John Dewey Academy
Great Barrington, MA

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Kenneth Steiner, PHD, MSW
To Retire

The John Dewey Academy wants to announce that after twenty-seven years Ken Steiner is retiring August 13. Ken's unique background with a PhD in existential philosophy and psychology, an MSW, and prior experience in mental health and juvenile justice has guided us since almost the beginning. He has served most recently as Head of School, bringing his skill, care, and wise understanding of adolescent struggles to help shape the John Dewey Academy. He will be missed, but we are extremely fortunate that after completing her dissertation (involving research grounded in her work at the Academy) Dr. Andrea Esperat-Lien, PsyD is returning to take over the Headship, and will be well placed to continue our tradition of excellence.

To honor Ken we will be hosting a reunion/tribute on Friday August 12 in combination with this year's graduation ceremony on Saturday August 13. If you have not visited the John Dewey Academy recently, this would be an excellent time to experience the ongoing work and strength of our program, as well as pay tribute to one of the leaders of the therapeutic school movement.

The John Dewey Academy approach stresses the pursuit of excellence in all aspects of life-academics, personal integrity, and interpersonal relationships. We achieve this by integrating a rigorous academic program with intensive, coordinated therapeutic services in the context of a peer-based environment. Our program instills a vital sense of responsibility and agency in our students while helping them reclaim a love of learning and a collegiate future. We believe the key to change is to respect students' inherent, but unrealized, capabilities by setting high expectations As a result, 100% of our graduates attend excellent four year institutions of higher learning despite patchy academic histories.

For information please contact:
Andrea Nathans, Executive Director
John Dewey Academy
389 Main St.
Great Barrington, MA 01230
anathans@jda.org

The John Dewey Academy is a non-traditional, peer based therapeutic boarding school for troubled*, college bound adolescents and young adults, age 15 to 21, founded in 1985.