Carlbrook School
Halifax, VA

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New Head Of School
Describes Vision

Feeling lucky

"I really lucked into a great situation," said Chris Soto, Ed.M., Ed.D., of his new role as head of school for Carlbrook School, a private boarding school that integrates rigorous college-preparatory academics with therapeutic support. Dr. Soto is replacing long-time head, Tim Brace, who announced his retirement in January after more than forty years in therapeutic education and a decade at Carlbrook.

"Tim left me with an amazing team," Dr. Soto said of his predecessor. "This is difficult work; it requires deep engagement to succeed with students who may not want to change. Carlbrook's staff and faculty consistently deliver that level of engagement."

Operational Refinements

Dr. Soto plans to preserve the school's legacy of academic and therapeutic success with adolescents while making "continuous operational refinements." Praising Carlbrook's "phenomenal" operating systems, Dr. Soto credited that operational foundation for allowing him to focus on three key areas during his initial tenure: professional development and communication, practical therapeutics, and integrated technology.

Professional Development and Communication

Citing the importance of constructive interpersonal and interdepartmental dialogue for continual program improvement, Dr. Soto also acknowledged the emotional hazards of unregulated collegial feedback. According to Dr. Soto, "the intensity of this work and our therapeutic orientation can sometimes make professional feedback feel a little bit personal. " He plans to implement research-supported CQI (continuous quality improvement) professional growth and communication practices.

Practical Therapeutics

Dr. Soto also sees room to make Carlbrook's therapeutic program even more practically oriented for real-world application. This "functionalist" view of therapeutic emotional work, says Dr. Soto, gives students emotional tools for gathering important information about themselves, others, relationships, and motivations. "A functionalist approach to treatment equips young people with concrete, practical advantages as they journey toward adulthood."

Integrated Technology

The new head views safety as a key consideration when thinking about technology in a therapeutic school setting. But Dr. Soto sees a need to balance safety with targeted technology education to prepare students for life after Carlbrook. He plans to "find better ways to integrate technology into (the Carlbrook) community," while honoring the school's commitment to safety.

The Next Level

"Tim invested his soul in this place and, in the process, created a fantastic situation for me," Dr. Soto concluded. "Our collective task is to take Carlbrook to the next level by building thoughtfully, strategically, and incrementally on the solid foundation that already exists."

About Chris Soto
Chris Soto, Ed.D., has spent the past decade working with at-risk students in a variety of settings. He has graduate degrees in education from Harvard University and University of Pennsylvania. Dr. Soto is an innovator in functionalist approaches to treatment and the effective integration of strengths-based academic and therapeutic programming.

About Carbrook School
Carlbrook School is a college-preparatory boarding school for capable, college-bound students who would benefit from therapeutic support and structure. Our program of rigorous academics, character development, therapeutic support, and extra-curricular programming is designed to prepare students for competitive college admissions and sustainable success.