lovejoy. The Center for School Sucess is a model used at Oliverian to help move them to sucess. Individuals hired by the school are specifically choosen based on their capability to carry out the missin of the school as well as the model of the Center for School Sucess, adopted by Darmouth College, which is directed to helping student achieve sucess.

We found. while there are certainly no perfect students at Oliverian. Many students do come from wilderness progams before coming to Oliverian. The school is less restrictive in rules and expectations are simply to help student achieve sucess and being responsible. Barclays says: " if a student does not want to be here, they can leave". "We do not believe in making kids come to here, nor do we want them here if they don't want to be here". At Oliverian, we simply want our students to want to be here". The most interesting part of coming to Oliverian is their sucess rate. The campus is absoutely beautiful, simple natural, very much like living in a home setting, but very nuturing, to students.

A student who might be choosen to come to Oliverian might a student not as sucessful in a restricted residental treatment program. The student certainly need to be somewhat mature, but has direction in being more accoutable, and enjoys being in the outdoors. A student who might want to study enviromental science is a perfect fit. A student is very oppositional is not a good fit simply because its very difficult to control a student in this enviroment.

A student needing nurturing and support by staff is a good fit. We believe the cost to be quite reasonable at about 55,000 (fifity five thousand dollars). The price is just about 10 (ten thousand dollars compared to a traditional boarding school. The dorms are very simple, but comfortable. No frills but the larger part is the schools very large campus with the number of students enrolled in the program from other programs.

The current enrollment was a bit past 50 students and this was apparently a comfortable number for the staff to have a clear mission of addressing the need of the student individually. A consultant would look at this school as a in betwen placement or step up program. This is not a step down program where a student would be placed before wilderness, it is a good school for a step up program after wilderness.

There was over 90,000 dollars of financial aid awarded during the year at Oliverian to students and this is quite impressive. The school was inital on the ground of a public school for students with special needs, having made several changes over the years.

Family therapy is frequent, with the students and their parents, who even have the opportunity to have contact with the staff with home visits. We found a significant availability of services with a good staff to student ratio of the school . There is a chef on campus to provide good meals and students do work at the school in many capacities. Barclay recently hired a new assistant to admission who is very familar with traditional boarding and worked a several traditional schools before coming to Oliverian.

We believe a student who wants to thrive in a therapeutic boarding school prepatory school will do well at Oliverian. Students with a significant problem with substance abuse, challenges with behavior so restrictive to need a more supervised setting will not do well at Oliverian. We found the staff supportive and creative. The application is on line or can be provided by the educational consultant.

Wolfeboro Summer Boarding School

Wolfeboro is a summer boarding school. Now that summer is qujckly coming up us, many parents are looking for a summer program. Summer boarding schools provide a unique opportunity to work with students both academically and provide enrichment activities leading to placement in a traditional boarding school or to those interested in college. Wolefboro is one of my favorite, summer programs simply because it has many boarding school components, yet this program has a very strong preparation for those students looking at fall admission through a summer program.

While most consultants are familar with Wolefboro, this unique program is in a setting which is similar to a camp program with students from China, India, as well as United Arab Emirates, among other countries. Presently, I have a student interested in a summer boarding school. Wolefboro is a perfect fit for this paarticular student offering ESL classes. Many students from India although they may be proficient in basic Engish, need help in writing and reading.



Dr. Joyce Ferris is the academic dean, We have spoken several occassions about the school, and what it has to offer. Dr. Ferris says, " some student who come to Wolfeboro, find the outdoor setting very different, but become quickly adjusted during the nine week program. Mr. Ed Cooper is the head of school and a perfect fit for Wolfeboro. This is a co educational boarding program, which has an entry level for fifth grader. Enrollment is for the full session only! Wolfboro admits student of any race, creed or background attend Wolfboro. A school which has international recognition in many countries, can be the best fit for students looking at a boarding school in the fall.

The application can be completed on line and is really very quick but length. A consultant working with a family would have to enter the information or have the information completed by the family, which includes:a three part profile of the student. Wolfeboro requires a B-2 visa which is actualy a tourist vias and many parents from outside the country can get this information from a consultant.


The first part of the application includes: providing the student's primary residence. Parent or legal guardians are also asked to fill information n the application on line. The other part is a secondary residence information which allows the consultant to be informed of the student and family as well as the school needs this information. The student profile is really to identify the core subject areas of the student and the relatively weak subject areas. Wolforo also needs to know the student study habits and its relevance to being at the school.


