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{{Infobox school | {{Infobox school | ||
| name = Allynwood Academy | |||
| background = #f0f6fa (standard color) | |||
| border = #ccd2d9 (standard color) | |||
| name = Family Foundation School | |||
| image = Familyfoundationschool.jpg | | image = Familyfoundationschool.jpg | ||
| |
| image_size = | ||
| motto = Building Character. Changing Lives. | | motto = Building Character. Changing Lives. | ||
| established = 1984 | | established = 1984 | ||
| type = Private |
| type = Private High School | ||
| religion = |
| religion = Interfaith | ||
| head_name = |
| head_name = | ||
| head = |
| head = | ||
| principal_label = | |||
| director_name = Director of Admissions | |||
| principal = | |||
| director = Jeff Brain, M.A. | |||
| city = Hancock | | city = ] | ||
| state = |
| state = ] | ||
| country = USA | | country = USA | ||
| campus = |
| campus = {{convert|158|acre|km2}} | ||
| enrollment = |
| enrollment = closed | ||
| faculty = |
| faculty = | ||
| class = |
| class = | ||
| ratio = |
| ratio = 4:1 | ||
| |
| patron = | ||
| patron = | |||
| SAT = 1250 | | SAT = 1250 | ||
| ACT = |
| ACT = | ||
| athletics = |
| athletics = n/a | ||
| colors = ] and ] | | colors = ] and ] | ||
| mascot = ] | | mascot = ] | ||
| homepage = {{url|allynwood.org}} | |||
| conference = New York State Class D, Section IX | |||
⚫ | | ceeb = | ||
| homepage = http://www.thefamilyschool.com/ | |||
⚫ | | ceeb = |
||
|}} | |}} | ||
'''Allynwood Academy''', formerly the '''Family Foundation School''', was a ], ], ], ] located in ], ].<ref>New York State Department of Education, Administrators Listing for Public and Non-Public Schools and School Districts </ref> The school was in operation from 1984 through 2014, when it closed due to declining enrollment amid a raft of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse allegations made by alumni in a grassroots "truth campaign."<ref name=Closing1>{{cite web | url=http://www.wbng.com/news/video/Boarding-school-for-troubled-teens-closing-its-doors-270425621.html | title=Boarding school for troubled teens set to close | work=WBNG-TV | date=August 7, 2014 | accessdate=August 10, 2014 | archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140812204151/http://www.wbng.com/news/video/Boarding-school-for-troubled-teens-closing-its-doors-270425621.html | archive-date=August 12, 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name=StarClosing>{{cite news | url=http://www.thedailystar.com/breakingnews/x197383714/Hobart-boarding-school-to-close | title=Hancock boarding school to close: School formerly known as Family Foundation School to shut its doors Friday | work=The Daily Star (Oneonta) | date=August 6, 2014 | accessdate=August 10, 2014 | archive-url=https://archive.today/20140812025216/http://www.thedailystar.com/breakingnews/x197383714/Hobart-boarding-school-to-close | archive-date=August 12, 2014 | url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="Wilson">{{Cite news|last=Wilson|first=Michael|date=January 14, 2022|title=Survivor993 Is Not Alone: Lawsuits Show Abuse at School for At-Risk Teens|language=en-US|work=The New York Times|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2022/01/14/nyregion/family-foundation-school-abuse-lawsuits.html|access-date=January 15, 2022|issn=0362-4331}}</ref> At least ten lawsuits have been brought by former students since 2019, in which plaintiffs claimed that strip searches, hard labor, isolation rooms, physical restraint, and sexual assault were rampant at the school in the 1990s and 2000s. Three of the lawsuits were settled in October 2021 for undisclosed sums.<ref name="Wilson"/> A front-page ''New York Times'' article in 2018 reported a pattern of at least one hundred deaths by overdose and suicide among alumni, the vast majority before age 40.<ref>Wilson, Michael. | |||
The '''Family Foundation School''' is a ], ], ], ] located in ], ].<ref>New York State Department of Education, Administrators Listing for Public and Non-Public Schools and School Districts </ref> It was founded in 1984. | |||
, '']'', September 3, 2018. Accessed October 14, 2018. "The effort is led by Elizabeth Ianelli, 39, an alumna of the school and a former police instructor, who has tallied the death count — now up to 101, all under the age of 50 and the vast majority under 40."</ref> | |||
==History== | ==History== | ||
The school was founded in the 1980s by Tony and Betty Argiros, who were recovering ]s following a ]. As a part of their own final step in the program, they took into their home young people who were recovering from substance abuse. They became ] to many of these adolescents and provided some with ] education. After the number of foster children began to exceed the allowable limit for ], they sought and obtained legal status for their home as a licensed school.<ref name=FamilyLight>{{cite web|url=http://www.familylight.com/link3/3.03/3.032/DEF/familyfoundation.htm|title=Profile of The Family Foundation School|publisher=FamilyLight, a service of Thomas J. Croke & Associates, Inc.|accessdate=2010 |
The school was founded in the 1980s by Tony and Betty Argiros, who were recovering ]s following a ]. As a part of their own final step in the program, they took into their home young people who were recovering from substance abuse. They became ] to many of these adolescents and provided some with ] education. After the number of foster children began to exceed the allowable limit for ], they sought and obtained legal status for their home as a licensed school.<ref name=FamilyLight>{{cite web|url=http://www.familylight.com/link3/3.03/3.032/DEF/familyfoundation.htm|title=Profile of The Family Foundation School|publisher=FamilyLight, a service of Thomas J. Croke & Associates, Inc.|accessdate=January 8, 2010}}</ref> | ||
