- Devereux Glenholme School
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Coordinates: 41°38′46″N 73°18′14″W / 41.646°N 73.304°W
The Glenholme School, also known as Devereux Glenholme School, is a coeducational therapeutic boarding school for children situated on over 100 acres (0.40 km2) in Washington, Connecticut. The school aims to provide a highly structured environment for children ages nine to 18 who face challenges from various conditions, including Asperger syndrome, ADHD, behavioral problems, and emotional and learning disabilities.
Contents
Program
Services include a comprehensive academic curriculum, sports, fine arts, an emphasis on community service. The program includes residential treatment, day treatment, summer program and post-secondary services.
The school’s milieu therapy is intended to address varying levels of academic, social and special needs development. Glenholme aims to prepare graduates for continued education in traditional day or boarding schools or for higher education.
History
Devereux Glenholme was established in 1968[1] on the country estate of the Van Sinderen family, which had been donated to the Devereux Foundation by Jean White Van Sinderen, who had learned of the work of special education pioneer Helena T. Devereux and desired to create a school where children with special behavioral and learning needs could develop their potential.[2] The school's administrative offices are in a colonial revival house originally called Glen Holme, designed by architect Ehrick Rossiter for industrialist William Leslie Van Sinderen (1856–1909) and completed in 1898.[3]
In subsequent years the school was supported by Mrs. Van Sinderen's son, Alfred W. Van Sinderen, one-time Chief Executive Officer of Southern New England Telephone Company who died in 1998.[2]
Accreditation and affiliations
Glenholme is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges.[4] and the Council on Accrediation. It also is a member of the National Association of Independent Schools and the Connecticut Association of Independent Schools and holds approvals from the California Department of Education, Connecticut Department of Children and Families, Connecticut Department of Education, Massachusetts Department of Education, New Jersey Department of Education, Illinois Department of Education,and New York Department of Education.[1]
Innovative programs
During the 1990s, Devereux Glenholme was successful in instituting staff training that resulted in significant reductions in its use of physical restraints and time-outs, in spite of an increase in the severity of behavioral symptoms among its students. More recently, the school participated in a project supported by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration aimed at further reducing the use of restraints and seclusion in residential behavioral health care settings.[5] The Communities of Character program for character education was developed by Devereux Glenholme.[6]
In the news
The school frequently enlists celebrities to assist in fundraising, thus garnering publicity. In May 2011 comedians Jim Carrey and Tracy Morgan participated in the school's annual parent weekend and the opening events for the school's Center for the Arts.[7] In August 2010, special culinary guests Johnny Iuzinni, of Bravo TV's "Top Chef," and David Arnold, director of the French Culinary Institute’s technology department, shared their passion for science and the culinary craft to concoct several out-of-this-world creations for the culinary connoisseurs at Glenholme. [8] In May 2009, the school received media attention when it broke ground for a new arts center and held an auction fundraiser with the support of James Marsden and Jessica Biel. [9]
The school attracted unfavorable media attention In June 2007 after three male students, ages 14, 10, and 11, stole a car and tried to drive it to Manhattan. The New York State Trooper who stopped the car in Putnam County, New York, reported that the boys had many stuffed animals in their possession.[10] In October 2011 news media reported that a female staff member at Glenholme had been dismissed and faced criminal charges for having an inappropriate relationship with a male student.[11]
Glenholme also receives local media attention for campus activities including annual events such as Grandparents' Day [12], Alumni Day [12], Boarding Recognition Week [12], Canine Collection [12], as well as various community service efforts including a recent fundraiser by the school's culinary program [12].
Notable former students
- Nancy Spungen, girlfriend of Sid Vicious, attended in 1970-1971.[13]
References
- ^ a b School Overview, Peterson's Guide, accessed March 16, 2009
- ^ a b Devereux Glenholem press release, May 15, 2000
- ^ Scott J. Tilden, Visions of summer: Ehrick Rossiter in Washington, Connecticut, Magazine Antiques, August 2007
- ^ The Glenholme School, Boardingschoolreview.com, accessed March 16, 2009
- ^ Mary Guilfoile (2003), "Closeup: The Devereux Glenholme School," Residential Group Care Quarterly 3:3, page 5
- ^ Communities of Character website, archived August 13, 2007
- ^ "Glenholme Milestone", "New Milford Spectrum", June 2011
- ^ "A Tasty Treat at Glenholme", Housatonic Times, September 10, 2010
- ^ Glenholme School arts center earns the spotlight", CT Post, September 24, 2009
- ^ Douglas Montero and Dan Mangan, Teddy Bear Gang of Li'l "Car Crooks", New York Post, June 14, 2007
- ^ http://articles.courant.com/2011-10-20/news/hc-washington-sex-assault-1021-20111020_1_sexual-relationship-assistant-executive-director-inappropriate-relationship
- ^ a b c d e "Grandparents’ Day", New Milford Spectrum, October 14, 2011
- ^ Nancy Spungen, 1958-1978, accessed January 12, 2009
External links
Categories:- Boarding schools in Connecticut
- Schools in Litchfield County, Connecticut
- Special schools in the United States
- Washington, Connecticut
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