The iconic American philosopher, John Dewey, once said, “Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.” This quote embodies our beliefs about education here at Clearview Recovery Center. We don’t believe in only focusing on the education that occurs during a student’s time at a recovery center. We also consider what students’ education will look like after leaving a recovery center.
it is no surprise that academic achievement is not the primary concern of teenagers who struggle with issues of mental health and life-controlling issues. Those of us who know what it’s like to struggle with these issues know that they predominate our everyday thinking leaving little room for anything else. That is also why a focus on education must happen not only while in residential recovery but also after leaving a recovery center.
Understanding Mental Health and Academic Achievement
It’s difficult to discuss mental health and academic achievement without incorporating the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic into the conversation. At this point, it is hard to argue against the fact that the pandemic has had serious negative effects on students’ ability to adequately learn academically.
According to the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), “Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, public schools have seen an increase in mental health concerns among their students.” The center also stated that “Seventy percent of public schools reported an increase in the percentage of their students seeking mental health services at school and 76% reported an increase in staff voicing concerns about their students exhibiting symptoms of depression, anxiety, and trauma.” There is also a direct correlation between this increase in mental health care needs and positive academic outcomes.
Another important issue to understand regarding young people’s academics and mental health is that without intervention, both of these issues rarely get better on their own. This is the nature of “chronic” illnesses, which include mental health disorders. Also, this is a primary reason academics must be included when creating a recovery plan for adolescents with mental health and/or life-controlling issues.
A Focus on Academic Success in House and After Leaving a Recovery Center
Here at Clearview Girls Academy, we wear our academic focus on our sleeves. By that, we mean that we don’t just offer studies. Rather, we are a fully accredited middle and high school. We don’t just talk about education. Instead, we engage our students in learning in an intensive and well-rounded manner.
Many parents are concerned that when their daughters go away for treatment they will fall behind their peers in academics. At Clearview Girls Academy, this is often the opposite of what happens. Because we can focus directly on a smaller number of students, we can make a significant difference. In fact, we can sometimes help them accomplish two years of academic credits in one year. This more direct focus also allows us to help the students who are really struggling get the one-on-one tutelage that they often require.
However, as previously mentioned, our focus does not end after our students leave us here at Clearview Girls Academy. We have helped countless students connect with institutions of higher learning, local vocational schools, and other academic opportunities. These connections have helped our students continue to become the strong leaders that are needed for the future.
The Importance of Continued Learning After Leaving a Recovery Center
Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. believed that “The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” This quote demonstrates another foundational value that we share at Clearview Girls Academy. That value is building character alongside building academic excellence. We are not just here to get our students back on their feet. No, we are here to direct those feet toward the top of the mountain. We give our students the tools they need to thrive after leaving our recovery center.
Character is not built through academics alone. This is why we also focus on emotional stability and spiritual growth. We know that through our life skills program, our students will become wholly self-reliant. They will be able to tackle all of the obstacles that life throws at them after leaving our recovery center. Also, we know that offering a spiritual way of life also presents our students with the spiritual support they can depend upon in their life-long journey of recovery.
Here at Clearview Girls Academy, we like to say that our mission is to “light our students’ path.” Perhaps this mission is better expressed in a plural form: we “light their paths.” First, we light their path to emotional well-being. Also, we try to light their path to a power greater than themselves. Of course, we also light their path to academic greatness. All of these paths will ultimately lead them to live the life that they may have never imagined but always deserved.
We here at Clearview Girls Academy place extreme importance on our students’ education and academic achievement. We consider their journey both while they are in our direct care and after they leave our recovery center. Our students continue to excel after leaving our facility. They often go back to high school in a better position than when they left. Many go on to highly regarded vocational and institutions of higher learning. If you feel like mental health issues may be the cause of our daughter’s academic decline, we may be able to help. For more information on our academic programs and our Montana recovery center, please reach out to Clearview Girls Academy today at (888) 796-5484.
