Important Update on the O-School Program
Important Update on the O-School Program
On March 29, 2021, the O-School announced it will be closing its Residential program at the end of this academic year, in order to focus exclusively on Day programs.
Please find below a copy of the letter that went to residential families. It outlines the rationale behind the decision, as well as the ways in which the School will be supporting the students and staff members impacted by this decision. It also provides a link to an FAQ, which has supplemental information.
This was a difficult decision, made in order to put the School on a sustainable path. It allows the School to invest in its Day School so that it can expand programs, serve more students, and offer more opportunities to students and families, now and into the future. Please take a moment to also review the following visual, which highlights these new and expanded programs.
To: Residential Students and Families
From: Diana Kon
Subject: Important News About the School’s Future
Date: March 31, 2021
Dear Residential Students and Families,
It is with a deep sense of responsibility to our O-School and Brooke Whitted Center (BWC) students and their families — now and in generations to come — that I am writing to you today with important news: Following the end of this academic year in June, the O-School and BWC will no longer offer residential programs.
This is a solemn moment for the institution. I want you to know that we understand how hard this news is for you. This has been a wrenching decision for all of us in leadership, during a difficult year, and we made it only after careful deliberation.
We pledge to do all we can to help you through this transition, as we understand that this decision brings disruption for our students, families, and residential staff members, together with a real measure of sadness for the larger O-School community.
In this letter, I hope to give you a clear sense of why and how the School reached this decision, what it means for you, and what lies ahead.
Over the years, the evolving landscape in special education and mental health care has made it increasingly difficult for the O-School to sustain our high-quality residential programs, operationally and financially. The Covid-19 pandemic made that dilemma a crisis, forcing the organization into multi-million-dollar deficits that could not be eliminated for many years to come, if ever, if residential programming had continued.
At the same time, especially as a result of the pandemic, the need has never been greater for all types of special education and mental-health programming for children and young people struggling with significant social-emotional challenges.
Faced with these realities, after looking carefully at alternative scenarios, the Board of Directors decided to close the residential programs at the O-School and BWC at the end of this school year. Going forward, the School will focus our resources and energy on expanding access to our care and education through our day programs, from assessment to education to the transition to life after high school. We will launch several new programs and grow others, fulfilling the School’s core mission in a new way, and guaranteeing that the legacy lives on into a future of promise and hope.
This shift will help the O-School contribute to current trends in the field, including supporting students who live at home. It will also allow the School to expand our transitional programming, a key element in the continuum-of-care, and serve a larger number of students overall. Finally, it will allow the School to provide more services and tools to families.
The School will work closely with our current 20 residential students and families to ensure a smooth transition to their next chapters, including a number who plan to graduate at the end of the semester and some who will become day students at the School.
The School will also provide transitional assistance to every employee who will be directly affected by this decision. We will be meeting with those employees today to help them understand their position and offer our assistance where needed.
Residential treatment and education has been an important aspect of the School for much of its history and has played a significant role in the School’s reputation. Next fall, we will have an event to recognize that legacy and celebrate the bonds created through the program over the decades.
Yet, even as we honor the School’s residential history, we recognize that for more than a century, the Orthogenic School has fulfilled its mission by adapting and evolving to serve society’s needs in the best way it could, whether that was as a day school, a residential school or both.
We look forward to this opportunity to carry that legacy into a new chapter, providing an outstanding and sustainable continuum-of-care to an expanded and diverse student body by pioneering innovative new programs, advocating for those in need, and by strengthening our connection to our local community. For more information on this transition, please see our FAQ and supporting materials.
At the heart of the O-School is our unshakable belief in children, their potential, and the power of using relationships as the primary vehicle for growth and change. This decision honors our long history by ensuring that the next generation of students will have access to and inherit a school that expertly balances innovation with constancy, treatment with education, and the past with the future. That is our hallmark.
Pivot Questions and Answers
- General
- What is changing at the Orthogenic School (O-School) and Brooke Whitted Center (BWC)?
- What are the reasons for this shift?
- How will the O-School help students make the transition?
- How will the O-School help staff make the transition?
- How does this serve the O-School's mission?
- Is this decision permanent?
- Finanical Pressures
- Decision Process
- Outcomes for Affected Staff
- Future Direction
- What new programs will the O-School be launching?
- Why are those valuable?