Over time, the school grew beyond the Argiros home into a ] that includes a main school building, boys' and girls' ], a chapel, |
Over time, the school grew beyond the Argiros home into a ] that includes a main school building, boys' and girls' ], a chapel, food service, laundry services, art and athletic facilities. | ||
In 2000, the Argiros children assumed control over the day-to-day operations of the school.<ref name=Argiros1>{{cite web|url=http://thefamilyschoolleadership.com/2009/11/12/an-open-letter-about-sex-at-the-family-foundation-school/ |
In 2000, the Argiros children assumed control over the day-to-day operations of the school.<ref name=Argiros1>{{cite web|url=http://thefamilyschoolleadership.com/2009/11/12/an-open-letter-about-sex-at-the-family-foundation-school/|title=An Open Letter About Sex At The Family Foundation School|publisher=Family Foundation School|date=November 12, 2009|accessdate=December 8, 2009|last=Argiros|first=Rita|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110716232918/http://thefamilyschoolleadership.com/2009/11/12/an-open-letter-about-sex-at-the-family-foundation-school/|archive-date=July 16, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> | ||
In October 2013, the Family Foundation School changed its name to "Allynwood Academy", which the school stated was due to a change in program structure. | |||
Citing a decline in enrollment, the school closed at the end of the 2014–2015 academic year. | |||
==Program== | ==Program== | ||
The Family Foundation School program |
The Family Foundation School program was based upon three core goals: maximize ]; develop ] and ] through a 12-step program of recovery; grow and mature ] through the 12-Step program as well as ] and ] therapies. Students at the school were divided into "families" of roughly 30 students and 6 staff members. The family groups ate together, during which time "Table Topics" served as an opportunity for the group to address any negative issues presented by individual students. | ||
The school |
The school operated year-round, with two 25-week school terms,<ref name=Petersons/> and employed a ] that was chiefly based on the twelve-step approach.<ref name=Petersons>School Close-Up: The Family Foundation School, Hancock, New York; {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110605015826/http://www.petersons.com/college-search/private-schools-new-york.aspx |date=June 5, 2011 }} </ref> | ||
The school |
The school served ] age (grades 9–12) children that had problems with various ] (e.g. drugs, alcohol, food, sex, gambling or gaming)<ref name="Delcotimes"/> and/or other psychological challenges.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.newyorkboardingschools.com/schools/family/|title=The Family Foundation School|publisher=www.newyorkboardingschools.com|accessdate=November 16, 2009}}</ref> Students were typically recommended for placement at the school by a ], ], or ].<ref name="Delcotimes">Terry Hannum, A Family at School, Delaware County Times, July 11, 2008, p.24.</ref> | ||
The Bridge was a program added circa 2012–2013 for participants ages 18 to 20.<ref>{{Cite web |url=http://www.thefamilyschool.com/bridge/the-bridge/ |title=Therapeutic boarding school for troubled teens and problem teens, college prep boarding school for troubled teens with academic problems - the Bridge - Family Foundation School |access-date=February 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140222152515/http://www.thefamilyschool.com/bridge/the-bridge/ |archive-date=February 22, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> | |||
The school's program is recognized as being unusually rich among therapeutic boarding schools in terms of its academics, its focus on the visual and performing arts, and athletics.<ref name=FamilyLight /><ref name=Woodbury_Visit /> | |||
== |
==Accreditation and affiliations== | ||
The Family Foundation School |
The Family Foundation School was ] by the ],<ref name="Woodbury_Visit">{{cite web |title=Visit Reports: The Family Foundation School |url=http://www.strugglingteens.com/artman/publish/FamilyFoundationSchoolVR_071211.shtml |publisher=Woodbury Reports |accessdate=January 8, 2010}}</ref><ref name=MSA>Family Foundation School entry on the directory of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools: {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110423135112/http://www.css-msa.org/search.php?MODE=VIEW%28NY076%29&org=CSS |date=April 23, 2011 }}</ref> the ],<ref name=Woodbury_Visit /><ref name="NYSDOE">New York State Department of Education, Administrators Listing for Public and Non-Public Schools and School Districts </ref> and was accredited as a ] care facility by the ],<ref name=JACHO>Profile of the Family Foundation School on the directory of The Joint Commission </ref> a private not-for profit quality assurance organization. | ||
The school |
The school was a founding member of ] (NATSAP)<ref name=NATSAP>{{cite web|url=http://199.236.66.238/program_details.asp?id=34|archive-url=https://archive.today/20121129045015/http://199.236.66.238/program_details.asp?id=34|url-status=dead|archive-date=November 29, 2012|title=Family Foundation School profile in the directory of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs|accessdate=June 3, 2012}}</ref> | ||
==Extracurricular programs== | ==Extracurricular programs== | ||
