Whetstone Academy To Open In One Month

The opening of the new Whetstone Academy will be on May 1 and we are pleased to announce that we are now accepting applications. We are a full therapeutic program in a Montessori environment that will be serving boys between the ages of 10 and 15 in grades 5 through 8.

At Whetstone Academy, the emphasis is on hands-on learning. We see the staff as guides, the students as discoverers and the environment as a setting prepared for success. Montessori recommends an erdkinder, or farm school, for middle schoolers --- thus we are a family-style farm where the boys are responsible for taking care of the animals, the garden, the grounds, and for helping to prepare and serve meals. The school will be functioning as its own community and micro-economy. Our therapeutic approach will be that of Carl Roger's Person-Centered Therapy. Both Rogers and Montessori focus on the self-actualization of a child supporting the Whetstone mission of "guiding young men to discover their innate worth and to nurture their individual gifts to fruition."

The Head of School, Sharon Stricker, M.S., M.Ed., has worked as an educator, therapist, coach, trainer, and administrator throughout her more than 35-year career. She has served as both a Program Director and Clinical Director in a therapeutic boarding school setting for the past 5 years. Sharon says of the Whetstone team: "We have a passionate group of individuals here who have worked together as a team for five to seven years. They are well-seasoned, in sync, talented, and committed to the well-being of our young men and their families." She adds, "Our longevity as working partners provides us with a cohesive and mutually supportive team approach."

The cost of the program has an all-inclusive rate of $5500 per month including counseling. We will be offering a 2-3 month summer program, a flexible length of stay for the school year program, and we will be able to take some day students. Please contact Talina Carver in our admissions department at 864-638-6005 or Talina.carver@whetstoneacdemy.org.

Whetstone Academy is a full therapeutic program in a Montessori environment. Tucked away in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains near the Chattooga River, our program serves boys between the ages of 10 and 15 in grades 5 through 8. Whetstone Academy was founded in 2011 and incorporated as a 501(c) (3) organization.