Therapeutic Boarding School FAQs
Browse some of our frequently asked questions
How do you determine whether a boy is right for Cherokee Creek Boys School?
Our boys are aged 10 – 15 and attend grades 5 – 9. Our students have a “softer profile” with challenges including, but not limited to: ADD/ADHD; depression; anxiety; oppositional behavior; learning style differences; high functioning Asperger’s; academic frustration or failure; issues related to divorce, adoption, abandonment, trauma and grief and loss. We also have a list of exclusionary criteria for our therapeutic boarding school program which includes some of the following issues: drug or alcohol addiction, conduct disorder, sexually-aggressive behavior, and major aggressive / violent behaviors.
My child has an IEP. How will the school meet those needs?
We are a private school that does not employ Special Education teachers at this time. However, our relationship with the local school district is very strong and they are able to provide us proportionate time along with the other private schools and programs in the area. The time allotted usually amounts to about 1-2 hours a week.
When your child arrives, we separate his Individualized Education Program (IEP) into behavioral goals, classroom goals, and academic goals.
Behavioral goals are addressed school-wide through therapy, counseling and classroom behavior notes that are shared at staff meetings.
Classroom goals are written into an Individual Academic Plan that denotes accommodations that have been implemented in the past, as well as other accommodations that we can provide for him (small classroom size, frequent breaks, extra time, and breaking large assignments into smaller pieces are standard for everyone.)
If it is determined that your son meets the criteria for a “Student with Disabilities” designation for the state of South Carolina, the school district will provide services within the proportionate time allotted. Together, we will write an Individual Service Plan which focuses upon 2-3 academic goals for your son.
How do you measure a student’s progress in your therapeutic boarding school?
Student Progress is measured in several ways at CCBS. First, each student is involved with our Medicine Wheel in a progression that includes Social Skills practice and Therapeutic Curriculum. Each student must demonstrate an understanding of the character traits of each of the four areas of the Medicine Wheel (Visionary, Warrior, Teacher, Healer) in order to move forward to the next phase. Within this part of our Character Development Curriculum, we study values such as “Telling the Truth Without Blame or Judgement”, “Showing up and Choosing to be Present”, “Being Open to Outcome”, and “Paying Attention to what has Heart and Meaning”.
Second, we look at the following five key areas to assess a student’s level of readiness to move to the next level: Academics, Social, Emotional, Physical, and Family Interaction. For example, in therapy, we may ask a student to rate himself in each of these five areas and discuss where he’s believes that he is having success in demonstrating readiness, and where there might still be room for improvement. This helps students find motivation to work on individual goal-setting throughout the program.
Is your therapeutic boarding school program licensed and accredited?
Cherokee Creek Boys School is licensed by the State of South Carolina. This license ensures that we are held to the high standards for the health and safety of our students and staff.
Our program is fully accredited by Cognia. Because of this accreditation and our chosen curriculum, students’ transcripts are easily transferable to schools after enrollment at Cherokee Creek. We are also approved by SEVIS to accept international students for enrollment.
My son loves to play video games. How do you encourage a boy to be active at your school?
Our students do not have personal electronic devices or regular access to technology and video games. Some of our students may miss technology when they first enroll, but find themselves quickly filling their time with a variety of activities with their new friends. We have P.E. every morning to start our school days, and most of our students participate in at least two sports per year. Students also spend their free time playing board games or musical instruments, fishing, hiking, and creating “masterpieces” in arts and crafts.
Does Cherokee Creek accept insurance?
We are a private pay, tuition-based program. Therapeutic fees and services are billed separately and in addition to monthly tuition. Those fees will have a coded bill that parents can submit to their insurance company for any out-of-network reimbursement for which they may be eligible.
