More Change at Excel

[Deborah]

August- Vardell leaves UHS, back to Aspen- Excel Academy in Tx
http://fornits.com/wwf/viewtopic.php?p=273902#273902

September 10, 2007

Please join the students, staff and families of Excel Academy in welcoming Liz Beach as the new Program Director. Liz comes to Excel from central Massachusetts where she worked with the state justice system. She is a licensed chemical dependency counselor, has a master's in justice administration, and is working on her Ph.D. on the correlation between PTSD and substance abuse within the Massachusetts State Parole system. Liz has over 20 years of working with resistant clientele and the at-risk population, and brings a tremendous amount of experience, substance abuse recovery knowledge, and energy to Excel Academy.

As a member of the Excel Academy senior leadership team, Liz will oversee the program department including front line and supervisory staff, substance abuse programming, behavior management plans, staff training, residential life and student activities. Liz will work in conjunction with Excel's director of counseling, Scott Spaw, in formulating an internal counseling services component as well as implementing evidence-based practices to serve the unique needs of the Excel Academy student population. Adding group counseling, on and off-site AA/NA meetings, individual counseling, and other industry-standard therapeutic elements will be a focus in the coming months. We also will continue to emphasize our AA/NA-based 12 step approach, rigorous college preparatory academics, a structured environment to help our students make the right choices, the development of healthy relationships, and life-long recovery.

"I am so honored to be a part of Excel Academy and Aspen Education Group and feel privileged to work with these bright and dedicated students and staff," said Liz. "My focus will be to give our students and families a supportive and healthy experience during their 12-24 months with us so that they are able to make use of community-based resources  :question:  and enjoy positive outlets to support their recovery and life after Excel."

[Ursus]

"I am so honored to be a part of Excel Academy and Aspen Education Group and feel privileged to work with these bright and dedicated students and staff," said Liz. "My focus will be to give our students and families a supportive and healthy experience during their 12-24 months with us so that they are able to make use of community-based resources  :question:  and enjoy positive outlets to support their recovery and life after Excel."

Perhaps this is language she is accustomed to using in her previous incarnation?

[TheWho]

"I am so honored to be a part of Excel Academy and Aspen Education Group and feel privileged to work with these bright and dedicated students and staff," said Liz. "My focus will be to give our students and families a supportive and healthy experience during their 12-24 months with us so that they are able to make use of community-based resources  :question:  and enjoy positive outlets to support their recovery and life after Excel."

Perhaps this is language she is accustomed to using in her previous incarnation?

A bit before your time , maybe, this is a fairly common term in the education field.  She is describing resources which can be found within the school community.  These can range from sport activities, professional counseling, nutrition to the mere environment of being with other kids who are struggling with similar issues and have overcome them or are in the process of overcoming.  Many times kids thrive by just being exposed to a healthier environment so the term, “Community based resourcesâ€

[Covergaard]

For many year it has been a part of the program to drag newcomers down to the jail and let the inmates scare the teenager a little.

They seem to have some kind of selection and a new sheriff in town, because a deputy and part-time employer at Excel academy are going on trial because of these visits.

The inmates had been allowed to undress a boy and apply Vaseline on his backside.

The sheriff has decided that it was not good garage humour:

Deputy Charged Over Alleged Discipline, By Carl Willis, KPRC Local 2, january 25 2008.

Fornits Wiki is updated

There is a new sheriff in town!

[Anonymous]

Discipline TBS style... the "therapy" $5000 month buys you. Nothin a little "cuffs and lubrication to the backside" won't cure. 

POSTED: 3:37 pm CST January 25, 2008
UPDATED: 4:43 pm CST January 25, 2008

CONROE, Texas -- A Montgomery County sheriff's deputy lost his job and is facing criminal charges, accused of forcefully disciplining a teenage boy, KPRC Local 2 reported Friday.

The former deputy was working a second job at a private school in Conroe when the Montgomery County District Attorney said the deputy tried to scare the boy into better behavior.

The district attorney's office said Monte Morast, 51, was indicted on charges of official oppression and unlawful restraint.

KPRC learned that Morast has a program at Conroe's Excel Academy, where he works with students with discipline problems.

