My son is currently at Aspen Ranch

[Anonymous]

White Mountain school

[kk]

He had an evaluation first, I didn't agree with the evaluation.  They said he was a dangerous psycho kid that needed to be put away in a program. They recommended Cross Creek but it seemed to punitive and I was right.  The Psychiatrist was the one that told me to take the T.V. away also, I guess I just should stop listening to the people with the MD and listen to myself.

[Anonymous]

I knpw not everyone or everything is perfect but is there a place that isn't purposefully malicious?  

Not in the "teen help" industry. I second the WMS recommendation. It's a normal boarding school (no "therapeutic" program/BM, etc.) that offers a great outdoors program, including skiing and rafting and so on. I don't know if they'll accept a kid who just got out of a program for "troubled teens", but you can give it a try.

And I'd like to commend you for not sending your son to Cross Creek... if only more parents did the same. You obviously care a great deal about your child. Best of luck.

[kk]

Has anyone heard anything about Brehms Prepatory school in IL?  It is supposed to be for kids with learning differances.  Aspergers, High functioning Autism? KK

[Anonymous]

Try The White Mountain School, its SUPERB!Just forget to mention to them that your son was in a "bad boy" school  :wink:

[Anonymous]

On 2005-12-05 11:17:00, kk wrote:

"Hi, My son is currently at Aspen Ranch.  Ask me whatever you want.  Ijust was there.  I think the Therapists are great and the Teachers are great too.

Yes, it is corporate run and the bottom line is money and I don't like that aspect of it, but the people there do care.  The things I don't like is that the babysitters, that's what I call them, mean well, but they are just not smart enough to understand the rules and make decsions that affect are children and these are the people who are deciding what level and what punishments should be handed out.  Thank goodness most of our kids are very smart and most of the parents are very concerned and at any given time there is a parent on the property.  I also don't like the fact that for all the money that we are paying the place is pretty broken done.  there great selling point the ropes course has been inoperable for 7 months.  The selling point that the kids can excellorate their schooling is void because they do not have access to computers or the library on the weekend.

I personally spoke to Matt Alexander about this situation and he pormised me this would change.  I also feel that they slap every kid with the lable of ODD.  My kid I feel did not have ODD and after I insisted on further testing which of course I had to pay 1300 extra for they now say that he may have an Autistic spectrum disorder and they may not be able to help him, only after 5 months of him being there.  All these things are aggravating but I do believe that the people there are trying to help.  The food is pretty crappy too, but I guess if you are selling drugs and go to jail it would be worse.  By the way my son was never doing drugs or in any trouble with the law he was very depressed and his grades took a nose dive and we thought he was suicidal.  He is doing better and he actually wants to remain in a boarding school just in one that is not as strict with levels.  After reading all of this I'm not comfportable with any boarding school and am hoping to convince him to come home, or just finish his Junior year at the Ranch and as soon as he is done we will pull him.  any questions? Feel free!"

OK I visited Aspen Ranch and I could see from talking to the kids, looking at the food and talking to the jerk of a clinical director that this was not a good place for my son.  Trust your gut.  

You might check out Rancho Valmora in New Mexico -- my son is there and he really likes it.

[Anonymous]

On 2005-12-11 10:48:00, kk wrote:

"He had an evaluation first, I didn't agree with the evaluation.  They said he was a dangerous psycho kid that needed to be put away in a program. They recommended Cross Creek but it seemed to punitive and I was right.  The Psychiatrist was the one that told me to take the T.V. away also, I guess I just should stop listening to the people with the MD and listen to myself. "

Run screaming from any WWASP program!!! By the way who did the evaluation?  Someone from Teen Help or some such program?

My thought is that your child should be in patient at a psych hospital so that they can figure out what is going on.

Then find the appropriate program for it.  Aspen Ranch does not want to be bothered with kids that have any "real" problems.

They would rather have the ones who really don't need to be there but their parents don't want to parent them...

I met with them and talked to them and once they found out my son had some serious issues -- they were not interested... despite their web sites and literature.....

I see them as a money making machine...

[Anonymous]

I had a great time at Aspen Ranch, and so did all my peers, what is this site about may I ask?

[kk]

I checked out Whit Mountain and it is too out doorsy for my son.  I have narrowed it down to 2 choices, by the way my son is home. The firs choice is Simons Rock it is a College for high school kids, the other is Brandon Hall.  Anyone have anything to say about these schools?  P.S.  My son is glad to be home is doing well, but, does not have any horror stories to tell about Aspen.  It is corporate run, and for some kids that may end up in jail it could be a good wake up call.  They definetly hold the mighty dollar above all but, they also do try to help the kids.
KK

[kk]

I startedm this site because my son was at Aspen Ranch and I felt it was not a good place for him.  This is a site for people that know a lot about Theraputic Boarding schools.  They are either parents or kids that have gone or sometimes teachers or employees.  You have people that are pro but mostly here people are against the schools.  I went on because I wanted info about other schools before I switched my son.  I did not want to go from the frying pan into the fire.  I think what one person said was exactly right.  Aspen is just a money making machine.  Thank goodness they are not truly brutlizing any of the kids they are just taking kids that parents don't want to deal with, but with kids that need real help like mine that is not just a defient kid it turned out that he has high functioning Autism with Shadowing of Aspergers and High anxitey and Depresion and OCD a place like that can be very bad for him they simple are not equipped to take care of kids with real problems!  For the kind of money they charge they should be able to take care of everything!  KK

[Anonymous]

Isnt that the American way>? Come on, everyoner needs to make money, and Aspen is no different, get over it...Aspen is a great place and I miss it very much so...Michael Simonosky

[Anonymous]

On 2005-12-28 12:28:00, Anonymous wrote:

"Isnt that the American way>? Come on, everyoner needs to make money, and Aspen is no different,

At the expense of kids??  No, that is NOT the American way.....at least it didn't used to be.

 

get over it...Aspen is a great place and I miss it very much so...Michael Simonosky"

Well, that seems to be a matter of opinion and not everyone shares yours.  Get over it.

[Anonymous]

Get a fucking life :wave:

[Anonymous]

On 2005-12-28 13:55:00, Anonymous wrote:

Aspen was a good place  IN MY OPINION :wave: "

There, fixed that for ya!  :wave:

[kk]

Aspen might have been a good place for you.  I'm not saying that it is a horrible place I'm just saying it is corporate which is not a good thing for the interest of our children.  My son was there and I was paying big bucks and he was not seeing a Psychiatrist regularly, he was not seeing a Therapist more then once a week for the 30 minute phone calls and with all the kids coming and going group therapy was useless it's basically hello and good bye.  He did not go to drug or 12 step because that was not his problem.  After visiting him and seeing that all the money in the world given to the ranch was not going to give him the proper treatment I hired someone outside of the Ranch to give him tests and that is when we found out that he had the Autistic thing going on, so we pulled him out.  Now if there are kids there with neurological problems, or have suicidal tendencies or are schizophrenic etc and now they are down to only one Psychiatrist and the kids aren't getting the help they need those kids that are truly sick are really going to get damaged.  That is were the shame is if they turned those kids away and only babysat the spoiled brats that would be one thing but they should not take kids with the real problems.  I'm glad that they helped you and I know that they have helped some of my son's roomates that were solely there for drug issues.