When are parents told of the additional charges associated with RC?
Suspension and Expulsion Policies of Hidden Lake Academy
As a Therapeutic Boarding School, Hidden Lake Academy (HLA) has as its mission serving families with students who have typically had behavioral difficulties. We seek to offer students a multitude of opportunities to
learn from and correct inappropriate behaviors prior to suspension or expulsion being necessary. Therefore, suspensions and/or expulsions are atypical from most other educational environments.
SUSPENSION
Should a student?s behavior be a serious violation of their own safety, or safety on campus, or if they show a repetitive pattern of less serious acting out behaviors it may be determined that they are in need of a short term wilderness intervention as a means of removing them from the campus in order for them to be able to focus more intensely on themselves and their behaviors. When this is a necessary, parent and educational consultants are informed and options are discussed.
HLA has a contractual agreement with the Ridge Creek Wilderness Leadership Program. This program is offered to parents and guardians of HLA students as a
no additional cost alternative to other short-term wilderness interventions. If a parent does not wish to utilize the Ridge Creek program, they are free to select a mutually agreeable alternative program and assume the financial responsibility of that program. HLA will give pro-rated tuition credit for a student who attends a wilderness program other than Ridge Creek for the period of time the
student is attending the other wilderness program. While an HLA student is attending Ridge Creek, HLA
tuition is still charged as HLA pays for the contract services for a student attending Ridge Creek.Once a student has satisfactorily completed the wilderness program, they are welcomed back to HLA. Upon returning to HLA they must sign a behavioral contract expressing a commitment to their therapeutic growth.
The Academic Department assists the student in
making up all missed academic work. Violations of the contract would result in a student being placed on Restriction. Should the student not respond to these consequences a clinical staffing will be held to review the student?s situation. Staffing outcomes could range from recommendations for different treatment methods, different consequences, returning to a short-term wilderness program, or dismissal from school. Dismissal would only be considered if it was felt the student was not benefiting from the services and treatment we offer, or if the student was a danger to themselves or others.
EXPULSION
Expulsion from HLA typically only occurs after a variety of interventions have been attempted. (see Suspension). Should school administrators deem that all plausible interventions have been exhausted, or the
student is a danger to themselves or others, the decision may be made to dismiss the student. Should this be necessary, HLA will make every effort to refer the parents/guardian to professionals in their area who may help
locate another appropriate placement for their child.
Immediate expulsions from HLA could occur when the administrative team determines that a specific action of a student is serious enough so as to intentionally cause themselves or others to be placed at risk of harm. In such cases, parents/guardians will be immediately notified and a safe, swift and appropriate plan for the removal of the student from campus will be determined.
While HLA makes every effort to consider parent/guardian feedback regarding decisions the school makes about their child, a parent/guardian who is unwilling to comply with final school recommendations or decisions may be asked to remove the child from the school. This would constitute an ?Early Withdrawal? on the part of the parent/guardian under the terms of the Tuition Agreement. The school retains the option of requiring that a
student be withdrawn as a result of the behaviors of a non-custodial parent.
_________________________________________ __________________________
Parent/Guardian Signature Date
http://hiddenlake.win.aplus.net/pdf/Sus ... acement%22