Academy At Swift River Announces Leadership Team

Academy at Swift River, an accredited therapeutic boarding school for teens ages 13-17, has announced the appointments of Dr. Jeremy Sullivan as Clinical Director and Jason Bennett as Program Director, joining Executive Director John Marquis as the school's distinguished leadership team.

Jeremy Sullivan, Psy.D., joined Academy at Swift River this past month. Previously, Dr. Sullivan was a school counselor and behavior specialist in southern Vermont where he worked with students and developed a much-needed behavior program for the area high school. Dr. Sullivan also has worked in private practice for many years, focusing on children and adolescents with emotional and behavioral disorders, as well as adults, couples and families with a wide array of disorders. During his pursuit of his Ph.D., Dr. Sullivan received extensive training within an organization that specializes in educating children with severe emotional and behavioral disorders.

"I am so excited by this opportunity and cannot wait to bring a new energy and fresh perspective to Academy at Swift River's clinical department," says Dr. Sullivan. "I have an open door policy and encourage a warm and positive environment. The Academy at Swift River has an amazing staff that I am just getting to know, and the services they provide their students are remarkable."

ASR's Program Director Jason Bennett first began working with young people while still relatively young himself; as a college student, he worked for the YMCA as a camp counselor and for a summer program in New Hampshire. Upon graduation from college, Jason traveled to Japan to continue a life-long passion for studying martial arts while at the same time pursuing a career in the Japanese educational system. He remained in Japan for seven years, working in both public and private schools. Jason returned to the United States and took a position at a college preparatory boarding school in Dublin, New Hampshire. During his seven years with the program, Jason served as an English teacher, dorm parent, dorm head, duty team leader for the residential life program, and coached wrestling, lacrosse, dance and kickboxing. In 2010, Jason was asked to be a member of cultural attach� to the People's Republic of China, where he and several colleagues toured a number of Chinese schools and exchanged ideas and techniques in experiential education with a panel of teachers. Also in 2010, Jason was awarded the Distinguished Teacher of the Year award by a panel of teachers, administrators, students and parents.

Jason joined ASR this past summer and brought with him a determined enthusiasm for enriching the lives of the students at ASR and for expanding the scope of their extra-curricular activities.

"I encourage my staff to pursue their passions and bring their own favorite activities with them to campus," says Jason. "It's important that we offer a wide range of activities and outlets for the students, to encourage them to explore their own aptitudes and interests and discover new experiences through which they may learn about not only the world, but themselves."

John Marquis joined Academy at Swift River this past May with nearly 30 years of experience working with students. Previously, John served as Dean of Students for a co-ed, independent boarding and day school in Dublin, New Hampshire. For nearly 10 years, he coordinated student life and discipline issues for the 130 students, grades 9-12. He also was Dean of Students for a co-ed, independent boarding and day school of 550 students in Pittsfield, Maine. Prior to this, John was a College Chaplain for 10 years during which time he provided pastoral and personal counseling for students, staff and faculty. John has been recognized as a Ford Fellow by the National Association of Independent Schools.

"It is a real pleasure to work with Jason and Jeremy and to see how both of them easily connect with students and staff," says John. "Both of these professionals, in addition to the long-standing members of the ASR staff, pay close attention to the details of their work, bring new energy to our community, and fully understand that every relationship and activity on campus can be healing and restorative for our students."

Academy at Swift River is an accredited therapeutic boarding school for teens ages 13-17. The program is focused on helping teens get back on track by restoring relationships, rediscovering academic success, and preparing them for the challenges of adolescence and young adulthood. Master's level counselors utilize therapeutic best practices grounded in established theories of human development and change. Students receive individualized assessments upon arrival and attend family workshops to test the skills learned during the program. For more information, visit www.swiftriver.com or call (800) 258-1770.

Academy at Swift River is a member of Aspen Education Group, the nation's leading provider of therapeutic education programs for teens and young adults. Aspen's services range from short-term intervention programs to residential treatment, and include a variety of therapeutic settings such as boarding schools, outdoor behavioral health (wilderness) programs and special needs summer camps, allowing professionals and families the opportunity to choose the best setting to meet a student's unique academic and emotional needs. Aspen is a member of the National Association of Therapeutic School and Programs (NATSAP). Aspen also is a member of CRC Health Group, the nation's largest chemical dependency and related behavioral health organization. Since 1995, CRC Health Group has been achieving successful outcomes for individuals and families. For more information, visit www.crchealth.com.