New Perspectives

Deck House School is a small college preparatory boarding school for young men ages 15 to 19 years old. Students enrolling at Deck House School struggle in traditional settings and tend to have a low self-image, both socially and academically. These young men come to Deck House from both private and public schools, with most students being referred by educational consultants. The average length of stay is one year.

Tom Blackford, Headmaster at the school since 2004, has a BA from Bates College and is currently working on his MS in education at Capella University. Melinda E. Brown, the Assistant Headmaster and Mathematics teacher has a BS from the University of Bridgeport and an MS in Education from St. Joseph's College of Maine. Melinda has been with Deck House since 2000.

Due to its size, classes are no larger than four students per class which allows for one-on-one attention. Curriculum at Deck House School includes full academic studies, including research papers and term papers, with a full set of exams given at the end of each term. In addition, Deck House offers assistance for students taking their college boards.

Students participate in community service two to three hours a week, assisting in programs such as the Red Cross, Habitat for Humanity and St. Andrews Hospital. In addition, the young men are responsible for the cleaning and maintenance of the school, preparation of meals and their own laundry. Weekends are spent together on trips varying from skiing to white water rafting.