Northwoods School - North Idaho & Costa Rica

Northwoods is a residential program, started in 1993, that emphasizes academic and personal growth. We are committed to offering a challenging and stimulating experience that is uniquely tailored to the needs of the individual, thus enriching the lives of our students, their families, and ourselves. We make every effort to keep our program affordable while providing a safe, supportive environment.

Northwoods' students learn through professionally guided experience; we explain, demonstrate, and immediately offer opportunities for the student to practice newly-acquired skills. Over the course of the program, we turn more and more responsibility over to the students, enhancing their ability to plan and organize, and increasing their feeling of accomplishment.

While challenging students to become increasingly responsible, our chief concern is for the physical and emotional safety of each individual student. Many of our students are away from their families for an extended period of time for the first time in their lives. We maintain a high adult-to-student ratio and monitor the students' interpersonal interactions in order to ensure that each student is treated with dignity and respect.

Northwoods' focus is teaching and mentoring a healthy lifestyle. We believe a healthy life includes the following:

• A joyous existence in which one feels a "zest for life".

• A way of living that maximizes one's potential.

• A purposeful direction which gives meaning to life.

• An ability to adapt to the challenges of a changing environment.

• A sense of social responsibility.