All of our Community-based residences are beautiful and spacious colonial New England homes located in country settings. Residential life at Whitney Academy offers each student the opportunity to develop skills in the areas of social and community integration, life skills, and nutrition/physical fitness in an atmosphere emphasizing mutual respect, relationship building and cooperation.

The physical environment of the Academy s residences offers students multiple living areas for group activities, music and solitude. Sleeping areas are shared by students and are based on age, personal preferences and peer relationships. Our comfortable and home-like residences mirror healthy family living as much as possible.

Students are actively involved in all aspects of home life such as laundry, meal planning, grocery shopping and meal preparation. Students are also assisted in purchasing clothing and personal need items, all of which are necessary in the understanding of monetary values and development of money management skills. To aid students in the introduction to Whitney Academy as well as to help them with ongoing needs, we have developed the role of Primary Advocate. A Primary is selected from the residential staff to serve as a mentor and advocate for his or her designated student.

Whitney Academy promotes social interaction within the community. Recreational activities such as roller skating, bowling, movies and mall trips are accessed through local facilities and are scheduled on a weekly basis. Health and physical fitness are a major focus in providing a well-rounded program. Students participate in a recreation therapy program promoting exercise, sportsmanship and a sense of self- improvement. Students are instructed in healthy eating habits and the benefits of the four major food groups under the supervision of a registered nutritionist.

Health and physical fitness are a major focus in providing a well-rounded program. Students participate in a recreation therapy program promoting exercise, sportsmanship and a sense of self- improvement. Students are instructed in healthy eating habits and the benefits of the four major food groups under the supervision of a registered nutritionist.

Whitney Academy maintains a one staff to two-student ratio to assist in the comprehensive residential program, as well as to address individual student needs and monitoring. A one staff to four-student ratio is maintained throughout third shift to ensure continuous student supervision. All positions are awake to meet the student s need for a safe and secure environment. Vigilant staff monitoring is augmented by the use of electronic surveillance cameras in the bedrooms.