Shortridge Academy
Milton, NH

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Academic Program Enhancements
At Shortridge

Shortridge Academy would like to announce some exciting changes to the administration and support services within the Academic Department. In an effort to better support the needs of families, the school has reallocated the former responsibilities of the Academic Director to two new positions: Director of Studies and Director of Academic Support. In addition, the school has hired a new Academic Guidance Counselor, Joseph Hill.

Sarah Wagner, M.Ed., has been at the school since it's inception in 2002 and served as Academic Director for the last four and a half years. She is now the Director of Academic Support. In this role, she is responsible for everything related to a student's individual academic plan. She serves on the Admissions Committee, evaluates students' transcripts, enrolls students in classes, creates their academic plans, and develops academic goals for their individualized Positive Development Plan. If a student is struggling academically, she will work with advisors and counselors to develop an appropriate intervention plan and will coordinate tutoring and/or coaching if needed. In addition, she will assist with other kinds of individualization of the academic program for students, for example approving college classes, online courses, and coordinating post-graduate course-work.

Shortridge was pleased to have the opportunity to promote Anne Downey, Ph.D., to the position of Director of Studies. She has been teaching English and US History at the school for the last year. Her prior experience has ranged from working as a professional writer and editor, to teaching at the college level and working with gifted and talented young adolescents. As Director of Studies, Anne's purview is curriculum and instruction. She supervises the teachers, including hiring and evaluating, and is responsible for coordinating the curriculum and the weekly and yearly academic schedules.

The Academic Guidance Counselor works closely with the Director of Academic Support to assist with coordinating student schedules and academic plans and works with families to assist with post-Shortridge planning. Joseph Hill, has recently been hired for this position. With an M.S. in Counseling, and 8 years as the Director of College Counseling at the Portledge School in New York, Joe brings a wealth of experience to Shortridge Academy. In addition, Joe has over 20 years of experience teaching Social Studies and is certified as a Special Education Teacher. He will also be teaching World History. Joe has been substitute teaching at Shortridge over the last year and thus has had plenty of opportunity to get to know the students and is very much part of the community already. The school is excited to have him on campus in a full-time capacity and to be utilizing the full breadth of his strengths and experience.

Shortridge Academy feels that these changes to the administration of the Academic Department will enhance an already strong academic program. With the Director of Studies dedicated to overseeing curriculum and instruction, the school aims to increase the rigor of the curriculum and better integrate the academic and therapeutic curricula. In addition, by creating the Director of Academic Support position, the school feels that they will be better able to support students who have learning differences and other individual academic needs. Lastly, having an experienced College Counselor on staff full-time will enhance the school's transition services.

Shortridge Academy is a year round, college preparatory, therapeutic boarding school for young men and women ages 14-17 years old at enrollment, grades 9-12. Shortridge Academy is one of only a few therapeutic boarding schools in the Northeast accredited by the rigorous New England Association of Schools and Colleges (NEASC) and the only school of its kind that explicitly utilizes the evidenced-based Positive Youth Development (PYD) philosophy to guide the individualized therapeutic programming for students. Since 2002, Shortridge Academy has been helping students and families who are struggling with academic performance, loss of interest in activities and increased conflict in family or peer relationships.