LD Resources

Posted in K-12 Schools | 76 Comments

76 Responses to “New Leaf Academy (North Carolina)”

1. on 09 Mar 2005 at Mar 9, 20051Lauren

   Hi, My name is Lauren. I am a New Leaf Academy graduate of 2004. I came @ age 11, and left right before I turned 13. NLA was a great place for me to learn and grow. However, NLA is changing very much and it kind of makes me sad because it used to be owned by different people who kept it small. Now it has kind of turned into a buisness. But OĶ I still know a lot of what it feels like to be there. If you or your child is looking to go there. You can contact me and ask anything. I would love to answer your questions because I have been there done that and I hope others can benifit from it, too. My best reguards, Lauren, 13

2. on 04 Apr 2005 at Apr 4, 20052Deborah

   We are considering New Leaf Academy, NC for our thirteen year old and would be interested in hearing more from parents and students who attended New Leaf Oregon campus– pluses and minuses.
   Thanks

3. on 26 May 2005 at May 26, 20053Cherill Evans

   I have a houseparent here that is interested in moving to your area. She is wondering if you have any houseparent openings. Please let me know. Thanks for your help.

4. on 27 Jul 2005 at Jul 27, 20054CAROL REDEL

   Our daughter completed 25mo @ New Leaf in Bend OR in 12/04. She had major issues of attachment(to adoptive parents), anger toward birth mother, and learning differences. Although she still dislikes school, she is able to move forward with life despite her personal struggles, and our family has remained intact, due, in large part, to the inroads made while @ New Leaf.

5. on 17 Aug 2005 at Aug 17, 20055Eric & Isabelle

   We are considering New Leaf Academy, NC for our thirteen year old and would be interested in hearing more from parents and students alike

   Thanks

6. on 03 Sep 2006 at Sep 3, 20066Raymond

   My neice wants to send her 14 year old daughter to New Leaf, but the fee she told me for one year is $50,000.00, which she will have to go into debt. I would like more information regarding your school and how you can help my great neice Angel in less than one year. I am told you only take children 14 and under. She turned 14 in August,2006. I am very concerned and would like to know if you have helped children with the problems she has.

7. on 03 Sep 2006 at Sep 3, 20067Sanford Shapiro

   Raymond,
   You should contact New Leaf directly at http://www.newleafacademy.com

8. on 04 Sep 2006 at Sep 4, 20068concerned

   Perhaps Raymond should reconsider posting so much personal information about his niece. This could make things even harder on their family. Best Wishes.

9. on 05 Sep 2006 at Sep 5, 20069Richard

   concerned, I edited Raymond’s post to, hopefully, take care of your concern. Thanks, good idea.

10. on 09 May 2007 at May 9, 200710The right place?

    Hi, Looking for an update on New Leaf, good points and negatives. New leaf vs wilderness. Any thoughts someone can share are appreciated.

11. on 28 Jul 2007 at Jul 28, 200711Susan Garshell

    I am considering sending my daughter who is 16 to New Leaf. She is very anger, disrespectful. I got divorced 3 years ago due to her dad using drugs. I would like some feed back on the school in North Carolina

12. on 29 Sep 2007 at Sep 29, 200712Calli Gasparis

    Hello. My name is Calli Gasparis and I am a graduate of New Leaf Academy North Carolina. I graduated in 2007 when I turned 16 years old. I learned that when a girl gets overwhelmed to sit down with her and don’t ask what is going on, let her open it up to you. Pressure may cause things to get worse. I was sent to New Leaf on April 18th, 2005 and I grew to actually love New Leaf. Wilderness can help a girl grow a lot but I grew to find that New Leaf has a much bigger effect on girls. I found myself and what was going on with me. I grew to know how to express what was going on inside instead of taking it out on others. I think that New Leaf Academy definitely has an affect on girls and can help tremendously. It did for me.If you are planning it send your daughter to New Leaf, your daughter is in safe hands.

13. on 30 Sep 2007 at Sep 30, 200713Ally

    New Leaf Academy does help. I did not graduate the program, but i was there for 13 months. It is a great way to reconnect with the family. I feel like i am finally happy at home and get along SO MUCH BETTER than I did before. I think I would’ve litterally gone crazy if my parents hadn’t sent me there. It is money well spent parents. They might complain about it but in the end they are so VERY greatful.

14. on 02 Oct 2007 at Oct 2, 200714Calli Gasparis

    Hey Ally… I am glad to hear everything is going well with your parents. I know that you did not graduate by the laws of New Leaf but in my heart you were a graduate. You worked very hard and was successful in your journey. I hope you are keeping in touch with New Leaf.Keep going strong. I love! By the way…Ally is right. The children at first do say that they hate New Leaf but they end up growing so attached to it that you will hear them talk about New Leaf all the time when they leave. I know I do!

