A private New York State registered boarding school. Call us: (607) 637-8200
Menu
  • Who We Are

    Who We Are

    Our students were in trouble at home, at school, and sometimes with the law...

    Learn more >>>
  • Decisions, Decisions

    Decisions, Decisions

    The decisions involved in selecting the right boarding school are never easy...

    Learn more >>>
  • Academics

    Academics

    Troubled teens who are academically stalled get a second chance at a first class education...

    Learn more >>>
  • Counseling

    Counseling

    A range of therapeutic resources helps students address their issues and better understand themselves and their behaviors...

    Learn more >>>
  • Extracurricular

    Extracurricular

    Our students discover and rediscover a passion for sports, music and the arts with programs that recognize and nurture their talents and gifts...

    Learn more >>>
  • Parent Resources

    Parent Resources

    To deal successfully with your teenager's problem behavior, you have to first understand it. We can help...

    Learn more >>>

Mission and Philosophy

Mission

To heal families, build character and change lives by providing an integrated program of academics, therapeutic counseling, experiential therapy, and 12-Step living to at-risk teens, helping them safely through the crises of adolescence toward responsible adulthood.

Philosophy

The founders of The Family Foundation School were heavily influenced by Alcoholics Anonymous. Today the 12 Steps of recovery are taught in our living skills classes and serve as a touch-stone for decision-making at all levels of the organization.

Beyond this, we provide an integrated therapeutic milieu in which every experience, relationship and interaction contributes to recovery and personal growth. Our psychological approach combines therapeutic counseling, family systems theory, and experiential therapy through a full range of work and recreational activities: hiking, fishing, camping, cooking, cleaning, dog training, organized sports, singing, dancing, acting, painting, drawing, writing and more. These components, along with a rigorous academic curriculum, create a milieu in which personal discovery, interpersonal development, emotional and spiritual growth flourish, contributing to each student's story of recovery.

Our Mission and Philosophy are reflected in the Goals and the Ethical Principles of the school.

Reflections On Who We Are

Repairing the Ties that Bind

Published: Wednesday, June 5, 2013 Before there was a Family Foundation School, there was a family devastated by alcoholism and restored by the 12 Steps of recovery. What the Steps did for them they wanted to do for others, and The Family Foundation School

More >>

11th Step 'Happy Class'

Published: Friday, May 31, 2013 One of the most surprising and welcome trends we're seeing among teenagers these days is the use of mindfulness meditation to cope with the pressures of growing up in an increasingly stressful world. One high school

More >>

More News>>