Program Structure

Consistent progress toward autonomy, accountability, and accomplishment are critical objectives of a Carlbrook Education. All students are expected to successfully complete a wilderness experience prior to matriculation on the main campus. This allows the student, the family, and the school to prepare for the challenges ahead. The school provides a tiered, 15 to 18 month interdisciplinary program with two distinct and integrated phases, each with specific content designed to address developmental tasks associated with mid-to-late adolescence.

In conjunction with his or her personal advisor, each student charts a course for success from the day of enrollment, and adjusts goals as accomplishments mount. The program structure recognizes temporal, thematic, and achievement considerations that teach real world competition and consequence while at the same time providing a general framework against which a student can accurately gauge his or her progress relative to others in the school. Progress from one phase to the next reflects individual achievement rather than time enrolled; each student's individual accomplishments will determine his or her standing in the school and the rate at which he or she moves forward.

The Lower School addresses motivational and educational deficits, and allows students to demonstrate and practice the fundamental skills necessary for increasing academic and interpersonal demands. The Upper School emphasizes transition planning, resilience, leadership, independent thinking, decision-making, and community service.  Each phase provides a coherent, substantive experience that focuses on the achievement of specific academic and personal goals, while incorporating a vigorous physical regimen to promote "sound mind and body" principles.