15. on 08 Oct 2007 at Oct 8, 200715Brittany alfaro

    heyy ally and calli!
    wow thats good you are all doing good wow this is pretty random…lol

16. on 09 Oct 2007 at Oct 9, 200716Calli Gasparis

    Hey Britt. You know when I got on this website and saw your name I started to flip out just like I did with ally. LOL this is random and weird. Well…anyways how are you doing? Oh my gosh….when I saw that it was you I couldn’t spell my own name…that is sad…but anyways. I love!

17. on 13 Oct 2007 at Oct 13, 200717Ally

    haha u guys are weird! hehe! That guy Raymond who wrote about Angel shouldn’t have said all that. Angel is a great person and she shouldn’t have her personal information on the internet like this!

18. on 13 Oct 2007 at Oct 13, 200718Haley Mullinix

    Hi, my name is haley. and i graduatd from New Leaf in August. new leaf was a great experience for me. when i got to nla, i was extremely depressed, my parents were scared half to death for me. and after i think about it, i was pretty scared too. But, anyway, im not going to give you my whole story, but i can definatly say that new leaf will help you daughter, and its so worth it.

19. on 13 Oct 2007 at Oct 13, 200719Richard

    Thanks for the honest comment Haley, glad it worked out for you.

20. on 13 Oct 2007 at Oct 13, 200720Sanford Shapiro

    Haley,
    I assume you went to NLA in N. Carolina and not Oregon. I visited the one in Oregon a while back and seemed like a good place for the right girl.
    Glad you’ve improved your life. Good luck.

21. on 14 Oct 2007 at Oct 14, 200721angel dawn

    wow, im glad my family says things about me on the damn internet without me knowing.tell the whole family story “raymond”- wtf? what is this website? doesnt LD stand for learning dissorder?

22. on 15 Oct 2007 at Oct 15, 200722Richard

    Angel: my guess is that raymond is trying to do the right thing for you. Hopefully you’ll forgive him. I’m going to edit the comment now so it’s less degrading of you. My apologies for letting it through.

23. on 15 Oct 2007 at Oct 15, 200723Calli Gasparis

    Angel…my lovely…i kno it is a personal comment and you have ever right to be frustrated but honey use the lovely tools you gained at NLA.

24. on 08 Dec 2007 at Dec 8, 200724Carolina Mom

    New Leaf graduates please reply:
    New Leaf doesn’t post the names or qualifications of the staff on their website. Do you know why? Please tell me about the students attending the school. Do they have a quality program for girls with LD? What helped you the most and how are you doing now?

25. on 20 Dec 2007 at Dec 20, 200725Lauren Wiersema

    when i said friend i meant friends

26. on 20 Dec 2007 at Dec 20, 200726Lauren Wiersema

    Carolina Mom New leaf does have a quality program for girls with learning disorders. for me the thing that helped me the most was all the care from the girls and adults.

27. on 26 Dec 2007 at Dec 26, 200727Ashley Nussbaum

    hi im ashley nussbaum a former student of new leaf academy of north carolina HI BRITT CALI ANGEL AND ALLY!!! well allthough i was only there for 4months tehehe um i learned alot! and its a great learning expierence and i just dont recomend that you keep your kids on for more than 1 year

28. on 27 Dec 2007 at Dec 27, 200728Brittany Alfaro

    welp, hello again! haha… hello ashhleyyy… um idk really what to say sooo yeah nla helped me sooo much and i learned a lot of tools to help me soooo yeah.

29. on 20 Jan 2008 at Jan 20, 200829Anita Beaty

    I am interested in any negative information about New Lea to try to confirm what I am learning about the school now. A school that is a for-profit business alarms me, especially the punitive nature of much o the program.

30. on 20 Jan 2008 at Jan 20, 200830Sanford Shapiro

    Anita, I’m curious as to why you’re seeking negative info. Are you a parent that wants to make sure you get the full picture?

31. on 25 Jan 2008 at Jan 25, 200831Anita Beaty

    I am a grandparent who has gotten negative information and want to confirm or refute it.

    Anita

32. on 26 Jan 2008 at Jan 26, 200832Richard

    Anita: your post here is rather provocative. Why don’t you tell us what you’ve heard so that others can refute it.

33. on 28 Jan 2008 at Jan 28, 200833Ashley Nussbaum

    heyy guys oncce again it ashley loll im in scholl right now and were not doing anything so i decided to come on and leave a comment well hi britt asgain omg we have to talk on aim well nla helped me much and its a great learning expireence but like i said dont keep ur kids there for more rthan 1 year =] smiles and laughes

    xoxox
    ashley

34. on 05 Feb 2008 at Feb 5, 200834Robyn

    Anita, my daughter is there now (in NC) and has made dramatic strides in 6 months. I don’t know what you’ve heard, but I can personally tell you that this school is working for us when everything else has failed. It’s worth every penny — and yes, it does cost a fortune, but my daughter is worth it.