The Family Foundation School's extracurricular programs |
The Family Foundation School's extracurricular programs included sports teams, drama productions, musical programs, an art department and a wide variety of clubs.<ref name=Delcotimes /> Students also participated with members of the local community through religious associations, scouting, Rotary Club, Job Corps, the Sullivan County ], and various other community service projects in the Hancock, NY area.<ref name=DailyStar>{{cite web|last=Breakey |first=Patricia |url=http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_295040039.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120911195106/http://www.thedailystar.com/local/local_story_295040039.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 11, 2012 |title=The Daily Star, Oneonta, NY - Otsego, Delaware, Chenango and Schoharie County News, Sports and Opinion - Letter alleges abuse at Hancock school |publisher=Thedailystar.com |date=April 24, 2008 |accessdate=October 23, 2009 }}</ref> | ||
The school's performing arts program |
The school's performing arts program presented full-scale ]s, drama productions, winter and spring choral concerts that were open to the public,<ref name="Delcotimes" /> and was a regular participant in the ].<ref name=Petersons /> | ||
In 2004 and 2005, the school's ] team won the Seventh annual Delaware-Otsego Bar Associations Forensic Speech Tournament, a regional debating competition.<ref>"Family Foundation School wins team speech contest," ''The Daily Star'', ], March 24, 2005. </ref> |
In 2004 and 2005, the school's ] team won the Seventh annual Delaware-Otsego Bar Associations Forensic Speech Tournament, a regional debating competition.<ref>"Family Foundation School wins team speech contest," ''The Daily Star'', ], March 24, 2005. </ref> | ||
The school ] team won the championship in the New York State Class D, Section IX Conference in 2005.<ref>"Family School Falcons Soar To Class D Boys Soccer Title, "Sullivan County Democrat, November |
The school ] team won the championship in the New York State Class D, Section IX Conference in 2005.<ref>"Family School Falcons Soar To Class D Boys Soccer Title, "Sullivan County Democrat, November 8, 2005 </ref> | ||
In 2009, the school's Math Team earned an honorable mention in the 2009 ], for their presentation examining |
In 2009, the school's Math Team earned an honorable mention in the 2009 ], for their presentation examining the effect of ] ] program on employment in the ].<ref>"Teens explore stimulus act, win math competition," ''Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics'', May 7, 2009 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100227012712/http://www.siam.org/about/news-siam.php?id=1549 |date=February 27, 2010 }}</ref> | ||
==Faculty== | ==Faculty== | ||
⚫ | The Family Foundation School employed over three-dozen educational professionals, counsellors and support staff, and maintained a 4:1 student-teacher ratio.<ref name=Petersons /><ref name=EdPlanner>School Overview: The Family Foundation School, American Education Services Education Planner {{Dead link|date=October 2018 |bot=InternetArchiveBot |fix-attempted=yes }}</ref><ref name=VogelRelease>{{cite web|url=http://www.troubledteenhelp.com/pr_TheFamilyFoundationSchool_01061002|title=The Family Foundation School is proud to announce that Mark P. Vogel, Ph.D. has been named Director of Counseling|publisher=troubledteenhelp.com|accessdate=January 9, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110717104441/http://www.troubledteenhelp.com/pr_TheFamilyFoundationSchool_01061002|archive-date=July 17, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> About half of the school's faculty and staff members have been through a twelve-step recovery process.<ref name=FamilyLight /> | ||
⚫ | The school's English and Philosophy instructor and middle school principal, Jan Cheripko, is the author of nine books,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/jan-cheripko |title=Profile of Jan Cheripko |publisher=Answers.com |date= |accessdate=September 3, 2009}}</ref> has won numerous national and international book awards and has been a featured speaker at the ], the ], and numerous other New York State and Northeastern U.S. regional education conferences.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/pages/current/foundationFW_bios_03.html |title=Highlights Foundation Website, 2003/2004 Founders Faculty Page |publisher=Highlightsfoundation.org |accessdate=September 3, 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090303070901/http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/pages/current/foundationFW_bios_03.html |archive-date=March 3, 2009 |url-status=dead }}</ref> He has also conducted graduate teaching accredited workshops on how to reach at-risk students through writing and literature.<ref>Highlights Foundation Website, "Reaching at-risk Students: A Weekend of Writing and Literature" {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061004025628/http://www.highlightsfoundation.org/pages/current/FWsched_atriskStudents_04.html |date=October 4, 2006 }}</ref> | ||
⚫ | The Family Foundation School |
||
⚫ | The school's English and Philosophy instructor and middle school principal, Jan Cheripko, is the author of nine books,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.answers.com/topic/jan-cheripko |title=Profile of Jan Cheripko |publisher=Answers.com |date= |accessdate=2009 |
||
==Alumni== | ==Alumni== | ||
