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How Our Program Works

We are all individuals with unique needs and abilities. Whereas traditional schools and programs generally provide similar educational and therapeutic services to all of their students, Mountain Springs is a structured and supportive residential boarding school with a uniquely 3-dimensional approach to meeting each student’s individual needs while also challenging students to reach their greatest potential. This 3-dimensional approach combines each student’s educational and therapeutic needs into an individualized emotional growth program while also assigning them a privilege level appropriate to their maturity. Collectively, these individual adjustments comprise each student’s “MAPP Plan” (Master Academic and Personal Progress plan).

Feedback from the parents and prior therapists, if any, is the starting point for each student’s MAPP plan. In addition to outlining the specific academic classes required for graduation, this plan also targets specific life-principles and skills that an individual student needs to internalize in order to progress forwards towards a happy and productive life. As a result, Mountain Springs has the unique ability to custom design virtually every aspect of the experience for each student. This flexibility makes Mountain Springs appropriate for many students with learning disabilities and/or those who have struggled emotionally and behaviorally in the past but who are now making better choices in their lives.

To illustrate, take the example of a 16-year old girl who has struggled in the past academically as well as in other areas of her life. Of course her MAPP Plan will outline all of the specific academic classes that are appropriate for her grade level and academic ability. But that is just the beginning. Perhaps she has had difficulty in being assertive with friends, in reacting impulsively, and in controlling her temper. Possibly she has also had some difficult experiences (e.g. divorce, adoption, abuse, etc.) in her life where she has been unable to forgive others or herself. At Mountain Springs, this girl would have specific work that she would complete on every one of these issues. For example, in addition to her academic classes, her MAPP plan goals would also cover Anger Management, Assertiveness, and the principles of Compassion, Forgiveness, and Pro-activity. Any therapeutic work done at a treatment center prior to enrollment at Mountain Springs is also factored in, so that her work at Mountain Springs builds upon the healing momentum now present in her life. Her teachers, mentor,and Dean of Student Life at Moutain Springs as well as her contracted therapist assist her every step of the way along her journey towards returning home happy, making good choices, and succeeding academically.

Because of this unique program, Mountain Springs is an ideal choice for many students coming from other therapeutic settings who still require a nurturing, supportive environment. This “next step” in the treatment continuum allows for continued 24/7 supervision but with increased student freedoms, mingling with the opposite sex while remaining in a semi-structured environment that offers opportunity for feedback, continued contact—in some cases--with their RTC therapist, more frequent and meaningful interaction with parents and families, and a specific program specifically designed to build on past treatment. Indeed, Mountain Springs provides a valuable opportunity in between residential treatment and returning home to measure a student’s readiness to handle home life through their ability to handle freedom and responsibility independently. This readiness is measured frequently across many dimensions of the school and residential life program.

For students with learning disabilities, this unique program allows Mountain Springs to treat each individual student as exactly that—individuals! It recognizes the different challenges faced by each student and builds a support structure around them that allows them to flourish as they learn to overcome their learning challenges. Specific accommodations for students with learning disabilities (e.g. small class sizes, hands-on learning, tutors, etc.) compliment the unique emotional and therapeutic services of Mountain Springs. Together, this dual approach helps the student to unload much of the emotional, negative baggage carried because of the learning disability while he or she is learning the academic skills that allow them to move forward successfully in life.