Visit by Ron and Kristie Campbell, June 19, 2013

In 2012, we had a brief chance to visit the Chamberlain International School in Middleboro, MA. Unfortunately we were not there long enough to get a good feel for the place. Almost a year later, we were able to return to visit for a much longer period of time and this visit was very different. Truly a full visit touring the campus and meeting the kids and staff is necessary to determine what the program is all about.

Chamberlain School is a co-educational therapeutic boarding and day school, serving students ages 11-22. The school is co-ed, but males and females live separately in family-style homes. Common diagnostic considerations include: Learning Differences, Compromised Reality Testing, Anxiety Disorders/ OCD, Bipolar Disorder/Depression, Asperger's Syndrome/PDD, Nonverbal Learning Disorder, Reactive Attachment Disorder, Borderline Personality Features, ADHD/Executive Function Problems, PTSD, and/or Mild Traumatic Brain Injury with associated emotional issues.

We arrived in Middleboro a little early for our 9:00am appointment and walked up to the admissions office where we were met by Sarah Norfleet, Director of Business Development and John Mendonca, Director of Admissions. After a few minutes of introductions with the other Admissions staff, we walked through a door into one of the girls' dorms that is located on the backside of the admissions office. It felt as though we'd walked into a regular home with a cozy living room and a modern kitchen just off to the side.

As we sat in the family room, John went over the history of Chamberlain, from the founders, to the programming, the academics, the therapeutics, and all the technical information about the school. He talked about the vision of the school, something other programs we've visited haven't talked much about. He made sure we clearly understood the client they take and everything offered at Chamberlain, from clubs and activities, to educational components, to therapies. While he presented the information, he was acutely aware of our then nine-year old daughter's needs, making sure she was taken care of, similarly, I'm sure, to the way he would have if we were parents of a student with young siblings.

After we discussed the details of the program, a student met us in the kitchen and eagerly awaited his opportunity to take us on a tour of the facility. He seemed excited to share the campus with us and was also excited because later in the day there would be a campus basketball game that he would participate in. We left the girls dorm and headed to the young adult dorms. The dorms felt like family homes, with a living room, kitchen, dining room and several bedrooms. There are 3-4 students per room and they were tailored with personal belongings making it feel very homey.

Next we stopped for a while and observed a college-level ecology class in session. The teacher was animated and students were actively taking notes. They seemed very engaged in the lesson. After the class, we went inside a very modern home. It was being used for another tour at the time of our visit so we decided to move along.

We continued our tour by crossing the street and heading toward the larger part of the campus. There were students participating in PE classes that we observed for a bit. As we walked, our guide student explained how he had changed since coming to Chamberlain. He was very excited about a truck in the auto-mechanic shop and, until the end of the tour, I didn't understand the full scope of his excitement. Our guide was an integral part of rebuilding a WWII truck in the mechanic shop in the Auto Mechanic vocational program. He was definitely proud of his participation in the rebuilding of this relic.

The dorms feel like actual homes, with living/family rooms, kitchens, family style dining rooms, and bedrooms throughout. They were cozy and felt like a family home. We walked through several homes before heading over to the school building, which also houses several dorms. These dorms of course felt more like a traditional boarding school. We observed a few more classes in session and talked with several kids before heading back toward admissions.

One thing that really impressed us about Chamberlain was all the activities the students participate in. These include activities such as crew, automotive technology and aviation, just to name a few. Students participate in competitive sports, student dances, community service, hiking, biking, rock climbing, going to the movies and other healthy activities they can learn to participate in, in a supportive environment. They may also participate in vocational opportunities around the Middleboro community and focus a bit on budgeting, planning, checkbooks and other life skills they will need later in life.

Chamberlain School even has a partnership with the Hilltop School in Denmark, where students and staff participate in a sample foreign exchange program for several weeks. Staff takes students abroad on other cultural immersion trips throughout Europe and Bermuda, as well.

The academics at Chamberlain are college preparatory and also general education courses for both middle and high school students. Students can obtain their high school diploma directly from the school. They also offer dual enrolled and college-level courses to their students who have graduated high school or turned 18 but remain in the program. A strong focus of the academic program is on meeting the skills required in the core academic subjects: Literature, Writing, Mathematics, Social Studies, and Science. Students also benefit from additional studies in Foreign Language, Visual Arts, Automotive Technology, Physical Education, Health, and Study Skills.

When we finished the tour, our guide returned us to the Admissions office where John met us and drove us over to the mechanic shop. In this building, the students participate in both auto mechanics and art classes. We got a chance to peek at the WWII truck and the new "kit car" that had just arrived, a project that all staff and students get excited about. We were impressed with not only the facility on campus, but also the auto mechanic shop for the vocational portion of the program and the creativity in the art program. We thanked John for taking the time to meet with us and then went on our way. This visit had left a positive and memorable impression on us.