The Family Foundation School

In my life before The Family School I was extremely self-centered. I hurt everyone around me to get what I wanted and got a lot of negative attention by acting like a psycho. I had no interest in God because he probably didn't want me to steal, lie, cheat, or use substances.

My life became unmanageable early on. I was kicked out of 8th grade for drinking and drugging, and a year later was thrown out of 9th grade for the same reasons. I also owed thousands of dollars in gambling debt and spent my life running from those I owed money to.

Before FFS, my life was unmanageable and out of control. I was shooting heroin, selling drugs, stealing, and lying to my parents. I did anything to blind me from reality because I hated who I had become.

At home I was an overeater and extremely overweight. Going to school was the last thing on my mind. I stayed home and slept all day, then got up and stayed out all night. I was rude and disrespectful and had fits of temper.

At home I perfected the art of quitting. My attempts at sports, school, and relationships amounted to nothing but pathetic stories because I never followed through. I did not like myself and wanted to escape the judgment of others.

My life at home was full of lies and deceit. I became part of the tough crowd in middle school, and in high school I was in and out of detention, got into bad relationships, ran away and was sent to a psych ward.

To put it bluntly, I was a drunk. I didn't care about my family, or God, just drinking and smoking. I was drug-tested for the first time at 12, at 13 I was in outpatient rehab, and at 15 I was sent to wilderness and then to The Family School.

I was 15 and my mother was driving me to the hospital. She was crying, but all I could think of was what a good job I had done not eating. I felt no remorse, only the desire to leave and continue killing myself.

I am an alcoholic and a drug addict who couldn't live life on life's terms, so I drank. When my dad was diagnosed with cancer, I was introduced to heavier drugs and started stealing and selling his pain medication.

I was empty, angry, miserable, and lonely at home, and used any means possible to numb my feelings. I dropped out of school. Nothing really mattered, and I was quickly using up my friends and family.

Admissions

Decisions, Decisions

The decisions involved in selecting the right boarding school are never easy. To make matters worse, parents often have to make these decisions when they feel least equipped to do so: in the face of frustration, heartache or desperation.

We're Here to Help

We are sensitive to your situation and are prepared to help you investigate your options. First and foremost, we encourage you to "cross-shop" - to look at a variety of programs in addition to ours, to identify differences that could be important to you and your child. To that end, you'll appreciate the credentials of our Admissions Director which include a CEP (Certified Educational Planner), a designation that ensures his experience and commitment to providing accurate, timely and unbiased advice to students and families.

Our Goal Is the Same

We have a shared goal - to determine if The Family Foundation School is the best match for your son or daughter. To this end, our admission review process will enable us to get to know you and your child, and for you to get to know us.

Our Two-Step Admission Review Process

The first step is for us to exchange information with one another. You can start by completing a Request Information form and we'll immediately send out a packet of information about The Family Foundation School, including a printed Application for Admission. (You can also complete our application online.) Once we receive your completed application and know more about your child, we can determine his or her appropriateness for the school.

Of course, you can also call us at 845-887-5213, ext. 499 to learn more about our school and program, and to discuss the issues you're facing. We're always happy to take the time to talk.

The second step is for you to visit the campus and learn first-hand what makes The Family Foundation School such a unique educational and therapeutic environment.

See and Experience the School for Yourself

Your visit will include a tour of the campus conducted by students, giving you the opportunity to see and hear about the school from their perspective, and to ask them questions about their experiences here. You will also have a chance to speak with faculty and staff, to observe classrooms in session, and to eat lunch at one of our six houses and participate in "table topics," our lunchtime counseling sessions. Your interview and tour will begin at 10:00 AM and you should plan to stay until 2:00 PM.

For Parents Only

The tour and interview are for parents only, not for the prospective student, (unless he or she is within three months of turning 18). So if you are a single parent or are traveling alone, you are welcome to bring another adult relative or adult friend of the family. We do ask that you make arrangements for younger children, as we are not able to accommodate them during interview visits.

To schedule an interview, please call 845-887-5213, ext. 499.

Darlene Karcher
Enrollment Coordinator

Jason Garnar
Admissions Counselor
Director of College Counseling

Iris Maclean
Admissions Counselor

Jeff Brain, MA, CTS, CEP
Director of Admissions &
VP for External Relations
jbrain@thefamilyschool.com

Help for Struggling Teens and Families - The Blog of Jeff Brain

Hope Restored…

Published: Saturday, March 6, 2010 11:39 pm Hope Restored… It was an amazing day at The Family Foundation School yesterday. Tommy (not his real name), a former student, contacted Mike Argiros, our President, by email asking to come back to the school. Tom...

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A campus tour checklist for parents…

Published: Saturday, March 6, 2010 5:13 pm A campus tour checklist for parents - For years, I have worked with parents of troubled teens and struggling teens as they have searched for therapeutic boarding schools. This is one of the most difficult decisions pa...

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6 Characteristics of Strong Families: I …

Published: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 4:35 pm 6 Characteristics of Strong Families: I came across interesting info about the characteristics of strong families while attending a workshop on the development and formation of eating disorders. The following charact...

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