Investigators are looking into allegations that after being called to the school, Morast threw a teenage boy to the ground and handcuffed him.

Investigators said that Morast took the boy to the Montgomery County jail and allowed inmates to order the boy to strip naked and applied Vaseline to his backside.

KPRC Local 2 tried to speak with Morast.

"I knew you guys would come looking. No comment," he said.

According to the district attorney's office, an official with the boy's private boarding school was also there.

A school official told KPRC Local 2 that no one could speak with the station because they didn't have an appointment.

Copyright 2008 by Click2Houston.com. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

[TheWho]

I have never been a big fan of those scare tactics.  Our local police advocate having the kids arrested and thrown in jail for a day to teach the kids a lesson (minus the vasoline, I am sure).  They push this on parents and high schools but I think we will start to see this stop.  The sheriff had no choice but to fire his deputy for doing this regardless of what state they are in or school he was associated with.

It is good to see these TBS’ moving away from the tough love and boot camp mentality.  I think we will start seeing more of this in the future:

A little piece from their new improvements:

Our target student population and profile must include substance abuse as a primary issue. We do not take youth with conduct disorders and we typically prefer to have a full range of testing prior to acceptance.

“Our purpose: program and staff are all focused on ensuring our students learn to make the right choices, develop and maintain healthy relationships, and learn the skills for a successful life in recovery. We are doing this without coercive techniques and in a transparent and family engaging way.”



...

[Anonymous]

I have never been a big fan of those scare tactics.  Our local police advocate having the kids arrested and thrown in jail for a day to teach the kids a lesson (minus the vasoline, I am sure).  They push this on parents and high schools but I think we will start to see this stop.  The sheriff had no choice but to fire his deputy for doing this regardless of what state they are in or school he was associated with.

It is good to see these TBS’ moving away from the tough love and boot camp mentality.  I think we will start seeing more of this in the future:

A little piece from their new improvements:

Our target student population and profile must include substance abuse as a primary issue. We do not take youth with conduct disorders and we typically prefer to have a full range of testing prior to acceptance.

“Our purpose: program and staff are all focused on ensuring our students learn to make the right choices, develop and maintain healthy relationships, and learn the skills for a successful life in recovery. We are doing this without coercive techniques and in a transparent and family engaging way.”



...

you fuckin program shill. try all you like but you can't turn a pile of shit into a rose. which program did the "cuff and vasoline" dude run at excell? how long was he employed there?
cuffs and vasoline aren't coercive? did they engage the family in deciding on this course of "therapy"? just how trans-parent is excel?

[TheWho]

you fuckin program shill. try all you like but you can't turn a pile of shit into a rose. which program did the "cuff and vasoline" dude run at excell? how long was he employed there?
cuffs and vasoline aren't coercive? did they engage the family in deciding on this course of "therapy"? just how trans-parent is excel?

I think you misread what I wrote.  I do not advocate this type of procedure, personally.

Here is what I stated:

I have never been a big fan of those scare tactics.  Our local police advocate having the kids arrested and thrown in jail for a day to teach the kids a lesson (minus the Vaseline, I am sure).  They push this on parents and high schools but I think we will start to see this stop.  The sheriff had no choice but to fire his deputy for doing this regardless of what state they are in or school he was associated with.

The sheriff’s deputy was the one who took the kid into the jail……. But we can point fingers all night… regardless of whether or not he was on duty, he was a law enforcement officer and he needs to take responsibility.  I don’t think we know if the parents were aware of this, my guess is that they probably were if it was a routine procedure.  If the deputy decided to take it upon himself to try something different than that is a different story.  I do know that police across the country do this to scare teens, this is not unique to any one type of school.  It is unfortunate that the deputy allowed the inmates to take control the way they did.

What we need to recognize, also, is that the school took this as a very serious event and took immediate action to eliminate from this happening again.


...

[Anonymous]

If the parents use the web at all they should know that a jail visit was a mandatory part of Excel Academy.

On HEAL-online a survivor statement from a girl, who attended the facility back in 2000 mentions the visits to the jail.

SURVIVOR TESTIMONIAL: EXCEL ACADEMY - Survivor Account #1

So it was old news. There is no excuse of behalf of the parents.