The non academic aspect of the program is discussed in the packet of information which can be sent to the family or consultant. The admission packet includes: out of school interest and hobbies and the type of friends the student might have. Many of the students attending Wolfeboro might be special needs students, but many are not. Wolfeboro can address the special needs of students, as well as formulate an individual plan for its students

While not all students are special needs students at Wolfeboro. There are many in student's who need help in English. The average student has classes which is small. This allows more 1:1 help by teachers and smaller class room size. We discussed with Dr. Ferris, the averge enrollment and size of classes, and our interest in placing a student who was coming from India. Dr. Ferris indicated " we have several students from India and "they were quite pleased with our program". Our interest was placing this student in the right school or program, not so much as he is from India.

Wolfeboro is designed for those students who might look for a school like Exeter Academy, Andover, or Cushing Academy. Wolfeboro wants to know the primary goal of being at the school, than just which is part of the application need to be completed. A consultant might ask a family several questions but they might provide this information voluntarily to the school. Many parents completing any application for a summer program, completes the application on line with a consultant, or even in person. Working with a consultant helps to avoid mistakes. On a historical note, let me share with you how Wolfeboro begin.

Wolfeboro was purchased by George Robins, a teacher from the Hill School in Pottstown, Pennsylvania. In 1977 the school as established as a non profit school. Classes are designed to improve, review and develop the essential skills in lagging subjects. While a summer program was added to be non academic program it later became both.

The ESL English as a Second Language program is designed to help students who need assistance in learning to read and write in English. The do have a significant amount of students from China. This makes a a good fit for an international student or a student or those native born but has limited command of English. Tuition is not listed on the web site, but my information fo the current fees at Wolfboro have increased. The New England Boarding School tour will soon come again in winter, and this will be on my agenda to attend this tour.

Diamond Ranch Academy

Diamond Ranch Academy is a residental treatment program located in Hurrican Utah. It has the feel of a boarding school, with a focus on therapeutic intervention for boys and girls. The program does focus on both academic remediation and improving behavioral areas for students with challenges socially and in learning.

We have sent students to the school which included transporting these students to the program, working directly with the staff and associate clinical Director Kade Matthews.

Diamond Ranch offers a very diverse program for boys and girls. The campus is divided into several areas, which includes: Lava Falls for older boys and several different age appropriate areas for boys and girls which allows staff to move students around depending on the needs of the student.

The program has a level system using a court based system to move students to sucess. This method is very effective in helping students understand consequences to their behavior. The program also rewards student by increasing their level so they have a clear understanding of what they need to do to move forward toward discharge.

Our first contact with the school included: discussing the entire program with the Director Maurie Simmons including our visit to campus more recently to check on one of my students and meet with the clinical director and associate director and admissions director in St. George.

Maurie as well as all staff are very comitted to helping with the placement of students at DRA. We generally works the staff in the inital conference call addressing the financial piece, along with reviewing my assessment and recommendations.

This is usually followed by having an Exhibit A which is the cost needs of the family. This plays a significant part with a family, determining the need for enrolling the student and the cost for the program. Ms. Simons is also very good at addressing my needs for the family. Diamond Ranch is a perfect match for a student needing a 10-12 month program. DRA also provides an additional month free after graduation.

The inital cost would be both enrollment and for any prepaid fees for medical and equipment fees for students participating in athletics. Diamond Ranch has a very dedicated staff, who continues to keep us informed in the entire placement. We believe, a student in the progra and committed to working with consultant would be a good fit. Diamond Ranch is clearly the right location for a family who might have a child between 14-17 years of age and these might include girls or boys.

The clinical staff is terrific. Kade Matthews has spent a significant amount of time working with me and families in the early placement along wtih Bo Iverson, who is the Education Director. The amount of continued work with our students in areas of goal achievement, orientations and goal setting and discharge planning, including: providing psychological reports, testing and weekly updated and contacts with the family has been invaluable.

The school offers a free months tuition for families after completing the entire program. The cost of the program is about $6,000 (six thousand dollars per month), with all cost not includig the enrollment fees. The fees include clothing, books, sporting equipment for baseball and football. DRA also has a music program and creative arts which is part of the program including community service. Courses at DRA range from English, Math, Science and Social Studies, all broken down into specific areas as the student advances in the subject areas. These include: algebra, geometry, pre calculus, biology, chemistry, earth science, US and World History.

The program is divided by age groups and each area of the campus is designed to allow students of various ages and gender to be incorporated in the program. Diamond Ranch is the perfect fit for a adolescent who has issue with oppositional behavior or conduct disorder. The program was founded in 1999 and is relatively new.