35. on 09 Feb 2008 at Feb 9, 200835wouldn't you like to know

    New Leaf was the worst experience of my life. I was there for 2 years of my life. It sucked. Most kids after leaving are okay for a month but then feel like they need to get back at their parents for sending them away. So they end up worse before there just sneakier. That is how most of my fellow graduates are. DON’T SEND CHILDREN THERE!TRUST ME!!!! A number of then smoke pot and stuff now, it is so retarded of them.

36. on 19 Feb 2008 at Feb 19, 200836orchiddoctor

    First, let me state the the letters that follow my name are Ph.D., M.A., and M.S.Ed. I am certified in L.D. I have a daughter there who has bipolar and LDHD issues. My ex sent her there (N.C. campus) without an interview. No assessment was made. No determination as to whether she is a fit. The place is bogus and run strictly for profit. The website is misleading (that’s not a real bedroom–your child will live in a cramped basemnt room with little daylight and a bathroom with no door). The grounds are disgusting. The classrooms are trailers. There is no gym. Food is substandard. Staff is unqualified and counselors are part time. Mine does not even other to make her weekly calls to me. Mail is opened and withheld (contrary to published statements). They do not discuss family or personal issues. The teaching faculty is minimally qualified. Most are not certified. The school is not SACS accredited, though they claim they have applied. The texts are the same series/publisher used by the N.C. public school system. The library has less than 300 books in it. The field is hilly and useless for sports. There is no gym. Fencing–highly touted–is rarely taught as the instructor is often away.

    The girls there seem unhappy.

    Need I say more? Oh—better have $20,000 ready at admission–preferably in small unmarked bills.

37. on 19 Feb 2008 at Feb 19, 200837Richard

    orchiddoctor: wow, what a comment. I’m speechless.

38. on 20 Feb 2008 at Feb 20, 200838orchiddoctor

    I recently interview at the nearly bankrupt Hidden Lakes Academy (the lawsuit really hurt them). I did not get the job–which is okay by me. Instead of placing someone with high credentials on their roster-something that I would do to counter the criticism that their teachers are underqualified–they decided to hire a non-certified college grad for peanuts. Strictly a money issue.

    The same m.o. applies at most of these schools: don’t spend when you can get away with it. Cat Jennings, owner of NLA, told me on Friday that they would not hire an L.P.N. or an R.N. as that would be an unnecessary expense. I don’t know about you, but I would like my kid to have a qualified person handing out meds and being there to treat injuries, make initial medical decisions, etc.

    This goes for the rest of the staff as well. Let’s do some math:

    Let’s assume that each teacher s paid $35,000 a year. The counselors are all part time. Let’s give them $25,000. House staff–with high school diplomas–part time–$15,000. 5 teachers=$175,000. Five counselors = $125,000. 5 staffers = $75,000. Let’s add in other staffers at, say, $100,000. Then administration at $200,000. Various
    contracted people–the local shrink, et al–another $100,000. Let’s round that to $800,000. Toss in $100,000 on maintainance and $100,000 on loan interest. We’re at a cool million. Let’s add 50 percent to that because I could be off by a few dollars. So A million and a half.

    Now, let’s take 50 students @$70,000 per year. That’s 3,500,000. Add, of course, the one time tuition fee, th alumni fee, and the uniform fee for, say, ten of them. That’s $130,000!!!!! So, we’re making a cool two million. Surely we could take that $130,000 and hire better personnel? Or take a million and build a gym? Or begin work on real classrooms?

    Okay, you argue– my math is poor. I’m off by a million. Still . . . . For $6,000 a month, I could hire a private tutor, an experienced shrink, send her to a local boarding school without all the b.s. restrictions, see her on weekends, and have enough left over for two weeks in Kona.

    These places are created for profit, first and foremost. You would think that for integrity’s sake they would be non-profit with a governing board. You’d think that they would have appropriate people on that board. You’d think–but you’d be wrong.

    Scams are scams.

39. on 20 Feb 2008 at Feb 20, 200839orchiddoctor

    Oh–I meant to add–I’m glad I’m not at HLA because a) most of what was in the class action suit is true–very little has been fixed–and b) they are bouncing paychecks left and right.

40. on 29 Feb 2008 at Feb 29, 200840Brittany Alfaro

    so hello again… im sorta bored and yeah nla was a good experience it changed my outlook on things. but im not ganna lie i hated it hahahahaha

41. on 01 Mar 2008 at Mar 1, 200841anita

    Anyone have any information on the Darrow School in NY or Winchendon in Mass?

