FFS On the Web

Spring Cleaning for The Family School's Campus

The skies were blue and the temperature was perfect for a spring cleanup day at The Family Foundation School on March 19. Rita Argiros, Family Foundation School Vice President, organized a campus cleanup day during activity periods this past Friday. Read More...

Alumni Spreading the Message

I always feel optimistic and hopeful when student alumni come back to The Family Foundation School to share their experience, strength and hope or just to visit their old family and reminisce on old times. Seeing students that left from here come back, shows the newcomer and students who have been here for a while that this program works. The entire Family Foundation School community gets a boost when a handful of sober, principled and happy alumni come back to the school to be with the staff and students they lived with for numerous months. Read More...

FFSPIPS Develop Mission and Vision Statements

The newly formed Family Foundation Parents in Partnership Society has published its mission and vision statement. Read More...

FFS Digital Photography Teacher Photographs Bald Eagle

I haven't done too much shooting recently, but the weather has been amazingly warm over the last week and my wife and I were lured outside this afternoon. We prepared our bicycles for their first ride, and headed up the road. Lo and behold, we'd barely gotten off the property and we saw our bald eagle sitting closer to the shore of our pond than he has in a while. Read More...

...don't forget facebook, and we are on flickr now too!

Annie Ostrander, New FFS Head Nurse

Annie Ostrander is now the new head nurse in The Family Foundation School Health Office. Ostrander, who is a staff in Betton House, the former soccer coach, and a sponsor, received the position recently, and has been a nurse for 13 years.

Ostrander saw becoming a nurse as a way to give back. "I liked helping people," she said. Before coming to FFS, she worked at a long-term care facility in Binghamton. She worked on the dementia ward, helping the patients and making sure they had everything they needed. Read More...

The Invalid Entertains

On Friday evening and Saturday afternoon the pieces came together and The Family Players, under the direction of Sid Parham, put on a spectacular performance for families and local residents. Read More...

Graduate Writes Back

I graduated from The Family Foundation School in June 2005. Since then I have been in touch with several staff members but have never written anything for The Family Times. (Embarrassing, considering I slaved over that newspaper for almost two years- Managing Editor, cough cough). Read More...

The Exit Letter

Exit letters are the last stage of the program at The Family Foundation School. Students who are in their last six months actively prepare to graduate and venture off into the world. Exit letters precede all destinations whether it be going home, to college, or to another country.

Susan Runge watched over the seminar and the process of writing the exit letters to teach the students what the letters should contain, and gave them an outline of how to compose them. Read More...

Joe Barbiere to Retire

Joe Barbiere, Head of the Kitchen and long-time staff member has decided to retire from The Family Foundation School. Joe Barbiere started to work at The Family School on March 2, 2000 in the kitchen where he has worked for 10 years. "It's time, I want to retire" Joe said. At 66 years old, Joe wants to make room for a younger person to fill his shoes. Read More...

A Fond Farewell from Audra Towsley

When I met the Argiros family over 20 years ago I had no idea what an impact it would have on my life. I was a sophomore in high school when my parents became friends with Tony and Betty. All that I really understood was that these people were involved in AA like my dad, that they took kids who needed help into their home, and that their home was on a farm. I love animals so it really sounded good to me! Read More...

...And don't forget Facebook!

...from the Desk of Dr. Vogel

ATTENTION-DEFICIT/HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER

Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder or ADHD is present in approximately 5% of the population and is generally considered to be more common in males than females. Three primary symptoms constitute the cornerstone of the disorder; inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. Three sub-diagnoses can be made; inattentive type, hyperactive-impulsive type, and when sufficient symptoms of both are present, combined type. While symptoms are sometimes seen in toddlers, a formal diagnosis cannot be made until four years of age. If symptoms are not present before seven years of age, than the person does not suffer from ADHD. Symptoms of ADHD continue through childhood and adolescence, sometimes subsiding in later adolescence, but sometimes continuing well into adulthood.

At The Family Foundation School many of our students suffer with ADHD. While our primary focus is not to serve the ADHD population, there are many co-occurring conditions with ADHD which manifest in adolescence, that we commonly address. Read More...

The Vegetarian Option

Many people have raised the issue of being vegetarian and now there is an opportunity to do so. Last month The Family Foundation School started to implement a Vegetarian menu for the staff and students who preferred this extra option.