- Who will they serve?
- How will the O-School manage the growth of these new programs? Will it be gradual or all at once?
- Has the O-School ever existed without residential programs?
- Will the O-School hire new counselors to serve the expanded programming and family needs?
- Are there other major changes coming?
- How will this affect the O-School's relationship with Woodlawn and the South Side?
- What are the new programs that will be offered by the Day School and how do I find additional information about them?
1. General
What is changing at the Orthogenic School (O-School) and Brooke Whitted Center (BWC)?
Following the end of this academic year (2020-2021), the O-School and BWC will no longer offer residential programming. Instead, the O-School will be expanding the Day School and growing some new programs, including a Day Transition program for students 17-22 years of age, summer camps, after-school activities, and a Diagnostic Center.
What are the reasons for this shift?
Over the years, the evolving landscape in special education and mental health care has made it increasingly difficult for the O-School to sustain its Residential Program. Current trends point to increasingly shorter lengths of stay in Residential Treatment and more family support and community-based programming to assist families and children together and at home.
Additionally, the Covid-19 Pandemic made that dilemma a crisis, forcing the organization into multi-million-dollar deficits that could not be eliminated for many years to come, if ever, if residential programming had continued.
By establishing an expanded array of day programming and educational options, the O-School will be positioned to respond to these changing needs.
How will the O-School help students make the transition?
Due to the Pandemic, there were fewer children in Residence. Some students were scheduled to graduate in June. Others have been planning to transition to the O-School Day School in June. For those students and families who have identified a need for continued residential treatment, the O-School will work with the families and stakeholders on an individual basis to offer recommendations and facilitate the transition in order to ensure that the best possible next steps have been identified and implemented.
How will the O-School help staff make the transition?
There will be several new positions available and members of our existing staff are encouraged to apply. Where staff members will be leaving the O-School and BWC, the LSSC is committed to providing transitional assistance. This includes a monetary retention incentive, out-placement support and EAP services. Each employee will have an opportunity to meet with HR to address personal benefits questions in order to make informed decisions.
How does this serve the O-School's mission?
We recognize that the O-School has fulfilled its mission for more than a century by adapting and evolving to serve society’s needs in the best way it could, whether that was as a day school, a residential school, or both.
We look forward to this opportunity to carry that legacy into a new chapter, providing an outstanding continuum-of-care to an expanded and diverse student body, pioneering innovative new programs, advocating for those in need, and providing a safe haven and a path to hope.
Is this decision permanent?
Yes. There are no plans to reopen the Residential Program for the BWC or the O-School.
2. Finanical Pressures
How did the Pandemic affect the situation?
In order to safely serve our students and meet social distancing requirements, the O-School had to significantly reduce the census in the Residential Program, reducing the income for this program. Yet to properly staff the program during the COVID Pandemic–while keeping student pods (groups) separate, staffing medical isolation cases, etc.–required staffing levels consistent with pre-pandemic levels.
What would future years look like if the residential programs remained open?
Before the Pandemic, the Residential Program incurred multiple years of financial losses, and the underlying conditions that made this decision necessary were independent of the COVID Pandemic. Even a relatively quick end to the COVID Pandemic will not solve the school’s challenges and would leave the O-School in an unsustainable position.
How will this shift improve the financial picture?
Closing the Residential Program allows the O-School to focus on those financially and operationally sustainable programs, allowing the school to expand its remaining programs while also remaining viable for future families who will need its services.
3. Decision Process
When did the possibility of closing the residential programs arise?
Over the years, the evolving landscape in special education and mental health care has made it increasingly difficult for the O-School to sustain its high-quality residential programs, operationally and financially. The COVID Pandemic made that dilemma a crisis, forcing the organization into multi-million-dollar deficits that could not be eliminated for many years to come, if ever, if residential programming had continued.
Who made the decision?
The Board of Directors decided to close residential programs at the O-School and BWC.
What was the process for making this decision?
Over the years, the evolving landscape in special education and mental health care has made it increasingly difficult for the O-School to sustain its high-quality residential programs, operationally and financially. The COVID Pandemic made that dilemma a crisis, forcing the organization into multi-million-dollar deficits that could not be eliminated for many years to come, if ever, if residential programming had continued.
After carefully considering and analyzing a variety of options, the Board of Directors made the painful decision to close all of the residential programs.
