Northwoods

 
Bonner's Ferry, ID
US

Northwoods is a residential program, started in 1993, that emphasizes academic and personal growth. We are committed to offering a challenging and stimulating experience that is uniquely tailored to the needs of the individual, thus enriching the lives of our students, their families, and ourselves. We make every effort to keep our program affordable while providing a safe, supportive environment.

Northwoods' students learn through professionally guided experience; we explain, demonstrate, and immediately offer opportunities for the student to practice newly-acquired skills. Over the course of the program, we turn more and more responsibility over to the students, enhancing their ability to plan and organize, and increasing their feeling of accomplishment.

While challenging students to become increasingly responsible, our chief concern is for the physical and emotional safety of each individual student. Many of our students are away from their families for an extended period of time for the first time in their lives. We maintain a high adult-to-student ratio and monitor the students' interpersonal interactions in order to ensure that each student is treated with dignity and respect.

With the assistance of fully accredited University of Nebraska Independent High School, Keystone, and the Calvert School (for middle school students), our program offers a complete choice of accredited academics that meet the needs of our students and their families.

Academic success is critical to a young person's self-image and confidence. Individual attention is given to each student as they progress at their own pace though their school work. We identify the students' interests and tailor their academic plan to reach the desired goals. We encourage quality and praise effort.

Qualified Northwoods' students may attend our small local public high school. Success there is closely monitored through weekly and quarterly reporting systems. Individual care is the goal as standards are set and thoroughly discussed with each of our students.

Our students are also given the opportunity to attend evening classes in the community. The classes offered may include Tae Kwon Do, Yoga, weight training, music, flight ground school, and pottery. Students have also participated in the local soccer team, American Legion baseball and our community theater.

The Northwoods Sagle Farm is about a 90-minute drive from Spokane, WA. and is the starting point for new Northwoods students. Our students begin their academics with an individualized plan and personal attention in our Sagle farm classroom. This ten-acre site is located six miles south of Sandpoint, ID. The Schweitzer Ski Mountain, Lake Pend Oreille, Sandpoint West Athletic Club and the City of Sandpoint offer abundant recreational and educational opportunities for our students.

Our second site is in La Tigra, Costa Rica in the Northern Central Zone. This site is on 95 tropical acres and is used for our travel study program. Northwoods students spend four months of their stay with Northwoods in this beautiful country. While continuing their studies they will live in our new lodge and/or with local Costa Rican families for a complete cultural emersion.

Our Northwoods Bonners Ferry, ID site is 40 miles north of the Sagle Farm. Bonners Ferry is a beautiful and peaceful community. The students living here are in the transition phase of our program. They will be enrolled into the local school and have the opportunity to apply the life skills they have learned in a mainstream setting. The local high school has a harmonious atmosphere and almost everyone knows each other.

We encourage and support frequent healthy visits from families to any of our sites.

Northwoods' focus is teaching and mentoring a healthy lifestyle. We believe a healthy life includes the following:

A joyous existence in which one feels a "zest for life".

A way of living that maximizes one's potential.

A purposeful direction which gives meaning to life.

An ability to adapt to the challenges of a changing environment.

A sense of social responsibility.

David Yeats, Founder, established the Northwoods' School in 1993. He has a Bachelor of Science Degree from Oregon State University and is a Licensed Social Worker in the State of Idaho. He has been a teacher and Counselor at Rocky Mountain Academy in North Idaho; Individual Services Coordinator at Children's Mental Health in the State of Idaho; Wilderness Instructor at Marion County family court in Oregon and Program Specialist for Polk Adolescent Day Treatment Center in Polk County, Oregon.

Matt Fitzgerald is Northwoods' President. He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Behavioral Psychology from Western Michigan University. He has over 10 years experience in CEDU Education: Rocky Mountain Academy; Administrator of Ascent Wilderness Program; and Headmaster of Northwest Academy.

Additional staff includes house parents, counselors, teachers and other caring individuals

Northwoods

Therapeutic Boarding Schools

(208) 267-7371