It has had years to look at other programs and identify sucess and implementing a program that matches a boarding schools. Students are required to wear casual uniforms. Enrollment is year around and the program is accrediated by the Northwest Accreditation of Schools, licenced by the State of Utah with credits transfering to public and private schools.

Our student, was able to move forward in his education by completing a year which he was behind. The courses, varied from math, economics, english, and science. The focus is on charcter education, where students are taught to value themselves. DRA has a personalized System of Instruction which is individualized allow students to work at their own pace and ask for help in the curriculum. Credit is granted on completing of mastery of content, not just spending time in class. Each class is designed to move the student to a much broader understanding of themselves and to take responsibilty.

Parenting workshops are held and all students and families are engaged in this process. We found the parening workshops to be very valuable for our family in understanding their role in the placement. While our student still presented challenges, there was no doubt, everything possible was provided at DRA with the admission to the discharge planning.

We believe DRA has the right fit as a co-educational residential progrm with at least a 10 month stay and graduation at least during this time. We like the rolling enrollment during the year. Parents can benfit by working with us in deciding whether this program is indeed the best fit. Please contact us for more information and placement at Diamond Ranch Academy.

Indian Mountain School.

Indian Mountain School is an independent co educational boarding school for children grades pre k -9th grades, located in Lakeview, Conneticut. The upper school is for grades 5-9 and the lower school is for the lower grades. My tour of included included several other schools throughout Conneticut including Marvelwood, South Kent, just to name a few.

Conneticut has a wealth of good schools, and Indian Mountain, is one of those hidden secrets about lower boarding schools at the lower grade school level. The school has a great curriculum designed for moving toward a upper schools but sophisticated enough to appear simliar to a upper school. Not only does it have a curriculum designed for grades 5-9 but the primary school includes pre kindergarten grades which is common more in a day school. The children are adorable at this age and despite some parents reservation to have a younger child in a boarding schools setting it worked perfect. Many of the other consultants also remarked on this observation. We had well over 8 consultants from every country from Brazil to China on the tour to Russia.

We meet with the staff at the school and spoke to the headmaster, before we actually started the tour, and while the campus was a bit damp this morning we were greated graciously. It was a typical New England day, but all of the consultants, we prepared and dressed for the weather, with a warm jacket, some wearing gloves, and others a longer coat. The children were equally prepared for the weather!

The school combines the critical elements of middle school at the lower schol level. They have a strong focus on developing social skills and learning at the same time. A student entering upper school must prepared but they seem to do quite well.

Its a perfect match for a parent looking for a day school and boarding at an early age. The curriculum at the school includes: fine art, performing arts, and a strong study program, and sports and much parent involvement in the early grades in the lower school.

The school was founded by Francis Riggs in 1916 who purchased the land on the upper campus. Riggs educated at Groton College and Harvard College was deeply affected by the World War II, and believe prevention of another conflict of this magnitude, layed in the eratication of proverty. By 1922, Riggs had secured funding for the school and developed a boys boarding school for his purpose.

The motto of the school "Life through Service" became the predominate motto of the school since its inception which was initally for boys. Taught at the school were the benefits of school kitchen and outdoor life. Riggs retired from the school in 1939 and appointed William Doolittle has head of school. Doolittle, began the school with only 18 boys. The enrollment increased to 130 boys later, and was changed into a coe educational boarding school. By 1946 the school offered grade 9 and the focus of being a all boys school shifted.

We meet the faculty early morning and dicussed the changes of the school, which now includes the pre school and an active parent group for the children, We found the maticulation rate, including admission to other upper schools, which included: Ethel Walker. Old Farms School. The Gunnery, Kent School, Marvelwood, Salisbury, Suffield Academy, Miss Porters, among other schools.

This school would be a good fit for parents who have younger children but it would also introduce students in the lower grades to boarding school. Most of the students were very familar with boarding, and well adjusted to entering boarding at an early age. This has to be one of the best schools for this purpose and our recommendations would be supported in this placement.

The cost for attending Indian Mountain, is roughly about $43, 900 fourty three thousand and nine hundred dollars. Tuition as the day school is $23,0000, twenty three thousand dollars. Pre kindergarten is $14,000 fourteen thousand dollars.

The school offers a tuition refund plan, and a structured payment plan which is convenient for parents. This is no cheap bargin for parents. but there are many scholarships and the endowment funding is quite large and growing. Many parents hiring an Educational Consultant would be looking at this school for a high end lower school. Cost may be a factor in choice, but for the right family is a good fit. What do you think about the school? Is it a choice for you and would you consider Indian Mountain Schools as a pre school choice?