[TheWho]

If the parents use the web at all they should know that a jail visit was a mandatory part of Excel Academy.

On HEAL-online a survivor statement from a girl, who attended the facility back in 2000 mentions the visits to the jail.

SURVIVOR TESTIMONIAL: EXCEL ACADEMY - Survivor Account #1

So it was old news. There is no excuse of behalf of the parents.

Thanks Wiki, for finding that, this is what I thought.  I am sure the parents are made aware of the various procedures that the school uses and you are right this is an old tactic and its use also goes way back before programs existed.  The parents were not at fault (I agree) it was poor judgment on the part of the towns deputy and I believe being terminated was the right thing for the sheriff to do.



...

[Anonymous]

you fuckin program shill. try all you like but you can't turn a pile of shit into a rose. which program did the "cuff and vasoline" dude run at excell? how long was he employed there?
cuffs and vasoline aren't coercive? did they engage the family in deciding on this course of "therapy"? just how trans-parent is excel?

I think you misread what I wrote.  I do not advocate this type of procedure, personally.

Here is what I stated:

I have never been a big fan of those scare tactics.  Our local police advocate having the kids arrested and thrown in jail for a day to teach the kids a lesson (minus the Vaseline, I am sure).  They push this on parents and high schools but I think we will start to see this stop.  The sheriff had no choice but to fire his deputy for doing this regardless of what state they are in or school he was associated with.

The sheriff’s deputy was the one who took the kid into the jail……. But we can point fingers all night… regardless of whether or not he was on duty, he was a law enforcement officer and he needs to take responsibility.  I don’t think we know if the parents were aware of this, my guess is that they probably were if it was a routine procedure.  If the deputy decided to take it upon himself to try something different than that is a different story.  I do know that police across the country do this to scare teens, this is not unique to any one type of school.  It is unfortunate that the deputy allowed the inmates to take control the way they did.

What we need to recognize, also, is that the school took this as a very serious event and took immediate action to eliminate from this happening again.


...

idiot. distracting from the facts as usual.

The former deputy was working a second job at a private school in Conroe when the Montgomery County District Attorney said the deputy tried to scare the boy into better behavior.

KPRC learned that Morast has a program at Conroe's Excel Academy, where he works with students with discipline problems.

what "program"? how long was he employed there?

According to the district attorney's office, an official with the boy's private boarding school was also there.

clearly this is common at excel and the deputy wasn't working alone.

that pathetic press release from vardell/excel was nothing more than damage control for this latest "exposure" to what kind of "therapy" these programs employ. dollars to donuts, it's business as usual.

[TheWho]

idiot. distracting from the facts as usual.

The former deputy was working a second job at a private school in Conroe when the Montgomery County District Attorney said the deputy tried to scare the boy into better behavior.

KPRC learned that Morast has a program at Conroe's Excel Academy, where he works with students with discipline problems.

what "program"? how long was he employed there?

According to the district attorney's office, an official with the boy's private boarding school was also there.

clearly this is common at excel and the deputy wasn't working alone.

that pathetic press release from vardell/excel was nothing more than damage control for this latest "exposure" to what kind of "therapy" these programs employ. dollars to donuts, it's business as usual.

I don’t think it was a distraction at all.  A staff member should always accompany any student who leaves the school property, this is standard procedure in any school system.  If a child is taken from a local public or private school they would need to be escorted by a member of the school or a parent.
As far as whether or not the deputy worked for the school part time I don’t think this is an issue the deputy should never have turned the child over to the inmates or relinquished control to them.

The parents are well aware that this procedure is used (see wiki’s feedback).  If a parent does not approve of this type of discipline then they can simple choose another school with a different model, prior to their Childs admittance.

Out of one side of your mouth you ask for transparency/ disclosure and for the schools to change their ways and out of the other you criticize them if they do react to problems and make their process known and open to the public.  For future reference if you want to refer to others as idiots you should be careful how you act yourself.



...

[Anonymous]

idiot. distracting from the facts as usual.

The former deputy was working a second job at a private school in Conroe when the Montgomery County District Attorney said the deputy tried to scare the boy into better behavior.