42. on 07 Mar 2008 at Mar 7, 200842kiki

    I was wondering about Darrow too, what have you heard? I have an ADHD daughter with language processing difficulties and was concerned Darrow might be too challenging based on their website, but if you know anything about it, please share.

43. on 07 Mar 2008 at Mar 7, 200843anita

    I went to tour it this week. They offer 4 day a week tutorials. Really creative teaching. Small classes but not specific remedial programs. Sounds like a really nuturing supportive environment for children who need extra help. Seems like alot of children are on meds. I was impressed it just did not seem right for my son.

44. on 15 Mar 2008 at Mar 15, 200844Carolina Mom

    Orchidoctor,

    Do you have an opinion on therapeutic Wilderness camps? Know anything about three Springs or Eckherd Youth Alternatives?
    New Leaf does not post credentials of the staff and when I ask real questions they quit answering me.

45. on 10 May 2008 at May 10, 200845anonymous

    New leaf is a bunch of crap if your daughter is on “the wild side” if shes immature and needs help learning social skills i think its great. however if your daughter has potential for or is using drugs, alcohol, sexual promiscuity etc, it does not help. it simply makes things more appealing. like the fact that being able to listen to an edited CD is the most exciting thing in the world there does not help girls get there priorities straight. they also never spoke about the dangers of sex and drugs, and never taught us how to deal with the temptations of the real world, they just assumed we would not be tempted because they gave us “skills”. I went there at 12, graduated at 13, a fifteen month stay. yet when i left i was WORSE!

    So please to anyone interested in sending your child there, THIS SCHOOL HELPS PEOPLE WITH SOCIAL SKILLS AND IMMATURITY. not with SEX DRUGS OR ALCOHOL! so be cautious and dont fall into there crap…youll be wasting your money on a crappy educational program and risking further temptation for you child.

    I hope this helps someone!

46. on 11 May 2008 at May 11, 200846Richard

    Wow, it sounds like this school is not for everyone, or, according to some, for anyone.

47. on 17 May 2008 at May 17, 200847not to mention

    well i have a soon to be step daughter that was recentey involved in new leaf acadamy in hendersonville and after 18 months sent home expeled from there for reasons that should of been withen there control, even had phone calls from the school asking what they should do about her i thought they were the professionals ? through the last few months even though they said there school was where she needed to be and was good for her, i can give lots of information about this school if anyone would like my imput and i would love to hear from parents who might of had the same result!

48. on 07 Jun 2008 at Jun 7, 200848Resource

    New Leaf is definately a school that can curb some inmaturity and provide social skills. One of the few places a young girl can just be that, a young girl with out the pressures of sex, drugs an alcohol and may save the relationship between daughter and parents from being tense and disconnected for many years to come.

    As far as the young ladies with big girl issues like sex, alcohol and drugs they may need a little more.

49. on 15 Jun 2008 at Jun 15, 200849Anita

    Orchid doctor — please let me know who you are. There are legal issues pending that require more information.

    Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    Anita

50. on 17 Jun 2008 at Jun 17, 200850anita

    Kiki,

    In regards to Darrow in NY I wne to visit the staff were vewry nice and supportive, but the kids are expected to be rather independent. It seemed like alot of children are asked to leave at the end or middle of the year if they are not performing academicly. the campus is unique as it is a historic Shaker village. They are really into studying the environment and have a community work day every week. The kids sign up for work crews to maintain the campus. Alot of kids ski and the campus is remote. Not the right school for my kid but for some it would be a wonderful education.

51. on 24 Jun 2008 at Jun 24, 200851Robyn

    Well, all I can say is, my daughter has been in the NC school for a year now and the change in her is nothing short of amazing. Prior to New Leaf, she was violent, explosive, emotionally and socially delayed, zero self esteem, seething with anger, and blamed everybody else for all her problems. She has blossomed into a self-confident, emotionally aware teen that others actually look up. New Leaf has helped her accomplish what four different therapists, numerous groups, hospitalizations, and residential treatment facilities could not do. The program isn’t supposed to be for girls with “big girl” issues. They may not be perfect — no facilty is — but they have done a fabulous job with my daughter and I have nothing but praise for them.

52. on 14 Jul 2008 at Jul 14, 200852Kevin

    Prior to sending our daughter to New Leaf, we were in despair. After a decade of treatment by counselors, psychologists, psychiatrists, 2 years of pyschotropic drugs and a week of inpatient psychiatric care we had a daughter who reacted explosively to normal life stressors, was spiraling down in school, had run away 4 times, and seemed destined for an adolescence steeped in sex, drugs and rock and roll. After fifteen months at New Leaf, she has clearly begun a new path that can lead her to a healthy and productive adulthood. Like Robyn’s daughter, she too has become a leader that other girls look up to. All this was accomplished without the “helpful” medications that psychiatrists had prescribed. My wife and I, our other two daughters and the rest of our family are grateful for this transformation and do not believe that it would have been possible without the New Leaf Academy.

