Important Changes At Cherokee Creek Boys School

As you may have heard, we are making some important changes here at Cherokee Creek Boys School. As part of our extended professional family we are eager to share our new staffing structure and the thinking behind it. With the goal to maintain the quality and heart of our program, we gave long and careful consideration to the following changes. We want to assure you that the mission, philosophy and elements of our day-to-day program remain the same.

Our plan had been to share full details of the changes and announce promotions at the same time. But, we know the announcement of Betsy Deane's departure last week makes it important to get some information to you immediately.

Staff have been interviewing for the newly opened positions at the school. Most selections have been made, and we will relay these promotions next week after they have been shared with our staff and families.

THE NEED FOR CHANGE: CCBS is not unique in experiencing the impact of a sagging economy. While admissions have been strong in the last quarter, they were soft in the beginning of the year. Additionally, a few weeks ago the State of South Carolina lowered our enrollment capacity from 42 to 32 students. Both these factors negatively affected year-end financial projections and created a new focus for our 2011 strategic plans.

We are investigating ways to increase our lodging capacity to continue to grow to our 2011 goal of rolling admission of 36 students. To that end, we are currently looking for a property to expand the school while exploring ways to add beds to our present site.

THE CHANGES: To address these two challenges the CCBS Board explored ways to create a more efficient operation, strengthen our financial base, grow our leadership team and build areas of the program.

ADMISSIONS: We will be filling the Admission Director position and strengthening the department with the addition of an Admissions Coordinator. We know this is of key interest to you. Candidates have been interviewing for these positions and we will be sharing their names immediately after the announcements are made to the staff and current CCBS families.

PROGRAM: The Clinical Director position has been eliminated and we are creating a new leadership position in each of our three program departments. Our former director did not hold a license. The clinical department will now be led by one of our current licensed therapists who will carry a caseload and host department and team meetings.

One of our current Primary Counselors will become the head of the Primary team, and will continue to lead a team of boys and represent the department in leadership meetings.

We are opening an Academic Dean position and currently seeking an educator with Special Education credentials to teach and develop curriculum. Teacher James Holcomb will be leaving his position at CCBS at the end of the year and will be filled by the new Academic Dean

These three department heads will join Executive Director David LePere, Operations Director Phil Fairbrother and Communications and Program Development Manager Beth Venable, on the CCBS leadership team.

Because business decisions must be made in service to overall vision and mission, business strategy and bottom lines, changes are often difficult for those of us who serve with our heart...and that is a defining characteristic of the staff at CCBS. Two dedicated and valuable friends have left the school...one through restructuring and one by choice. Both Sharon Stricker and Betsy Deane have made invaluable contributions and we will miss them.

We know that the heart and spirit of Cherokee Creek rests with the entire team...the counselors, teachers, therapists, nurse, night staff, Trek staff, cooks, and every other person who loves and works hard for our boys and their families. For some this is a difficult transition time...others are working through their sense of loss and are also feeling excitement about the opportunity for growth both for themselves and for the school.

We extend the greatest appreciation to Betsy Deane for her fine work and the wonderful relationships she has built with all of you. She will be training admissions staff this week and we hope that she will be able to pass on her wisdom to them. Knowledge is transferable but relationships are not. You will be hearing from our new admissions staff soon and they will appreciate your coaching as they work to earn your trust and learn how they can best serve you.

As always, I thank you for your support of CCBS and our wonderful staff as we continue to "challenge boys and their families to discover what is real and true about themselves and the world around them." Please feel free to call me at any time if you have any questions or would like to share your thoughts. I may be reached by phone at 864-647-1885 or by email at dlepere@cherokeecreek.net.

Cherokee Creek Boys School is a therapeutic boarding school for middle-school boys ages 11- 15 in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Westminster, South Carolina. It is "the small school with a big heart" that struggling young boys come to discover a sense of hope and optimism for their future.