Overview

Students At The Charlton School/Ketchum Grande have the opportunity to learn and practice a wide variety of social, academic, emotional, and life skills through active participation in structured, therapeutic, and recreational programs. Weekend activities with peers and adults also strengthen confidence in developing healthy relationships.

Campus programs provide a safe, nurturing, consistent, and predictable environment where damaged relationships are rebuilt and new skills are learned and practiced. Students learn to make new choices that help them become productive members of their families and home communities.

Students are assigned to one of two residential cottages based on current vacancies and the dynamic within the group. Each cottage offers a dorm atmosphere and is comprised of single occupancy student rooms, bathrooms, living room, dinning room, kitchen and various staff offices.

After-school hours are spent engaged in structured therapeutic and recreational programs designed to help students learn and practice skills in self-regulation, frustration tolerance, cooperation with peers and adults, and exercise for the mind and body. Afternoon and evening programs are facilitated by Social Work or Youth Care Staff, and they change as the needs of the group change. Changing seasons bring new opportunities and ideas, many suggested by our students. Programs include the Equine Therapy Program, Expressive Arts, Art Therapy, Living Skills groups, reading, cooking, and a variety of physical activities including walking, volleyball, kickball, and others. When appropriate, students work with cottage staff and parents to experience individualized programming in the community such as dance and music lessons.

Weekends and school vacations spent on campus are more relaxed and often include community outings to the movies, local fairs, beaches, walking trails, roller rink, and bowling alley. Regular home visits are encouraged on weekends, holidays, and during school vacations. These visits are a key part of our treatment and are tied closely to the Family Therapy Program.

Students are encouraged to practice life skills in the wider community by volunteering with peers at local venues such as nursing homes, animal shelters, and city mission thrift stores. Students who demonstrate the appropriate social and emotional skills are given the opportunity to work in individual volunteer jobs or seek paid part-time employment with the help of the residential life staff.

Students earn increased levels of privileges and responsibilities when they show good progress in the residential program. When a student exhibits positive relationships with peers and adults, success in daily living routines (including hygiene), care of personal and community spaces, regular school attendance, and active participation in after-school and evening programs, they may be rewarded with later bedtimes, a key to their bedroom, and graduated amounts of unsupervised time with peers on campus and in the community.