53. on 27 Jul 2008 at Jul 27, 200853anonymous

    if the school is not made for girls with “big girl” issues, then why do they advertise that they are equipped for them, and except them to the school? its just a greedy business, nothing more.

54. on 28 Jul 2008 at Jul 28, 200854Huckleberry

    We have a 13 year old daughter who is currently attending the SUWS wilderness program in North Carolina. The staff is recommending NLA in Hendersonville as a next step for her. We are seeking counsel! Can anyone comment on the allegations made by Orchidoctor? (Regarding staff education, student accommodations, results?)

    Thanks!

55. on 24 Aug 2008 at Aug 24, 200855augustgrad

    yeah…so… they claim that they have great food and everything (btw I’m an August ‘08 grad) but the girls gain 10-15 pounds on average. I had a houseparent call me an ass. There are body fluids and waste on the floors and walls. I was sprayed in the eyes with Lysol by another student. It is aimed to help girls with autism, asperger’s, etc., but they accept girls (to get more money) who have problems with sexual promiscuity, drugs, and depression. Girs who go there b/c they cut themselves do it anyways, girls who go there because of drugs do it anyways, and there was much, MUCH lesbian activity. Also, a girl threw a PVC water bottle at me and I had to get stitches. I was spyed on by other girls while showering and toileting. Also, in the vans, the drivers swerve, trying ON PURPOSE to hit things. And the teachers are horrible, they go on MySpace during class and tell us to do worksheets. I was learning at a fifth-sixth grade level in eighth grade and they lump geniuses and lazy students together in classes. And by the way, Angel, you didn’t have sex with a teacher.

56. on 24 Aug 2008 at Aug 24, 200856susan

    My daughter entered the school in June. It is truly amazing to see her progress. Since the school openly says that they do not accept kids who are acting out sexually or have active drug or suicide issues, I find the above comment, curious at best. I have been an advocate for emotionally distressed children for the past 7 years and looked throughout the country for an appropriate school for my very unhappy child. This school had fewer parent complaints than any other that I researched. The facilities are not glamorous but are just fine. There are several parent groups from the Washington DC area who have children currently at this school. We all rave about it. New Leaf Academy-North Carolina changed my child’s life and in the process, changed our family’s life in the very best of ways.

57. on 25 Aug 2008 at Aug 25, 200857augustgrad

    yeah well Susan you don’t go there and all the parents think that but I bet your kid hates it like hell and the staff probably hate her too. Also I bet she has gained at least ten pounds.

58. on 27 Aug 2008 at Aug 27, 200858Richard

    Whoa folks, calm down. This web site has nothing to do with the commentary here, we just list schools and allow people to comment. If you want to flame each other I suggest you take it someplace else.

    Are there libelous comments here? If so, point them out or email me and I’ll take them down. rwanderman at gmail dot com.

59. on 01 Sep 2008 at Sep 1, 200859Rachel

    I agree with orchiddocter and augustgrad and whoever else said these things. all these things are true! new leaf is the worst thing you can possibly do!!!! i was there for 3 weeks and my orchiddocter sounds exactly like my dad because thats the EXACT same thing he said.. well almost, and augustgrad i get what your saying, its true, dont send your child here, DONT. i was there 4 3 weeks, i had a belly piercing, they put some sh**t on it that made it infected, and i gained like 10 pounds no lie IN JUST 3 weeks! OMG.. and the light in my room was flickering, the bathroom door broke, everybodys so dirty, everything that they were both saying pretend i said it cuz i give props to that, every girl got a yeast infection, everybodys bisexual almost, everybody has cellulite, a girl kept farting in my room and it smelled disgusting, the staff was stalking me, they put you on banns with people, they run it like a prison, i had to wear an orange shirt like a jumpsuit and was restricted from like doing anything other then eating. they read your “private” journals. i told my dad much more, i got a visit in 2 weeks for some reason, and my dad came a week later, persuaded my mom everything i had said [ and oh it was so much more] , and finally , my dad came, im back, and im doing great, because there are so many worse situations ive learned… so i mean if yo child got problems or whatever send them to wilderness for a month but dont do new leaf CUZ IT BS and it dont teach you nothin iight yall… now im goin bakk to school so i can learn how to spell lol cuz im not that good.. that was random, anyway, just for the public, i wish i could sue that place, dame, but for the females dat are stuck there 4ever yall should just pray for a miracle to happen and pray everyday cuz yall dreams can happen just get yo child outta there if they there!! its boogus i aint even playin.