What is the rationale for the timing?
The imperatives of the COVID Pandemic forced the school to reduce census considerably and assume a variety of additional expenses. In order to consider the next steps, the school underwent a full assessment of program viability and the current trends in special education and mental health. As a result, it was determined the O-School could most help meet the anticipated social-emotional needs of the next generation of children by focusing on Day School programming and outreach.
The Residential Programs are scheduled to close in June, at the conclusion of the current 2020-2021 academic term.
4. Outcomes for Affected Staff
Will any staff whose positions are eliminated be able to stay at the Orthogenic School?
Yes. To support the expanded Day programming several positions will become available including:
- Therapist-Day Case Manager Positions
- Transitional Coach Positions
- Crisis Intervention Leader Position
- Teaching Positions (LBS1)
Over time, as the Day programming continues to expand, the corresponding staffing needs will increase incrementally. New positions will continue to be posted on the O-School website as they become available.
5. Future Direction
What new programs will the O-School be launching?
The O-School will be expanding its Therapeutic Day Program, and it will also be launching a Transition Program, Summer Camps, After School Programs, and a Diagnostic Center. Please see the visual for a fuller explanation of the O-School’s new and expanding programs.
Why are those valuable?
These new and expanded programs allow the O-School to significantly increase the number of students it serves, to offer a broader array of services to meet the diverse needs of Chicago’s families and students, and to become a stronger community partner. They will also be operationally and financially sustainable, allowing the O-School to be a resource to families for another hundred years.
Who will they serve?
In keeping with the O-School’s mission, these new programs will serve children and young adults with significant social-emotional needs, and those on the Autism spectrum. Also, in keeping with the O-School’s core beliefs, these new programs will continue to improve accessibility to programs and services so families in need can access the education and treatment their child may need.
How will the O-School manage the growth of these new programs? Will it be gradual or all at once?
These programs will be developed and launched over the next three years, beginning with the expansion of the Therapeutic Day program.
Has the O-School ever existed without residential programs?
Yes, in fact the O-School started as a day-only program when it was originally founded.
Will the O-School hire new counselors to serve the expanded programming and family needs?
In order to meet the new and expanding programs, the O-School posted some positions such as additional therapist-day case managers, transitional coaches, and special education teachers.
Are there other major changes coming?
The O-School is always evolving and growing. However, there are no plans to close or reduce any other existing programs. In fact, as evidenced by the expansion of our Therapeutic Day Program, the O-School is making a significant investment in its remaining programs.
How will this affect the O-School's relationship with Woodlawn and the South Side?
Focusing on its day programs allows the O-School to strengthen its local partnerships, including those in Woodlawn and the South Side. In addition, offering a broader array of services provides the O-School with more opportunities to serve the local community.
What are the new programs that will be offered by the Day School and how do I find additional information about them?
- The O-School will be expanding its Therapeutic Day Program, and it will also be launching a Transition Program, Summer Camp, After School Programs, and a Diagnostic Center. Please see the visual for a fuller explanation of the O-School’s new and expanding programs.
- The Therapeutic Day Program will significantly increase the population of students enrolled over a series of years until capacity will be achieved at over 100 students. This increase is intended to meet the needs of Chicago area students and families by providing our world-class services. More than a school, our immersive community of care will continue to embrace those vulnerable students, surrounding them with a devoted and highly trained staff.In addition, after-school support will be offered to Chicago area students with significant social-emotional needs, providing a safe place to grow and learn and a Diagnostic Center will be founded to obtain an accurate diagnosis and a path forward to support in the advocacy and access to appropriate educational and clinical services.
- The O-School will offer a Transitional Day Program for students and young adults ages 17-22 to meet the needs of a growing number of high school seniors who have met their academic requirements, but who have identified social-emotional needs that must be addressed before graduation. The program will include job readiness training, college and trade school exploration, internships, job partnerships and opportunities, and more for students.
- The Summer Camp will provide students the opportunity to experience the O-School magic during the summer in and out of the classrooms with planned activities each week. Campers will have the opportunity to explore the city and experience exciting events at the school. Some of the variety of events and activities include Zoo visits, live plays, performances and concerts, Water Days, Multi-Cultural food fests, and much more.Summer Camp can provide an especially important entry point for new students that prepares them for success at the O-School.
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