Family Foundation School alumnus ] is a ] for the ],<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.mlssoccer.com/player/wells-thompson |title=Colorado Rapids Official Website, Wells Thompson, Biography |publisher=MLSSoccer.com |accessdate=June 14, 2010 |quote=2009: Appeared in 25 regular season games, starting 17 and recording one goal and two assists…Overall, made 31 appearances, including SuperLiga and U.S. Open Cup.}}</ref> a ] team in the ]. He began his professional ] career with the ], where he played from 2007 through 2009.<ref>{{cite web| archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20081007163515/http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=32452 |title=New England Revolution Official Website, Wells Thompson, Biography |publisher=Revolutionsoccer.net |date=November 25, 1983 |archivedate=October 7, 2008 |quote=2008: Made 19 regular-season appearances, including eight starts.|url=http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=32452 }}</ref><ref name=ThomsonInterview>Former Family School Student Now Playing Pro Soccer, by Justin Rodriguez, Times Herald-Record, April 14, 2007 {{cite news|url=http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070414/SPORTS/704140341/-1/SPORTS10|title=Former Family School student now playing pro soccer|quote="I really don't think I would be here if it wasn't for The Family School."|date=April 14, 2007|accessdate=June 14, 2010}}</ref> | |||
From 2004 through 2008, all Family Foundation School graduates have been accepted at postsecondary institutions, with 85 percent to four-year colleges and 15 percent to ]s or professional training.<ref name=Petersons /> | |||
Grammy Nominated Songwriter ] attended The Family Foundation School between January of 2006 and June of 2009. Possessing little musical experience prior to his arrival at FFS, Nathaniel involved himself in the school's choir program and spent available downtime learning how to play guitar and songwrite. Under the direction and development of FFS Music Director Paul Geer, Nathaniel went on to attend the ] at ]. In 2011, Nathaniel was introduced to producer ]. Lassiter most notably was responsible for production work on ] ]. Lassiter also worked with ] & ]. He spent much of 2011 ghost-writing for major label artists. Nathaniel resides in New Jersey. | |||
Family Foundation School alumnus ] played ] for the ].<ref name=ThomsonInterview>Former Family School Student Now Playing Pro Soccer, by Justin Rodriguez, Times Herald-Record, April 14, 2007 {{cite news|url=http://www.recordonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070414/SPORTS/704140341/-1/SPORTS10|title=Former Family School student now playing pro soccer|quote="Thompson, a North Carolina native, played in Section 9 for The Family School in 2001, tearing it up on fields across Orange and Sullivan counties. The Family School, located in Hancock, is a prep school for troubled teenagers." "I really don't think I would be here if it wasn't for The Family School... the people there really helped me. I really grew up."|date=04/14/07|accessdate=5/27/10}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.revolutionsoccer.net/team/index.cfm?ac=playerbio&bio=32452 |title=New England Revolution Official Website, Wells Thompson, Biography |publisher=Revolutionsoccer.net |date=1983-11-25 |accessdate=2009-09-03 |quote=2008: Made 19 regular-season appearances, including eight starts.}}</ref> | |||
A Family Foundation School Alumni Association was established after the school held its first alumni reunion in September 2006. More than 125 former students from around the United States attended the reunion.<ref name=Alumni>, ''Woodbury Reports'', February 2007, page 30</ref> | A Family Foundation School Alumni Association was established after the school held its first alumni reunion in September 2006. More than 125 former students from around the United States attended the reunion.<ref name=Alumni>, ''Woodbury Reports'', February 2007, page 30</ref> | ||
==Controversy== | |||
==Congressional hearings== | ===Congressional hearings=== | ||
The Family Foundation School was one of several residential programs for special-needs adolescents that were discussed in ] ] hearings in 2007 and 2008.<ref name=USCCEL> |
The Family Foundation School was one of several residential programs for special-needs adolescents that were discussed in ] ] hearings in 2007 and 2008, regarding a policy of using students to discipline other students, including chasing, capturing, and restraining runaways from the facility.<ref name=USCCEL>{{cite web|url=http://republicans.edlabor.house.gov/hearingsMarkup_details.aspx?NewsID=528 | title="Child Abuse and Deceptive Marketing by Residential Programs for Teens", U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, Full Committee Hearing on HR 5876, April 24, 2008 |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20080730211631/http://republicans.edlabor.house.gov/hearingsMarkup_details.aspx?NewsID=528 |archivedate=July 30, 2008}}</ref><ref name=NewPaltz>Emily Canty, ''Allegations Against at-risk Youth Programs Made Before Chairman of Committee on Education and Labor'', The New Paltz Oracle, Volume 79 Issue 7, November 1, 2007 {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080617183230/http://oracle.newpaltz.edu/article.cfm?id=3317 |date=June 17, 2008 }}</ref> | ||
In testimony at an April 24, 2008 committee hearing, a former student testified that during the period 1995 through 1997 members of the school's faculty had engaged in various forms of ] and ], imposed ], and used inhumane forms of ].<ref name=JMC-transcript>{{cite web|url=http://edlabor.house.gov/testimony/2008-04-24-JonMartinCrawford.pdf |title=Written transcript of testimony of Jon Martin-Crawford |format=PDF |date= |accessdate=2009-09-03}}</ref> | |||