60. on 02 Sep 2008 at Sep 2, 200860Rachel

    Um sorry that was my cousin who went there but also i had went there for about 5 months and its just a big scam….. really, so when i make enough money later in life im going to prove that there is a place where girls can grow without going through people in new leaf had to go through in terms or child emotional abuse and torture. just prey for a miracle to happen if you are stuck there and excersize everyday… look on something caled heal. org or something like that because it shows what new leaf and other experiences such as wilderness programs and boot camps are REALLy about.. in some places they even kill them , sexually assault them , restrain them illegely, abuse them mentally and phsically, and do chemical damaging things that are harmful and can die from… new leaf academy might be highly suspected for these things, but i am not sure if they do all of the aboove, but some, i recommend to not send your child here. i know some horrible stories THAT WILL MAKE YOU SICK. thanks

61. on 07 Sep 2008 at Sep 7, 200861augustgrad

    rachel snower???

62. on 19 Sep 2008 at Sep 19, 200862susan

    I replied earlier to this post and will clarify my experience. When I toured New Leaf Academy North Carolina, I was able to speak with many students(not just school assigned students) about their experiences. I found the kids to be honest and forthright. Some complained about the rules but understood that the rules were necessary to create a safe and therapeutic setting. Obviously not all children will be happy at a school such as New Leaf. Most every child that I spoke with was able to take some personal responsibility for the problems in their life. I was sending a child who showed little to no insight into the genesis of her emotional and behavioral difficulties. I was very impressed with the level of maturity, kindness of heart and commitment to progress that the New Leaf students showed. I met with countless teachers and counselors, all of who had specialized training to work with emotionally troubled youngsters. My child’s current counselor has a Master’s degree in counseling and although new to the school, has tremendous skill in her dealings with both child and family. Yes, my daughter has had consequences for her negative behaviors. Some of these have been what they call “banns” and something called, “silence”. These strategies involve asking the child not to speak with a group of students because they have been mean or rude to the other girls. This imposed quiet offers a chance for the student to contemplate on what they have done and to do some soul-searching with their counselor to come up with effective communication strategies. This is called a natural consequence. I think that it is a perfect “real-world” lesson. If we are rude and mean to people, we will not have people who wish to be friends with us. Excellent preparation for later years! As far as gaining 10 pounds, it could happen at any program. My daughter has not gained a pound, has discovered that physical excercise can be a pleasure and has learned to choose appropriate portions at meals. I receive photos of my child, regular academic progress reports and the directors of the program are always available to speak with. My child does NOT hate the program. She finds it difficult at times but thanks me almost weekly as well as privately on visits, for sending her there. Her words- “Mom, I think you saved my life by sending me to New Leaf.” I think that we did too! Susan

63. on 26 Sep 2008 at Sep 26, 200863reliable source

    this was definitely the worst experience of my life. Girls continuously touched me wrongly and I was yelled at and cursed at by a houseparent. Please, don’t send your daughter here; look elsewhere.

64. on 08 Oct 2008 at Oct 8, 200864June '08 Grad

    In a nutshell, if you’re going to send your daughter to a therapeudic school choose something better than a legitimate hell and illegitimate school such as New Leaf Academy.
    It’s not the right way to teach them the lesson they were sent to learn, it will only make your parent-child relationship worse, as it will always be an unforgivable decision you made for them that will burden the rest of your lives.
    Enough said.

65. on 19 Oct 2008 at Oct 19, 200865June 2008 Graduate

    this was one of the worst experiences of my life. the campus is dirty, the academics are below average, the houseparents are lazy, and the student body is filled with dangerous influences

    I was ahead of most of the students in my class and had already taken a number of courses i was being required to take at nla. i had shown that i was organized and responsible, yet the teachers denied me the tool of an independent study. now i am behind in some subjects of my current school, such as spanish, because i was not taught at the proper level for me and my learning style at new leaf. and it is obvious that the teachers do not want to teach at this school; they are not as involved in our learning experiences as they should have been as teachers, and often leave students to fend for themselves when it comes to understanding subject matter.

    some houseparents may want to work in this school, but the majority make it clear that they do not. the school is constantly replacing houseparents because staff keep quitting. When i left nla, i was there for 15 months and i had been there longer than over 2/3 of the current staff. I had, on many occasions, a houseparent yell at me and call me stupid. They do not do anything to support us most of the time, and usually end up sitting in the corner with other houseparents talking about what they are doing after work.

    the student body is probably one of the biggest causes for worry in this school. while i was there, i had chairs and books thrown at me, someone spit on me, and i was slapped and cursed at. girls do not shower or clean themselves or their belongings, sexual activity is common, girls who cut themselves do it regularly, and girls occasionally attempt suicide. NLA is supposed to be for girls as young as 10. this kind of atmosphere is not suitable for a 10 year old girl, and would most probably frighten her or influence her to take part in these dangerous activities.

    the website may advertise a “supportive environment and the finest education in a homelike setting on one of two beautiful campuses in Oregon or North Carolina,” but that is exactly the opposite of the real experience. it is life-changing, but not in a good way. i am not saying this solely because i hated my time there, but because i am concerned for those who may attend this school in the future. do not send your daughter to new leaf academy; it is a surefire way to damage, if not ruin, their childhood, teenage years, and so on.

