Introduction

The Education Department at Copper Hills Youth Center is committed to meeting the individual educational needs of our diverse student population.  We currently have a staff of a school administrator, 11 certified teachers, 2 instructors, a registrar and an educational assistant working in our program.  The strength and talent of our staff is reflected in their diverse teaching styles while maintaining a unity of purpose as identified in our mission, vision, and values statements.

Population Served

Copper Hills Youth Center serves students ages 12-17 years of age.  Our students come to us with a variety of mental health and behavioral needs that are best met in a residential setting.

Course Offerings

Each of our courses is designed to meet the individual needs of our students while providing a safe, nurturing, learning environment.  Social skills development, problems solving skills, communication skills, character development, and teamwork are essential components of each academic course offered at Copper Hills Youth Center.

Copper Hills emphasizes the core academic courses, which are taught year-round, allowing our students to earn an additional 1.5 credits toward graduation requirements. Students typically attend classes 240 days per year. During the school year, students are enrolled in four academic courses, one physical education course and a life skills or art elective course.  All students attend classes that are modeled after that of traditional classroom setting.  Our students also transition to different classrooms throughout the school day, where they learn effectively manage transitions in an effective manner. We feel that is crucial for our teachers help prepare our students academically and socially for when they transition back into public school or less restrictive learning environment.  Courses offered at Copper Hills include:

Special Education

The Special Education Department collaborates with the student’s school and home district in order to meet the specific requirements of each state and school district.  Teachers not only provide accommodations for all special education students in the classroom, but also adapt curriculum and use tactile kinesthetic means of learning for all students.  Teachers provide learning opportunities for students with not only multi-sensory approaches, but also materials to learn with based on varied learning styles. Educational games, cooperative learning, role playing, simulations, exhibitions of learning and other varied teaching methods are applied to aid students in mastering concepts.

Accreditation, Credit, Instructional Minutes and Attendance

Copper Hills Youth Center Youth Center is fully accredited through Cognia. All credits earned from Copper Hills Youth Center may be transferred to a student’s home school district.  Students have the opportunity to earn 1.50 credits per term. Copper Hills Youth Center offers and extended school year, allowing students to earn an additional 1.50 credits during our Summer Term.  A student may earn 7.5 credits in our extended school year.  Each school day is comprised of 330 instructional minutes. Student attendance is tracked hourly for all students.  A monthly attendance log is also created by teachers and then sent to school districts at the end of each month by our business office.

Behavior Intervention

Copper Hills Youth Center has a policy of keeping students in class when ever possible.  Teachers and staff help students to identify triggers of stress and off-task behaviors and then help students to find acceptable replacement behaviors to promote success in school. Our school utilizes a behavioral support system for students based on the “7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens” program.  Students receive ongoing instruction on the 7 Habits in our life skills classes.  Students are awarded “habit bucks” throughout the school day when the exhibit behaviors outlined in the 7 Habits.  Students are then able to redeem their habit bucks to purchase incentives such as stress balls, croc charms, stuffed animals, journals, markers, books, bookmarks, etc.

For students who are struggling in a particular class during the day, or who are struggling with follow school rules and expectations, we have created a study hall for our students.  Students can be asked to go to study hall for a class period, where they can process their behaviors with a staff member, complete a study hall processing sheet, and contract to show safety and follow school expectations when they return to school the next class period.  For students who are actively a danger to themselves or others, students are removed to a low stimuli area called SPARCS.  Staff members process with students and help them to return to a safe baseline of behaviors.  When students are demonstrating safe behaviors, student are able to return back to school/regular programming.

Additionally, for students who may be struggling with a pattern of behaviors that have reached a level where the student is not able to be successful in school due to unsafe behaviors toward themselves or others or are consistently refusing to attend school, a special team review meeting is held to review the student’s current treatment plan and behavioral crisis intervention plan (BCIP).  Short term intervention goals are identified for the student and carried out by each member of the student’s team.

Additional Information

Parents and case workers are encouraged to contact the Education Department with any questions or concerns regarding their student.  Monthly progress notes and quarterly report cards are sent to families and caseworkers.  Upon discharge, a full academic transcript, discharge summary, and a copy all assessments conducted are also provided.  For additional information, please contact our Principal, Elizabeth Loy at (801)304-7171.

If your adolescent is struggling with a primary psychiatric disorder, including autism spectrum disorder, treatment at Copper Hills Youth Center could help change their lives. Don’t wait, call 800-776-7116 today.