The school responded by |
The school responded by declaring its support for the efforts of the committee to keep children safe from harm, adding that the school had since modified its crisis-management methods to meet the standards of both the ] and the ] (TCI) program developed by ]. The school also stated that since 1999, all school faculty and staff are required to be trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention techniques.<ref name=FFS-response>The Family Foundation School Responds to the Recent Hearings by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor. </ref> Following the April 24 hearing, several parents of former students, a former student, and a former staff member wrote to the committee in response to the negative testimony, providing positive reports of their own experiences with the Family Foundation School.<ref>, U.S. Government Printing Office, 2008</ref> | ||
== |
===Activist response=== | ||
⚫ | Beginning in 2007, ] (CAFETY) conducted a campaign against the Family Foundation School. In October 2009, a local newspaper reported that CAFETY had sent a letter to residents of ], claiming abusive conditions at the school, including excerpts from former student testimonials. The letter directed residents to an anti-school website for more information about the alleged abusive conditions. Delaware County law enforcement, social services officials, and the school stated that the allegations in letter were based on past issues that had been corrected by the school. CAFETY disputes this claim, saying that its concerns about alleged abuse are based on written complaints by students who attended the school as recently as 2008.<ref name="DailyStar" /> | ||
⚫ | CAFETY members have also taken part in rallies in other areas of the country, where experiences at the school were addressed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091022/ARTICLES/910229884/1002?Title=Rally-for-teens-rights-held-at-downtown-plaza |title=Teen rights rally, Bo Diddley Community Plaza, downtown Gainesville|publisher=Gainesville.com (The Gainesville Sun website)|date=October 22, 2009 |accessdate=October 23, 2009|last=Ford|first=Andrew}}</ref> Former students have stated that they were restrained with blankets and duct tape for hours at a time, and that some students were forced to eat everything on their plate, and would not be fed subsequent meals until they did so.<ref name=Closing2 /> | ||
===State inspections=== | |||
⚫ | |||
Allegations of abuse prompted an unannounced inspection of the school in 2010 by several New York state agencies.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thefamilyschoolleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/CQCLetter.pdf|title=Investigation Findings|publisher=Family Foundation School Leadership|date=September 8, 2010|accessdate=December 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110830210558/http://thefamilyschoolleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/CQCLetter.pdf|archive-date=August 30, 2011|url-status=dead}}</ref> The inspectors reported that they had not found any "current instances of abuse or neglect," but they continued to have concern about reports provided by former students, several of whom gave accounts of "strikingly similar and troubling experiences".<ref>{{cite web|url=http://thefamilyschoolleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/CQCtoFFS12292010.pdf|title=Investigation Findings|publisher=Family Foundation school|date=December 29, 2010|accessdate=December 6, 2011|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120422213636/http://thefamilyschoolleadership.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/CQCtoFFS12292010.pdf|archive-date=April 22, 2012|url-status=dead}}</ref> | |||
⚫ | CAFETY members have also taken part in rallies in other areas of the country, where experiences at the school were addressed.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.gainesville.com/article/20091022/ARTICLES/910229884/1002?Title=Rally-for-teens-rights-held-at-downtown-plaza |title=Teen rights rally, Bo Diddley Community Plaza, downtown Gainesville|publisher=Gainesville.com ( |
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==Closing== | |||
On July 31, 2014, citing financial challenges from declining enrollment, the school announced that it would be closing its doors eight days later.<ref name=StarClosing /> An outpouring of support however, prompted the school to remain open for 15 students and minimal staff through the end of 2014,<ref name=Closing2>{{cite web |url=http://www.wbng.com/news/local/A-controversial-history--Allynwood-Academy-plagued-with-abuse-allegations-270842071.html |title=Allynwood Academy plagued with abuse allegations |publisher=WBNG TV |date=August 11, 2014 |accessdate=August 18, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140819084624/http://www.wbng.com/news/local/A-controversial-history--Allynwood-Academy-plagued-with-abuse-allegations-270842071.html |archive-date=August 19, 2014 |url-status=dead }}</ref> while the remaining 70 employees and students were either laid off or asked to leave, respectively.<ref name=Closing1 /> In addition to financial challenges, it has been suggested lingering accusations of abuse by school staff members played a role in the school's declining enrollment and eventual closure.<ref name=Closing2 /> | |||
==See also== | ==See also== | ||
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==References== | |||
==Notes and references== | |||
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==External links== | ==External links== | ||
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Latest revision as of 06:43, 14 November 2024
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Allynwood Academy | |
---|---|
Location | |
Hancock, New York United States | |
Information | |
Type | Private High School |
Motto | Building Character. Changing Lives. |
Religious affiliation(s) | Interfaith |
Established | 1984 |
Enrollment | closed |
Student to teacher ratio | 4:1 |
Campus | 158 acres (0.64 km) |
Color(s) | Blue and Gold |
Athletics | n/a |
Mascot | Falcon |
Website | allynwood |
Allynwood Academy, formerly the Family Foundation School, was a private, co-educational, college preparatory, therapeutic boarding school located in Hancock, New York. The school was in operation from 1984 through 2014, when it closed due to declining enrollment amid a raft of physical, emotional, and sexual abuse allegations made by alumni in a grassroots "truth campaign." At least ten lawsuits have been brought by former students since 2019, in which plaintiffs claimed that strip searches, hard labor, isolation rooms, physical restraint, and sexual assault were rampant at the school in the 1990s and 2000s. Three of the lawsuits were settled in October 2021 for undisclosed sums. A front-page New York Times article in 2018 reported a pattern of at least one hundred deaths by overdose and suicide among alumni, the vast majority before age 40.
History
The school was founded in the 1980s by Tony and Betty Argiros, who were recovering alcoholics following a twelve-step program. As a part of their own final step in the program, they took into their home young people who were recovering from substance abuse. They became foster parents to many of these adolescents and provided some with homeschooling education. After the number of foster children began to exceed the allowable limit for New York State, they sought and obtained legal status for their home as a licensed school.
Over time, the school grew beyond the Argiros home into a campus that includes a main school building, boys' and girls' dormitories, a chapel, food service, laundry services, art and athletic facilities.
In 2000, the Argiros children assumed control over the day-to-day operations of the school.
In October 2013, the Family Foundation School changed its name to "Allynwood Academy", which the school stated was due to a change in program structure.
Citing a decline in enrollment, the school closed at the end of the 2014–2015 academic year.
Program
The Family Foundation School program was based upon three core goals: maximize academic potential; develop spiritually and emotionally through a 12-step program of recovery; grow and mature psychologically through the 12-Step program as well as group and individual therapies. Students at the school were divided into "families" of roughly 30 students and 6 staff members. The family groups ate together, during which time "Table Topics" served as an opportunity for the group to address any negative issues presented by individual students.
The school operated year-round, with two 25-week school terms, and employed a residential behavior modification program that was chiefly based on the twelve-step approach.
The school served high-school age (grades 9–12) children that had problems with various addictions (e.g. drugs, alcohol, food, sex, gambling or gaming) and/or other psychological challenges. Students were typically recommended for placement at the school by a social worker, school guidance counselor, or psychologist.
The Bridge was a program added circa 2012–2013 for participants ages 18 to 20.
Accreditation and affiliations
The Family Foundation School was accredited as a school by the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools, the New York State Department of Education, and was accredited as a behavioral health care facility by the Joint Commission, a private not-for profit quality assurance organization.
The school was a founding member of National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP)
Extracurricular programs
The Family Foundation School's extracurricular programs included sports teams, drama productions, musical programs, an art department and a wide variety of clubs. Students also participated with members of the local community through religious associations, scouting, Rotary Club, Job Corps, the Sullivan County BOCES, and various other community service projects in the Hancock, NY area.
The school's performing arts program presented full-scale musicals, drama productions, winter and spring choral concerts that were open to the public, and was a regular participant in the North American Music Festivals.
In 2004 and 2005, the school's debating team won the Seventh annual Delaware-Otsego Bar Associations Forensic Speech Tournament, a regional debating competition.
The school soccer team won the championship in the New York State Class D, Section IX Conference in 2005.
In 2009, the school's Math Team earned an honorable mention in the 2009 Moody's Mega Math Challenge, for their presentation examining the effect of President Barack Obama's economic stimulus program on employment in the United States.
Faculty
The Family Foundation School employed over three-dozen educational professionals, counsellors and support staff, and maintained a 4:1 student-teacher ratio. About half of the school's faculty and staff members have been through a twelve-step recovery process.