66. on 20 Oct 2008 at Oct 20, 200866augustgrad

    please, please, PLEASE don’t send your daughter there. Please. Choose something else, please, please. I am BEGGING you. Everything the recent graduates have said is true. If you want to help your child, do NOT send her here.

67. on 20 Oct 2008 at Oct 20, 200867Richard

    Augustgrad: Why? Can you give us a few reasons why you think this school should be avoided?

68. on 03 Nov 2008 at Nov 3, 200868Maura

    Hi!!! I’m a graduate of NLANC August 2008. I just relized that my dad wrote about me on here (not something i’m particularly happy with).Anyways, i love NLA. it’s actually become my home as well as my present placement. augustgrad, is this cathrine? or mishy? From my perspective, i have changed to the extreme! no joke… i’m kinder, more attentive, and i no longer have angry outbursts anymore. I have had a hard time leaving NLA. I lived there for 16 months and developed friends that i would not have gotten in the real world. The counsolers are the best counsolers that one can get, even if your daughter get angry or thinks she hates them. The program needs your daughter to accept her being there and positivity to actually work. I’m much happier now, something i couldn’t understand before i came to NLA.

69. on 03 Nov 2008 at Nov 3, 200869About 2 years of New Leaf Exerience

    Okay- Here’s the honest truth about New Leaf:
    New Leaf woke me up and made me look at reality…. because it was horrible. New Leaf tries to teach you things that you have to learn on your own, and through your own experience. If you send your daughter to New Leaf Academy, what they learn will not stick with them. After graduates leave (i know this because I’ve talked to them) they usually do poorly. This is not the right way to help or support your daughter. Please seek out another school.

70. on 04 Nov 2008 at Nov 4, 200870Maura

    have you even gone to NLA and tried to cooperate with the program? sure, there are graduates who screw up after, but whose fault is it for faking the program? New leaf asked you to work out all your problems with your parents and your life, before you leave. those who didn’t let out EVERYTHING suffered with those unsolved issues after discharge. it’s common sense. i honestly don’t care if you’re unhappy, because you’re the one who didn’t give all your effort and i, who did, am very happy. I love my life much more than i did, if not completely. so, for those who wrote all those stories about how bad NLA is, look at yourself and see how great your life is w/out the school. Do you get along w/ your parents? Do you even have friends, and if so, are they good influencial friends? I know i’m probably really pissing you guys off, but get a life (literally).

71. on 08 Nov 2008 at Nov 8, 200871June 2008 Graduate

    yes in fact, i have a great life thank you very much Maura. and i was completely honest to the program and didn’t fake it and you know what? it didn’t work! i’m not doing badly right now- i’m actually doing really well- but i could have gotten here without new leaf’s help. nla taught me, if anything at all, that life can get A LOT worse than you could ever think. it might have helped you, but for the vast majority of recent graduates, what they learned didn’t stick. nla’s intentions for helping troubled teenagers may have been virtuous and right when they started the school, but now the program has turned into a big lie.
    and as far as friends go, most, if not all, of the friends you make there end up completely forgetting about you or ditching you when they leave. i know i only talk to 2 or 3 people i knew from that school, because everyone else ended up being fake and only were my friend to get through the program. Also, people don’t really want to talk to people they could consider reminders of their past at a school they would rather forget.
    i don’t know. maybe nla helped you, and that’s great. i’m just saying that kind of success is not very common at nla. if the program’s success rate is that low, i know i wouldn’t send my kid there and i would look for another place that didn’t ask for tens of thousands of dollars a year and yielded nothing but my child hating me afterwards for sending her there.

72. on 09 Nov 2008 at Nov 9, 200872Left may 08

    i pretty much suggest not to send your kid there. i mean yeah i guess it helped in some ways. but it wasnt the nessasary help that kids should be getting. its a little too much. and its really annoying there. and not a good enviroment. i guess i can see how some people enjoyed it but thats because none of them had a good life outside of new leaf. plus new leaf is SO expensive. seriously 6,0000we9083w859858532 dollars a month? thats insane.
    im glad i went there to meet some of the people i did like catherine and mishy if you guys are on here(:
    and im on the phone with chloe right now.
    we’re anti new leaf.

