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Daniels Academy is a small residential program and school that sits on a hill overlooking the Wasatch Mountains in Utah. Each morning before school, students leave campus to exercise at the local gym.  After workouts, students attend school. The academic program is interactive and designed to build upon each student’s talent set.  In the evenings students may participate in creative projects or leave campus for a service project or a cultural experience. Students often camp on the weekends to visit beautiful and diverse places across Utah.

Each component of the Daniels Academy program has been designed with a specific purpose and to create a rich, stimulating, and safe environment for our students.   Our holistic approach integrates:

• Tailored academics and experiential education
• Individual and family therapy approach
• Social and executive skills coaching
• Daily exercise and a balanced diet
• Meaningful service projects
• Creative projects and the arts
• Adventure therapy activities

Tailored Academics and Experiential Education

We believe that a major purpose of education is to help students recognize and develop their personal strengths in ways that serve themselves and others. In order to realize this goal, Daniels academics strives to help students better understand their own strengths, develop skills that will serve them in society, and foster a love for learning.

The Daniels academic program balances individual and group instruction.  Whenever possible, subjects are taught with a hands-on tactile approach.  Students spend time in the community on field trips to discover new applications of personal interests.  Subjects are integrated into one another to help students make connections between fields of study and to expand existing interests.

Because each student receives an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), students are able to recover needed credits.  With a strong focus on executive skills and personal mentorship, the academy strives to help students learn to manage thoughts and behaviors that have previously interfered with success in school.

The Daniels Academic program is:

• Experiential
• Hands-on
• Individualized
• Project-based
• Integrated
• Service-learning oriented

The curriculum includes all required high school courses and further provides:

• Executive functioning skills
• Life skills
• Community-based learning
• Apprenticeship opportunities for students of working age
• Media Arts and Fine Arts instruction
• Wood working instruction

Daniels Academy is dedicated to helping students develop personal interests.  As part of our apprenticeship program some students hold jobs in the community or take trade-specific classes.  Daniels Academy is near a small airport and some students choose to take flight classes and work towards gaining a pilot’s license.

Therapy

Daniels academy is a therapeutic program and each student is assigned a therapist upon admission into the program.  Therapists at Daniels Academy collaborate with the students’ families and school faculty to create a holistic treatment plan that considers social, academic, emotional and physical growth.  Daniels Academy understands that therapeutic progress most often occurs outside of the therapist office.  All administrators and direct care staff are trained to understand the unique need s and thi nking styles of each student.  All staff receive regular training on learning differences and program philosophies.  Administrators and direct care staff join with therapists in the treatment team, wherein they discussed the needs and progress of each student.

Daniels Academy believes that family involvement in the program is critical. Families are given therapeutic assignments and are strongly encouraged to attend a quarterly multi-day family workshop.  Workshops are designed to strengthen family relationships, to highlight student accomplishments, and to help families develop systems to support the changes made at Daniels Academy.

Therapists call parents weekly to discuss family progress. Students call home weekly and oftentimes the therapist will join student and family to facilitate important discussion.

Social and Executive Skills Coaching

Daniels Academy believes that social skills coaching occurs best on the fly with proper judgment and care.  We have found that oftentimes students check out of formal group conversations that focus on social skills development.  All of our staff are trained to recognize and address social skills growth in the moment.

Dr. Jubelirer M.D., an ADHD specialist, creates individual plans for each student to develop memory and executive functioning skills.  Dr Jubelirer is owner of the Attention Disorders Clinic in Park City.

Daily Exercise and a Balanced Diet

Each year more and more evidence suggests that healthy eating and regular exercise strengthen memory and attention and lightens our mood.  Daniels Academy believes that the benefits of healthy living extend into every aspect of life.

Students leave campus and go to the local gym every morning before school.  With the help of a fitness coach, each student helps to design an individualized work out plan.

Students participate in selecting foods and cooking meals.  Daniels Academy emphasizes whole foods with a variety of fruits and vegetables.

Meaningful Service Projects

We believe that service helps foster compassion, confidence, and strengthens our students commitment to do well in life.

Daniels Academy organizes meaningful service projects in the community on a regular basis.  We partner with the Within a Seed Foundation to lead an optional international service trip each year.  In 2010 Daniels Academy spent two weeks in Peru helping to build an elementary school in a high mountain village.  Daniels Academy Students look forward to the 2011 Peru trip.

Creative Projects and the Arts

Evidence suggests that creative participation in the arts stimulates brain activity and positively impacts performance in many other disciplines.

Daniels Academy is fortunate to have a strong film and cinematography program.  Students learn to use cameras, audio equipment, and editing software. Creativity is strongly encouraged as students direct and help to create short documentaries, memoirs, and fictional productions.

The Daniels Academy team values and encourages creativity in multiple disciplines. The campus features a wood shop and many of the students participate in building projects.  Recently Daniels students built planter boxes for residents in a local assisted living center.

Adventure Therapy

Our adventure therapy component is designed to teach students a host of skills and values. Adventure recreation teaches preparation, patience and diligence and strengthens self-concept, confidence and community reliance.

While students engage in a variety of activities at Daniel’s Academy , they primarily develop skills in rock climbing, mountain biking, winter sports, and backcountry trekking.  Many of our students develop significant skills in one or more of these activities.

Students participate in adventure activities weekly and camp on a monthly basis.

Safety is the greatest priority when it comes to adventure and Daniel’s Academy goes to great lengths to ensure that every activity is carefully led by qualified individuals following a thorough risk management plan.