Overview

The NorthShore University HealthSystem Adolescent Day School is a private therapeutic day school designed to be an alternative learning environment for adolescents ages 12-19.  The program is approved by the Illinois State Board of Education for students with emotional disorders, learning disabilities, and other health impairments that prevent academic achievement in a regular education environment.  Students are referred by Public School Districts who support the placement or are placed privately by their families.

Adolescents appropriate for this program frequently experience difficulties in coping with the demands of adolescent life, which often manifests as an inability to function effectively within school, at home, and in the community.  Often students are so impacted by their emotional experiences that they feel shut down, isolated and removed from their peers, families, and the community; they lose interest and motivation in school and other activities and see no positive means at their disposal for change.  The most common clinical diagnoses of students attending the school are:

• School avoidance, school phobia, or other social anxiety
• Anxiety disorders (Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, Generalized Anxiety Disorder)
• Major Depression
• Bipolar Disorder
• Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
• Learning Disabilities

The NorthShore University HealthSystem adolescent day school, located in Glenview, provides a safe, structured, and supportive therapeutic environment which allows for academic and emotional growth.  The program is staffed by special education teachers, social workers, and a clinical nurse specialist.  With a student /teacher ratio of 5 to 1, students receive individualized instruction adapted to meet their specific needs and interests.  With a goal of teaching students to develop healthy supportive relationships, the maximum number of students enrolled is 25.  The program offers daily group psychotherapy, weekly family therapy, cognitive behavioral skills training, and a weekly parent support group. In addition the program provides art therapy, therapeutic recreation, and social skill building within a therapeutic community.

Most often, the goal is to help students learn the adaptive skills that will allow them to return to a less restrictive educational setting. Students typically are in attendance for two semesters before transition to a mainstream school environment is recommended.  On occasion, students require the safety and structure of the day school until high school graduation.

Program Philosophy

We believe that all adolescents can benefit from structure and support.  The Adolescent Day School combines an individualized academic and treatment program into a structured environment.  In this context patients are able to recognize their educational strengths and weaknesses, develop appropriate social and work habits, practice useful study skills, and address their interpersonal relationship problems.

We further believe that adolescents with problems can achieve personal and academic growth while learning to accept responsibility for themselves.  Consequently, our structure is constructed to parallel normalcy.  Our philosophy is based on the theory that how adolescents perform in the program is how they perform at school, at home and with others.  We, therefore, use a “here and now” approach to problem solving.  In addition, we expect students to take responsibility for their behavior and to participate in both academic and clinical programs throughout the day.

Providing supportive and successful services hinges upon close collaboration as a team, and involves establishing clear goals and expectations and communicating them effectively.  New students and their families participate early on in the development, implementation, and completion of Individualized Educational Plans (IEP’s) that align their individual therapies, psychiatric services, and our services to promote the strengths of the student and family system to enhance the supports, growth, and progress of the student.  Ongoing case management by clinical staff assures that needs and day to day issues are identified, assessed and addressed.   Academic issues are closely attended to by teachers with expertise in helping students develop positive learning strategies amidst the larger scope of issues they face.

For additional information about the Adolescent Day School please contact: