John Dewey Academy
Great Barrington, MA

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Graduation Of The Class of 2013

The John Dewey Academy is proud to announce the graduation of the Class of 2013. Our ceremony, held August 17th, celebrated the achievements of our ten graduates. As usual, alumni and alumni parents from multiple generations chose to join us for Graduation Day.

The ceremony was deeply moving; graduates spoke from the heart, and many members of the audience opted to speak as well; gratitude and appreciation were the order of the day.

For the John Dewey staff, Graduation Day is bittersweet. We know we will see these graduates periodically through the years, as they return to give back to current John Dewey students; but we also know that they are closing the door on one chapter even as they open the door on their bright futures. They are bright and resilient young people, all of whom have come through a difficult time in their lives with courage and with a toolbox of coping skills. We expect great things of them!

In keeping with our 26 year tradition, 100% of our graduates have matriculated at four year institutions of higher learning. The graduates of the Class of 2013 are attending:

Elon University
University of Puget Sound
Whitman College
Vassar College
University of Colorado at Boulder
Emerson College
Tufts University
Swarthmore College
Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute
American University

At the Castle, we are now embracing the new school year with energy and determination. Our re-accreditation process (accomplished every ten years under the auspices of the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, of which we are a member institution) is proceeding well. Our staff has embraced the process as an opportunity to review our entire program from A to Z. Our mission of helping bright but alienated adolescents has not changed, even as we look at ways to improve JDA for current and future generations.

Our census remains strong. We continue at very near capacity for male students, and are happy to report our census of female students has more than doubled in recent months.
With the addition of more clinical staff, we have been able to add experiential learning opportunities to our already strong academic program. These include working cooperatively with a community organization to revitalize a local historic site, teambuilding with horses, and incorporating the presence of a certified therapy dog at the Castle.

As always, we welcome visitors to our campus. Please contact Lisa Sinsheimer (lsinsheimer@jda.org) if you wish to schedule a visit.

Continuing in the struggle together,

Ken Steiner, Ph.D., M.S.W., Head of School
Andrea Esperat Lein, M.A., Dean of Academics
Eric Krawczyk, M.A., Dean of Students
Lisa Sinsheimer, M.D., Intake Coordinator and Parent Liaison