KPRC learned that Morast has a program at Conroe's Excel Academy, where he works with students with discipline problems.

what "program"? how long was he employed there?

According to the district attorney's office, an official with the boy's private boarding school was also there.

clearly this is common at excel and the deputy wasn't working alone.

that pathetic press release from vardell/excel was nothing more than damage control for this latest "exposure" to what kind of "therapy" these programs employ. dollars to donuts, it's business as usual.

I don’t think it was a distraction at all.  A staff member should always accompany any student who leaves the school property, this is standard procedure in any school system.  If a child is taken from a local public or private school they would need to be escorted by a member of the school or a parent.
As far as whether or not the deputy worked for the school part time I don’t think this is an issue the deputy should never have turned the child over to the inmates or relinquished control to them.

The parents are well aware that this procedure is used (see wiki’s feedback).  If a parent does not approve of this type of discipline then they can simple choose another school with a different model, prior to their Childs admittance.

Out of one side of your mouth you ask for transparency/ disclosure and for the schools to change their ways and out of the other you criticize them if they do react to problems and make their process known and open to the public.  For future reference if you want to refer to others as idiots you should be careful how you act yourself.

...

parents are told that part of their kid's "therapy" is to be ordered to strip and have vasoline smeared on their ass? Hee...Hee
come on. you know so much about aspen, how long was morast employed there and what program did he run? cough up the facts mr fact dude.
damn straight a staff was there, permitting the whole sadistic act to happen. since morast was staff, he didn't technically need another staff with him.
are you keeping tabs on all these abusive exposures that aspen can't keep out of the media? do you share them with potential customers?

[TheWho]

parents are told that part of their kid's "therapy" is to be ordered to strip and have vasoline smeared on their ass? Hee...Hee

Exactly!!.. good point.... Sounds ridiculous when it is phased that way doesn’t it?   I couldn’t imagine any parent that would approve of that.  So obviously the deputy took this upon himself to step outside of the procedure of the school and of his duties as a deputy within his community.  If this wasn’t the case then the sheriff would be investigating the school for its practices instead of firing his own deputy.

come on. you know so much about aspen, how long was morast employed there and what program did he run? cough up the facts mr fact dude.

I don’t have information of Excel Academy employees, but it would be nice to know how long they employed this guy for, I agree.

damn straight a staff was there, permitting the whole sadistic act to happen. since morast was staff, he didn't technically need another staff with him.
are you keeping tabs on all these abusive exposures that aspen can't keep out of the media? do you share them with potential customers?

Well first of all I don’t have customers associated with the industry and secondly a business would be nuts to bring up the problems they are having with their staff to every parent or person that comes along.  The information is made public but when it comes to talking to new parents they want to put their best foot forward like anyone else.

How many car dealerships have pictures of Automobile accidents up on the walls?  How many waiting rooms in hospitals have photos of people dying or pictures of the latest fatalities?  You seem to be very naive about the world around you.



...

[Anonymous]

So obviously the deputy took this upon himself to step outside of the procedure of the school and of his duties as a deputy within his community.  If this wasn’t the case then the sheriff would be investigating the school for its practices instead of firing his own deputy.

no you moronic dope. the deputy didn't take it upon himself. another staff was present and it was business as usual. was the other staff fired as well for his part in the sadistic act?

Well first of all I don’t have customers associated with the industry and secondly a business would be nuts to bring up the problems they are having with their staff to every parent or person that comes along.  The information is made public but when it comes to talking to new parents they want to put their best foot forward like anyone else.
How many car dealerships have pictures of Automobile accidents up on the walls?  How many waiting rooms in hospitals have photos of people dying or pictures of the latest fatalities?  You seem to be very naive about the world around you.

are you reading and comprehending what he is saying, parents? you want the scoop you can not "call the facility". come to fornits or any number of other sites where you'll get the full picture. don't make an uninformed decision that could have negative effect on your child for the rest of his/her life. do not entrust him/her to strangers. sadists tend to flock to these places. the facilities cut off communication and drive a wedge between parent and child. you will not know what actually happens to your child unless they liberate themselves from the conditioning after release and tell you.