The school's English and Philosophy instructor and middle school principal, Jan Cheripko, is the author of nine books, has won numerous national and international book awards and has been a featured speaker at the National Council of Teachers of English, the International Reading Association, and numerous other New York State and Northeastern U.S. regional education conferences. He has also conducted graduate teaching accredited workshops on how to reach at-risk students through writing and literature.
Alumni
Family Foundation School alumnus Wells Thompson is a midfielder for the Colorado Rapids, a Major League Soccer team in the United States. He began his professional soccer career with the New England Revolution, where he played from 2007 through 2009.
Grammy Nominated Songwriter Nathaniel Levine attended The Family Foundation School between January of 2006 and June of 2009. Possessing little musical experience prior to his arrival at FFS, Nathaniel involved himself in the school's choir program and spent available downtime learning how to play guitar and songwrite. Under the direction and development of FFS Music Director Paul Geer, Nathaniel went on to attend the John J. Cali School of Music at Montclair State University. In 2011, Nathaniel was introduced to producer Nayan Lassiter. Lassiter most notably was responsible for production work on Kanye West's The College Dropout. Lassiter also worked with Cyndi Lauper & The Knox. He spent much of 2011 ghost-writing for major label artists. Nathaniel resides in New Jersey.
A Family Foundation School Alumni Association was established after the school held its first alumni reunion in September 2006. More than 125 former students from around the United States attended the reunion.
Controversy
Congressional hearings
The Family Foundation School was one of several residential programs for special-needs adolescents that were discussed in United States Congress Committee on Education and Labor hearings in 2007 and 2008, regarding a policy of using students to discipline other students, including chasing, capturing, and restraining runaways from the facility.
The school responded by declaring its support for the efforts of the committee to keep children safe from harm, adding that the school had since modified its crisis-management methods to meet the standards of both the New York State Department of Education and the Therapeutic Crisis Intervention (TCI) program developed by Cornell University. The school also stated that since 1999, all school faculty and staff are required to be trained in Therapeutic Crisis Intervention techniques. Following the April 24 hearing, several parents of former students, a former student, and a former staff member wrote to the committee in response to the negative testimony, providing positive reports of their own experiences with the Family Foundation School.
Activist response
Beginning in 2007, Community Alliance for the Ethical Treatment of Youth (CAFETY) conducted a campaign against the Family Foundation School. In October 2009, a local newspaper reported that CAFETY had sent a letter to residents of Delaware County, claiming abusive conditions at the school, including excerpts from former student testimonials. The letter directed residents to an anti-school website for more information about the alleged abusive conditions. Delaware County law enforcement, social services officials, and the school stated that the allegations in letter were based on past issues that had been corrected by the school. CAFETY disputes this claim, saying that its concerns about alleged abuse are based on written complaints by students who attended the school as recently as 2008. CAFETY members have also taken part in rallies in other areas of the country, where experiences at the school were addressed. Former students have stated that they were restrained with blankets and duct tape for hours at a time, and that some students were forced to eat everything on their plate, and would not be fed subsequent meals until they did so.
State inspections
Allegations of abuse prompted an unannounced inspection of the school in 2010 by several New York state agencies. The inspectors reported that they had not found any "current instances of abuse or neglect," but they continued to have concern about reports provided by former students, several of whom gave accounts of "strikingly similar and troubling experiences".
Closing
On July 31, 2014, citing financial challenges from declining enrollment, the school announced that it would be closing its doors eight days later. An outpouring of support however, prompted the school to remain open for 15 students and minimal staff through the end of 2014, while the remaining 70 employees and students were either laid off or asked to leave, respectively. In addition to financial challenges, it has been suggested lingering accusations of abuse by school staff members played a role in the school's declining enrollment and eventual closure.
See also
References
- New York State Department of Education, Administrators Listing for Public and Non-Public Schools and School Districts
- ^ "Boarding school for troubled teens set to close". WBNG-TV. August 7, 2014. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
- ^ "Hancock boarding school to close: School formerly known as Family Foundation School to shut its doors Friday". The Daily Star (Oneonta). August 6, 2014. Archived from the original on August 12, 2014. Retrieved August 10, 2014.
- ^ Wilson, Michael (January 14, 2022). "Survivor993 Is Not Alone: Lawsuits Show Abuse at School for At-Risk Teens". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved January 15, 2022.
- Wilson, Michael. "'It's Like, Who's Next?': A Troubled School's Alarming Death Rate", The New York Times, September 3, 2018. Accessed October 14, 2018. "The effort is led by Elizabeth Ianelli, 39, an alumna of the school and a former police instructor, who has tallied the death count — now up to 101, all under the age of 50 and the vast majority under 40."
- ^ "Profile of The Family Foundation School". FamilyLight, a service of Thomas J. Croke & Associates, Inc. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
- Argiros, Rita (November 12, 2009). "An Open Letter About Sex At The Family Foundation School". Family Foundation School. Archived from the original on July 16, 2011. Retrieved December 8, 2009.