Rita Argiros, FFS Vice President, decided to start up a vegetarian meal plan after an alumnus who had attended the school several years prior was troubled that no alternative meal for vegetarian's were being offered. Read More...

Opening Spiritual Doors

Michele Medwin, Rabbi at The Family Foundation School, has been holding a class on Monday nights for the Jewish students at the school. The class is currently focused on the story Healing From Despair by Rabbi Elie Kaplan Spitz. The book is divided into three sections: the author's journey in overcoming his depression; personal accounts of other Rabbis, and how they overcame their struggles. Read More...

A Letter of Tremendous Gratitude

FFS Alumni Writes to Thank the School That Changed His Life

Before arriving at The Family Foundation School, Jim M. had anything but a normal childhood. He struggled with his abusive past for most of his life. His stay at FFS was not an easy one. He fought the staff, the students, and the principles of this program for a very long time: that is what makes this letter and his success outside of FFS a miracle. Jim left FFS seven years ago and this is his letter of gratitude to staff member Susan Runge, who is a beloved counselor at FFS. Read More...

Hope Restored...An Amazing Day

It was an amazing day at the school yesterday. Tommy (not his real name), a former student, contacted Mike Argiros, our President, by email asking to come back to the school. Tommy is a now 18 year old young man who left the school several months ago by our suggestion, recognizing that he had no interest in what we were offering and was creating a disruptive environment for our other students. Since that departure, Tommy quickly returned to drugs and a destructive pattern of living. At a point of reaching his own defined bottom, he asked us to consider taking him back. Read More...

Betton House News

Lake House News

Mann House News

Talbot House News

Wilson House News

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Go PIPS!

We are thrilled by the outpouring of support from our parent community.  Many joined us for the initial meeting of The Family Foundation School Parents in Partnership Society this past Wednesday night in Manhattan.  We encourage to get involved if you have not already.  Visit the FFSPIPS blog to learn more.

Cleaning House, Program Style

At each of the last two graduations, the school underwent many changes. Graduating students and staff departed, houses combined together, routines transformed and students stepped up. On the other hand, the school went through many struggles, including diminishing accountability, and dishonest activity.  In response, the whole school, including staff, circled up in the gym for a community meeting. The title used was "Honesty Day," and the goal of this was for students to stand up in front of their peers and share their dishonesties and negative contracts with the community as a whole. Read More...

Have you seen Puaca Verba?

We've been publishing the bulletin of the Catholic Community at The Family Foundation School each week. To enjoy these spiritual reflections visit A Few Words on The Family School Spirit...

Alumni Updates

A large batch of alumni updates was shared on The Family Times...

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By Rita Argiros, Ph. D.

When I was 13 the movie Love Story was in the theaters. The most famous phrase from the movie was, "Love means never having to say you're sorry." At 13 my personality was prematurely cynical. And I thought that phrase stunk. All these years, I never felt like I understood my own visceral reaction to the statement. I just "knew" that saying you are sorry was important. Neurologists would tell you that you remake your memories every time you revisit them. So the memory may be a complete fabrication. But my memory of the film and my reaction comes back every time I sit down to think about love and forgiveness. Read More...

Tiger Woods and the First Steps of Recovery

In his carefully scripted response during today's press conference Tiger Woods began to face the music of his actions in the public arena. Tiger, unlike many who face similar behavioral difficulties, will never benefit from the gift of anonymity. The gauntlet of critics lined up for years to come will likely be harsh and relentless. The ten minutes of diatribe I tuned into on New York sports radio after the speech revealed a level of hostility that has little to do with the actual man who is suffering. It has all to do with his brand and the power it holds. Read More...

An Attitude of Gratitude

We believe that gratitude is a key element to happiness.

Pete J. often tells the story of getting mired in self pity and not recognizing how to get out of the hole. After spending a few days in such a quandary, he often hears the voice of his first sponsor gently nudging him with "where's your gratitude list?" As he puts it, "it's like a light bulb goes off!" Read More...

Winter Break Fun

Winter break at The Family Foundation School kicked off on Wednesday, December 23. For the next week and a half the houses competed in events which included sports, academics, arts and crafts, a talent show, cleaning of the families, board games and some surprises. Read More...

Other Stuff...

Betton House News

Lake House News

Mann House News

Talbot House News

Wilson House News

...and remember to join our facebook fan page!