73. on 10 Nov 2008 at Nov 10, 200873New Leaf Grad 08'

    New leaf was a horrible experience. It still brings back terrible memories even months after I left… the staff there DO NOT care about the girls, like they say they do. They yell and demand things from the girls which causes more fights, stress, and anger. The counselors only allow the girls to speak to their families once a week, and our family relationship got disconnected even worse …letter writing was too slow for communication, and by the time my parents got the letters, there were new issues going on. This school was very isolating to the point where it made me feel worthless and like nothing matters in life anymore. The hobbies I use to enjoy before New Leaf were not there for me to do, and I felt like I couldn’t express myself in anyway. The staff did not let the girls advocate for themselves and would put words in their mouths that sometimes weren’t even true. If a girl was sick, the staff would not treat them fair and the nurse would sometimes not even give me anything when i was sick. There was no singing or drama programs at this school which limited creative expression. Art was a very big passion for me and nla depressed me more when I was there because I was not able to do what I loved anymore. New Leaf also takes music away from the students which is a huge relaxing stress reliever. Everyday that I woke up I felt depressed, locked in, and trapped. I was unable to speak for myself.
    The physical activity was very limited because there was no gym and just a open field where we could walk. After school there was very limited activities and the staff were unenthusiastic. On the weekends we would sit in the living room all together sometimes for hours, escpecially on rainy days and on sunny days we would sit outside for hours with no activities. The staff would mostly just talk amongst themselves and not engage with the students. The school also had horrible academics with little choices. Your classes were chosen for you. There was no honors classes or electives of choice. My academics got very behind while I was at new leaf, and I am still behind in school to this day becasue of it. I am getting tutoring in subjects I used to be in honors for. After leaving New Leaf I felt more tempted to have sex and do drugs than before because I felt so trapped and overprotected while I was there. The food at the school was very fattening and unhealthy. The girls get lots of acne from the food, including myself, and gain lots of weight. Some of the weight I gained there, I am still trying to get off. Since I’ve been home, it has been hard to look at life the same. There were many disturbing events that I remember. Such as one girl trying to commit suicide, girls throwing things and hurting others, girls cutting themselves, girls talking about disturbing past events in their lives, girls running away, and girls rebelling. Even after I have returned home, I am still angry at my parents for sending me away, and sometimes feel like doing worse because of it. I feel like our communication is no better than before. The money my parents used at new leaf has taken away from my future education such as college which has caused lots of anger and arguments in our house…
    Overall, in my opinion, New Leaf took away from my life, more than helped it. It has made me behind in my music and education.
    However, I know that lots of people will doubt what I have said. This is my opinion and I’m not lying about anything I have said. I want people to know the truth so they can send their kids to a safe, comfortable environment to get the support they need. New Leaf is not a place that can do that for anyone. I needed to say this and to get it out there about how I feel, I’m not asking anyone to believe it. It is your choice in the end.

74. on 11 Nov 2008 at Nov 11, 200874Maura

    ok, so a lot of these negative stories about nla are true to an extent. I just want to ask for every old new leaf student to say at least two things positive about NLA, because there are positives and i’ve seen you guys smile before, so i know there are at least some. i’m for this because there are parents who have already sent their kid to NLA and should also have the right to hear some of the positives about NLA, since they just read a crap load of negative. Why make the parents feel worse than they already are? just do it and be helpful, b/c i’m suppose to do a good deed for my grandma and this is it, so make it good. plz? anyways, i’m not mad at you and i’m not saying that you guys are incorrect. Also, if anyone knows Jessie’s whereabouts, plz tell me. thanks!

75. on 11 Nov 2008 at Nov 11, 200875Richard

    Maura, great idea. Thanks.

76. on 14 Nov 2008 at Nov 14, 200876June 2008 Graduate

    if parents want to read positive, usually untrue or exaggerated, stories about the new leaf program, then they can go to the website. some of these stories on this site are positive, and the parents can choose to read those, instead of the negative ones. But most of them are negative. that should give any parents out there who are reading these stories an idea of the outcomes of this school. girls do not want to go there, do not want to stay there, and do not want to remember their time there. the positive things that happened while i was there were mostly in part of my “friends” and i hanging out, and those people ended up never contacting me when we left nla.
    i realize that i sound extremely cynical and very over the top about this school, but in reality, i am merely stating the facts about my own experience there. you may have enjoyed your time there and are the pride and joy of the nla program, maura, but the vast, vast majority of the graduates and the people who leave either end up doing worse than when they started or go back to doing exactly the same things as they did before nla.
    so you can say whatever you want about how nla helped you, but that is your opinion and your opinion alone. let the other alumni on this site be allowed to tell their stories, and not be required to add in things that are false about their personal experiences there.

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