Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy

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ROCKS: In 2012, I began my sixteen month long journey at Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy. I came to MSPA as a scared and lonely sixteen year old girl with a sassy and resistant attitude. After all, this was my fifth treatment center, it was understandable I was a bit frustrated! I won’t say Mountain Springs is a walk in the park. I learned very quickly that in order to change, one must want to change, and at first I was very resistant to this thought. That being said, once I made the decision that. I am now an Honor’s student at University of Portland and am working for my school newspaper. None of this would have been possible without Mountain Springs. I continue to stay in touch with two of my mentors, Greg Allred and Scott Jakubowski. I would absolutely recommend this school to anyone who needs a little extra support. With a little hard work and dedication, Mountain Springs has changed my life for the better and has made me realize, I can conquer the world! Thank you MSPA!

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Posted July 07, 2014 by Malika-Rose Andrews

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ROCKS: The staff and teachers are very qualified and caring. They get to know each student in order to motivate them to work on what they individually need. The classrooms and houses are clean and organized. Students are accepted unconditionally and feel they belong. Our daughter attended and had a positive, growing experience where she learned to deal with life's ups and downs in healthy ways.

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Posted July 02, 2014 by Debra Brown

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ROCKS:  Love the small classrooms size. Prior to going here, my daughter had issues with Math. The small class size allowed her to gre the one on one attention she needed. The staff really cares about the students and the weekly calls helps to keep the parents up to date on any issues our child was having. We have nothing but fond memories of this school and because of the success she had there, my daughter is on her way to a major university.

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Posted July 01, 2014 by Chris

RATED: Not rated

ROCKS: Love the small classrooms size. Prior to going here, my daughter had issues with Math. The small class size allowed her to gre the one on one attention she needed. The staff really cares about the students and the weekly calls helps to keep the parents up to date on any issues our child was having. We have nothing but fond memories of this school and because of the success she had there, my daughter is on her way to a major university.

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Posted July 01, 2014 by Chris

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ROCKS: Mountain Springs is an excellent school designed to help get its students back on track with real world experiences to learn from. Before MSPA I went to a wilderness program, and even though I was under the initial impression that 8 weeks in the middle of nowhere was enough, I would have slipped back into my old self if I went home. Mountain Springs gave me a place I could challenge myself. When I slipped I had people there who genuinely cared and who would help me back to my feet, and when I succeeded, I had people who believed in me. This is still the real world and if I did not want to change it did not matter where my parents would have sent me, I would have failed. I learned I wanted to change because the old me wouldn't have even half the life I have now. The people who work at Mountain Springs are some of the best people I have ever met in my life and I am thankful for them for every day I have where I am not the old me.

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Posted June 21, 2014 by Walker McFarlan

RATED: Not rated

ROCKS: Mountain Springs Academy was a very positive experience for my son. While initially adopting the same attitude he had at previous programs…..”this doesn’t work”….”I hate it here”…..”nobody here knows what they’re doing and they don’t care about me”…..he eventually realized the staff and environment at Mountain Springs were exactly what he needed. He made friends, invested in himself and the program, became more respectful, and thrived academically. The change we saw in him from the time he got there to the time he left was one of the most dramatic in his life. As a parent, I also found the staff to be wonderful. They are available and caring and that attitude has lasted even after my son’s time there. I still contact Ariel for advice years after my son’s time at Mountain Springs! I highly recommend it to other parents.

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Posted June 19, 2014 by marc

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ROCKS: Mountain Springs has been a very good school for our daughter. One of the things that I like about it is that it puts the student in charge of their own life. There is good support for the parents which is an important part of the healing process. The help and academic support given to our student has empowered her with a new confidence in the classroom and enabled her to develop leadership abilities. There is lots of guidance from staff and feedback from other students so that our daughter gained emotional skills and maturity beyond our expectations.

IMPROVED: The meals are good but it would be great if they prepared more vegetarian main dishes.

Posted June 18, 2014 by PJP-A Parent

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ROCKS: the personalize instruction is first rate. The counselors go many steps above. For example, our son Sean responded well to MSPA's teaching sytle and aced his college prep courses - a big turnaround from all Fs a year earlier. Ariel, a counselor, helped him apply to colleges and he matriculated at Cornell College the next September

IMPROVED: possibly integrate the therapy more with the instruction. Scott J is pretty well integrated already though. The skiing trips were a big hit and a nice way to take advantage of the recreation in the area.

Posted June 16, 2014 by Tom Phillips

RATED: Not rated

ROCKS: Mountain Springs provides an important and unique opportunity in the vast array of boarding school options. We are specifically designed as a practice, “step-down,” environment for students who have completed a residential treatment placement or wilderness therapy program. Having worked here in many different positions since 2006, and now being the Assistant Head of School, I know that we provide a meaningful service to this select population of high school students and their families. I have seen students truly apply what they have learned in practice and not just in theory. I have seen families heal and students become ignited with a passion for living a life worth living. I love going to work every day and helping these teenagers grow stronger internally day by day.

IMPROVED: This school is consistently open to student and parent feedback and improvement. We have a student government and ways for students and parents to advocate for changes to policies and practice. In this way, we are continuously open to improvement.

Posted June 16, 2014 by Ariel Rhoades

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ROCKS: I love the close-knit community of students, mentors, teachers, and administration working together to create a safe environment for students to learn. I enjoy teaching at a school where students have the support they need to succeed.

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Posted May 29, 2014 by Jan

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ROCKS: Mountain Springs Preparatory Academy has been, and continues to be, a great school and program. I have seen so many students thrive in this school. I love seeing students graduate with a high school diploma who tell me that they had given up hope of ever seeing that day come. The individual attention that each student receives from the small classes and caring teachers makes it impossible for them to slide by unnoticed, and nearly impossible for them to fail. The variety of educational opportunities is amazing. Besides the course offerings available in the Mountain Springs classes, students often take concurrent enrollment classes at Southern Utah University and/or classes at Southwest Applied Technology College. These students then leave with a high school diploma, as well as university credits and skills certifications that open up valuable career options. The transformation I've seen in so many students over the years has been marvelous.

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Posted May 22, 2014 by Stan

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ROCKS: Everything!! From the individual focus in the classroom to our terrific dean of students to the fantastic communication about our son as well as anything concerning him to the leadership to the caring staff--I have ONLY terrific things to say about Mountain Spring Preparatory Academy!

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Posted May 30, 2013 by Lori Henderson

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ROCKS: Our son has recently completed 13 months at MSPA. During this time he has been able to graduate from High School with very sound academic results allowing him to be accepted into a number of Universities. The efforts of the school in all aspects of his growth have been of the absolute highest standards and I would recommend MSPA to anyone.

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Posted May 25, 2013