Why Choose White River Academy?

You as a parent believe that your son has potential that he isn’t living up to. We, too, believe your son has potential and we want to help him find it. We believe that he can make permanent changes within himself for the better.

Behavior Learning Component

• We will help your son realize his self-worth, his significance, his dignity and his responsibility to himself.
• We will teach your son to do the right thing, for the right reason, without a reward.
• Your son will begin to see the stress and pain he has caused others by his poor choices.
  
• Your son will realize that something worth having is worth working hard to get.

Positive Peer Culture(PPC)

• Focuses on an internal change within your son that will be long lasting.
• Will teach your son that he can manage his behavior no matter what the situation.
• Teaches long term thinking.
• Shows him how to develop his own values, beliefs and goals.
• Teaches that by helping others he in turn will help himself.
• Teaches the individual how to create more healthy and effective social and family relationships.
• Teaches the individual the value of contributing something positive to his community.

Academics

• Accredited Curriculum for grades 6-12 as well as College Prep.
• Accredited by Northwest Association of Accredited Schools.
• TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) placement test given upon enrollment.
• Two full time teachers for 2 classrooms, class sizes are 10 students.
• Student is guided in setting his own Academic goals.
• ADD, ADHD, and other learning disabilities accepted.
• Additional tutoring is available if needed.
• Parent Teacher Conferences are held every 90 days.

Counseling

• Two individual Therapy sessions with our Therapist per month.
• Group Therapy sessions 5 times a week, each session is 90 minutes.
• “EQUIP” meetings are held monthly which provide students an opportunity to equip themselves with much needed social skills.
• More individualized therapy available if requested.
• Counselor meets monthly with parents to discuss ongoing changes and updates to their students Service Plan.

Communication with Family

We believe that not only does your son need to heal while here at WRA, but that your family needs healing as well. Communication is ESSENTIAL to that healing.

• Upon Enrollment, communication starts immediately. Your son begins writing letters home and they are uploaded to your own Parent Login page where you can access them at your convenience.
• For the first few weeks your Parent Liaison will review your son's letters and help you to answer your son’s questions in the proper manner. This will assist you and other family members to answer in a positive way. Responding to your son in a positive way fosters your commitment to change not only for him but for the family as a whole.
• Your letters written to your son are printed daily during the week and given to them during Personal Time.
• You have three phone calls per month. Two will be to discuss your son's progress with the Parent Liaison and one will be a family therapeutic call with the Counselor.

Parent Weekends

• White River Academy also holds a “Parent Weekend” onsite every 90 days. This is almost unheard of in the industry.
• Provides “face-to-face” training for you and your teen (a perfect environment for working on issues).
• Allows you the opportunity to sharpen your parenting skills and learn what is working for you and what is not.  
• Insights into how to begin change at home while your child is enrolled at WRA are discussed.
• Parent Weekends give support to students and parents while teaching how to ensure a successful return to the home.

Health and Fitness

• Each student is required to have a recent physical (within the last 3 months) to ensure at the time of admission that they are in good physical health.
• Students eat a balanced diet created by a licensed dietician.
• Physical fitness program six days a week.
• Extracurricular activities like softball and other city league sports.
• Boys run in the annual Snow Goose Festival 5k run and also participate in the “Survival of the Fittest” program. This activity is a type of triathlon.
• Students further participate in hiking and camping activities which are done several times per year.

Building a Positive Self Image

Believe it or not… if your teen is struggling with behavior, he is likely battling a low self image and is fighting to find the skills necessary to address these serious concerns. In other words, they are reaching out for help and just plain do not know how to ask for it. 

• At WRA students are involved in a number of opportunities to learn skills that will assist him in addressing and understanding how to deal with feelings of low self worth.
• Students begin working on a Service Plan. All students begin by working on achievements which start out as small projects that he can complete relatively quickly.
• These achievements are centered around four main areas:               

  1) Physical
  2) Spiritual
  3) Citizenship and Social Development
  4) Educational, Personal and Career Development

• As your son progresses through their Service Plan goals the Achievements become more difficult and take longer to complete. Where the challenge becomes more, the payoff is greater. Each time a student completes an Achievement his ability and understanding increase.
• Once a student reaches a point where he is progressing well on Achievements and Service Plan goals he begins a project that is centered on service to others. This Service Learning Project is difficult as well as frustrating at times. Planning and implementing difficult tasks bring the student to recognize the value of persistence and hard work. He also gains a confidence in his ability to overcome difficult obstacles by persevering through the challenges. Serving others has been a great method for forgetting one’s self and looking to the needs of others.

Student Schedule

A good schedule is a necessity for any successful plan.

• Students follow a structured schedule on a daily basis.
• By implementing a schedule there is NEVER a question as to what your student should be doing.
• A schedule helps your boys focus and stay on task.
• Upon graduation from WRA, your son will know and understand the benefits of a schedule and the importance of following your own family’s structure and schedule.

Click to view a PDF of the daily schedule (Opens in New Window)

How did you like this page?
Honestly rate this page by clicking a star below:
(5 stars is best)