- ^ School Close-Up: The Family Foundation School, Hancock, New York; Peterson's Educational Guide Archived June 5, 2011, at the Wayback Machine Profile
- ^ Terry Hannum, A Family at School, Delaware County Times, July 11, 2008, p.24.
- "The Family Foundation School". www.newyorkboardingschools.com. Retrieved November 16, 2009.
- "Therapeutic boarding school for troubled teens and problem teens, college prep boarding school for troubled teens with academic problems - the Bridge - Family Foundation School". Archived from the original on February 22, 2014. Retrieved February 17, 2014.
- ^ "Visit Reports: The Family Foundation School". Woodbury Reports. Retrieved January 8, 2010.
- Family Foundation School entry on the directory of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Secondary Schools: Archived April 23, 2011, at the Wayback Machine
- New York State Department of Education, Administrators Listing for Public and Non-Public Schools and School Districts
- Profile of the Family Foundation School on the directory of The Joint Commission
- "Family Foundation School profile in the directory of the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs". Archived from the original on November 29, 2012. Retrieved June 3, 2012.
- ^ Breakey, Patricia (April 24, 2008). "The Daily Star, Oneonta, NY - Otsego, Delaware, Chenango and Schoharie County News, Sports and Opinion - Letter alleges abuse at Hancock school". Thedailystar.com. Archived from the original on September 11, 2012. Retrieved October 23, 2009.
- "Family Foundation School wins team speech contest," The Daily Star, Oneonta, New York, March 24, 2005.
- "Family School Falcons Soar To Class D Boys Soccer Title, "Sullivan County Democrat, November 8, 2005
- "Teens explore stimulus act, win math competition," Society for Industrial and Applied Mathematics, May 7, 2009 Archived February 27, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
- School Overview: The Family Foundation School, American Education Services Education Planner Profile
- "The Family Foundation School is proud to announce that Mark P. Vogel, Ph.D. has been named Director of Counseling". troubledteenhelp.com. Archived from the original on July 17, 2011. Retrieved January 9, 2010.
- "Profile of Jan Cheripko". Answers.com. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
- "Highlights Foundation Website, 2003/2004 Founders Faculty Page". Highlightsfoundation.org. Archived from the original on March 3, 2009. Retrieved September 3, 2009.
- Highlights Foundation Website, "Reaching at-risk Students: A Weekend of Writing and Literature" Archived October 4, 2006, at the Wayback Machine
- "Colorado Rapids Official Website, Wells Thompson, Biography". MLSSoccer.com. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
2009: Appeared in 25 regular season games, starting 17 and recording one goal and two assists…Overall, made 31 appearances, including SuperLiga and U.S. Open Cup.
- "New England Revolution Official Website, Wells Thompson, Biography". Revolutionsoccer.net. November 25, 1983. Archived from the original on October 7, 2008.
2008: Made 19 regular-season appearances, including eight starts.
- Former Family School Student Now Playing Pro Soccer, by Justin Rodriguez, Times Herald-Record, April 14, 2007 "Former Family School student now playing pro soccer". April 14, 2007. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
I really don't think I would be here if it wasn't for The Family School.
- Family School Alumni Organize, Woodbury Reports, February 2007, page 30
- ""Child Abuse and Deceptive Marketing by Residential Programs for Teens", U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, Full Committee Hearing on HR 5876, April 24, 2008". Archived from the original on July 30, 2008.
- Emily Canty, Allegations Against at-risk Youth Programs Made Before Chairman of Committee on Education and Labor, The New Paltz Oracle, Volume 79 Issue 7, November 1, 2007 Archived June 17, 2008, at the Wayback Machine
- The Family Foundation School Responds to the Recent Hearings by the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor.
- Transcript of Child Abuse and Deceptive Marketing by Residential Programs for Teens, Hearing before the U.S. House Committee on Education and Labor, April 24, 2008, U.S. Government Printing Office, 2008
- Ford, Andrew (October 22, 2009). "Teen rights rally, Bo Diddley Community Plaza, downtown Gainesville". Gainesville.com (The Gainesville Sun website). Retrieved October 23, 2009.
- ^ "Allynwood Academy plagued with abuse allegations". WBNG TV. August 11, 2014. Archived from the original on August 19, 2014. Retrieved August 18, 2014.
- "Investigation Findings" (PDF). Family Foundation School Leadership. September 8, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on August 30, 2011. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
- "Investigation Findings" (PDF). Family Foundation school. December 29, 2010. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 22, 2012. Retrieved December 6, 2011.
External links
- Official website
- Family Foundation School website
- 2004 press release: Suicide at The Family School - Strugglingteens.com
41°54′43″N 75°12′4″W / 41.91194°N 75.20111°W / 41.91194; -75.20111
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