Worcester’s Recovery High School Hopes to Tackle Drug Use Among Teens

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Friday, July 31, 2015

Patrick Sargent, GoLocalWorcester Contributor

For many students, the beginning of a school year is a promise of a fresh start, new adjustments, and a reset of priorities that may have been lost in the Summer months.

For students of the new Worcester Recovery High School, that promise takes on a whole new meaning.

In just a few weeks, the recovery high school will open its doors to its first group of students and, for the first time in Central Massachusetts, young people dealing with substance abuse issues will be able to remain in school to work on recovery while obtaining a high school education.

"This school makes really good sense for kids coming out of treatment, for kids involved in the probationary system, and kids that are willing and interested in sobriety. These students will be able to find a really small high school experience that offers an appropriate level of support," said the school's principal Susan Strong.

Strong is a former principal in the Lenox school system and previously served as the Student Services director for Weston Public Schools.

When asked what role the school will play to help stifle the number of opioid-related deaths and heroin overdoses in the city of Worcester, Strong said, “We are hoping through outreach, that kids who are actively addicted, will see their way through treatment knowing that there is additional support on the other side, knowing that they won’t have to go back to their old high school where they used.”

What is a Recovery High School?

"The Recovery High School is a vital opportunity for students who are fully committed to getting healthy," said Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Melinda Boone. 

The new high school is run by the Central Massachusetts Special Education Collaborative (CMSEC) and is located at 20 Rockdale Street in Worcester. It is the fifth recovery school in Massachusetts and will be home to four teachers (English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies) and upwards of 50 students.

"The need is there," said Strong. "Finding kids has been a challenge because I don't think people know yet what we're about. They don't know that we are comprehensive high school and that we offer recovery support services with a robust curriculum."

Students of the recovery center are required to be 30 days sober before arriving on the first day of school and will be held to the same standards as other high school students in the district.

The recovery school’s curriculum and environment will specifically address each students’ recovery and their struggles with substance abuse or physical and mental abuse.

"Supporting these students and their families with a learning environment that assists their unique recovery needs will break the cycle of addiction for future generations and reduce opioid use by teens in the city," said Boone, who also serves as member on the CMSEC Board of Directors.

A Typical Day at the Recovery School

The school will open on September 8 - a week later than the other public schools in the city - because the building is still being renovated and the extra week gives the staff a little more time to prepare.

"The first two weeks are going to really involve group time and team building so that our small community can come together," said Strong. "So during the first two weeks, my sense is that kids will be more connected to the recovery activities - hiking, field trips, softball, basketball - to create a cohort of students and faculty committed to creating a unique environment."

A day at the recovery high school starts at 9 AM.

“We are starting a little bit later because the research on teenagers suggest that they should sleep in the morning and that’s part of their recovery plan,” said Strong.

The students will start their day with a group meeting where they will be able to talk about about their evenings, areas of concern relative to their recovery, challenges that they encounter, and barriers that they feel might interfere with their classwork on that given day.

For students with especially significant issues to start the day will be connected with the recovery counselor or a clinician for further discussion.

SEE BELOW: Daily Schedule of Worcester Recovery High School

The school will provide a recovery counselor, an intake coordinator, a mental health counselor, and a college and career planner. The school has also hired a yoga instructor.

Students will attend psycho-social groups to address substance abuse, trauma, relationships, accountability, transition, grief and loss, healthy choices, self esteem, bullying and stigma.  The school will also offer Young Person’s AA and NA which will be facilitated by the school’s staff.

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• Heroin Use in Worcester: Top Stories in Central Mass in 2012

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