Sorenson's Ranch School

Sorenson's Ranch School | Leadership

Thu, 12 Feb 2009 13:26 GMT

Sorenson's Ranch School has a Leadership Program for students who have made it to Level Five. In order to be a member of the SRS Student Council students must mentor a student one week a month. They help run a leadership group, sharing their experiences in resolving problems. They come to staff with any knowledge of rumors or plans of a serious nature.

The Student Council meets to discuss School and Ranch issues such as:

• Activity requests
• Plan the monthly Level Five activity
• Help plan and carry out holiday parties.
• Discuss complaints from peers that they would like to have resolved.
• Come up with realistic ideas to better their environment to bring before the Administration.
• Students can attend Staff Supervisors’ Meeting once a month if there are issues they would like to bring up to the Administration.

We feel that when a student has progressed in our program to the point where they have reached Level Five it is time for them to take on some added responsibilities. The Student Council is a perfect vehicle for them to do this. The experience they gain in working in the Student Council will be helpful in college or the work environment. Many of these students would never have had the chance to serve on a student council in their hometown high school due to the behavioral problems they experienced as troubled teens before being sent to a residential treatment center. In more ways than one Sorenson's Ranch School offers teenagers experiencing difficulties a second chance at success.

Sorenson's Ranch School | UNCERTAINTY

Tue, 10 Feb 2009 13:16 GMT

“These are the times that try men’s souls.” This is a sentiment that could well fit our current economic, environmental, and societal situation as a country. No one seems to know just where the economy is heading. The climate is changing, but no one can agree on how fast that is happening. And our society today is one filled with uncertainty. This is difficult enough to cope with as adults, but for adolescents it is especially trying.

Have you ever noticed how young children like to watch the same video over and over and over again? That’s because they already know how it ends. It is safe to watch. It offers them a secure sense of certainty. We have found over the years in working with troubled teens that they are no different in this respect. They feel safer when they are in an environment that has predictable consequences. For a lot of them Sorenson’s was the first place they had been where there was a secure environment with predictable outcomes for their behavior.
When a student first arrives at Sorenson’s they are interviewed by the Intake Coordinator, who goes over the Student Manual with them. In it they learn what is expected of them. There is a behavioral guide that lists all the common behaviors that they can receive consequences for. They know from the beginning what to expect. They may go through a period of testing the system to see what the outcome will be, but after a while they begin to realize that their behavior affects their quality of life. Bad behavior reaps consequences, such as not being able to participate in fun activities. Good behavior reaps rewards. Life becomes predicable. This lessens anxiety and stress.
I wonder if that’s why so many of our former students stop by when they are in the area, and reminisce fondly of their time spent with us. Things were simpler for them then, not having to deal with so much uncertainty.

Sorenson's Ranch School | Experince

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 13:45 GMT

In this era of troubled teens, programs designed to help them have been popping up all over the country. Some people see it as an easy opportunity to make some money, not realizing the difficulties involved in setting up a well-rounded program that works. Sorenson's Ranch School has been involved in helping troubled teens for more than 20 years.
We have many seasoned staff members who are successful in their fields. Looking at a cross-section of our positions from cooks to counselors, we have many individuals who have been with SRS over 15 years, several over 20. This says a lot about the stability of our staff and our program.
Staffing a residential program located in a remote rural area can be a daunting task. You have to find people who are really committed to the program’s mission. Our educational mission is to enable students to experience academic success in a safe, sober and positive environment, with an emphasis on becoming responsible citizens. Our treatment program deals with adolescents on clinical issues such as self-esteem, anger management, chemical addictions, behavior instability, and lack of impulse control. Our mission there is to provide the structure needed for rehabilitation and recovery with these issues.
In order to accomplish our two-fold mission it is essential that we have dedicated staff that are with us for the long term. Although we do have employees that have been with us less than five years, in every department in our facility there is a seasoned staff that has been with us from our early beginnings. We believe this foundation of experienced staff gives us an advantage over the “Johnny-come-lately” programs that have popped up everywhere in recent years.

Sorenson's Ranch | Sorensons Ranch | Positive Peer Modeling

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 23:38 GMT

Our program is based on a level/point system. Levels are based on the percentage of points a student has. A student starts off each day with 100 points. As the day does on, if the student misbehaves, he/she loses points. After a student has been in our program for a while they begin to understand that their behavior is connected to the privileges they receive. They begin to comprehend that their behavior has consequences that are predictable. After this happens they start to move up in their levels and enjoy more activities and privileges.
At this point they may be asked to be a Positive Peer Model for newer students who have just enrolled in the SRS program. They are assigned to accompany the new student to their classes and around the facility, explaining the program, and showing them the ropes. This accomplishes several things.
• It gives the new student a companion to help them adjust to their new surroundings.
• It gives the student doing the Positive Peer Modeling a sense of responsibility.
• The new student’s first acquaintance at the school is a student who is experienced in the program and has attained a level of behavior that we hope the new student will learn to emulate.
• The student doing the Positive Peer Modeling benefits from the experience of being responsible for helping another human being by learning patience, empathy, confidence, and reassurance.

We feel that the Positive Peer Modeling aspect of our program is very important in obtaining the desired change from a troubled teen to a well-grounded adult. Starting a new school can be a difficult experience for anyone, but if you’re a troubled teen sent away from home to a residential treatment center, the difficulty can be compounded. That’s why we feel Positive Peer Modeling is an essential part of our residential treatment program.

Youth Programs

Sun, 28 Sep 2008 23:38 GMT

Nowadays if you have a troubled teen and type that into an internet search, you are likely to pull up all kinds of youth programs – boarding schools, boot camps, wilderness programs, residential treatment centers, behavioral schools, drug treatment programs, and more referral services than programs. Back when Burnell Sorenson founded Sorenson's Ranch School the only other option parents had for their troubled teen was a military school. Burnell had a vision of a program very different from a military school. He turned the family farm and cattle ranch into a program to help teens reclaim a sense of self-worth.

Having been a teacher in the public school system for several years, he saw many teens that the schools had been unable to help, students who were falling through the cracks. He started small with a summer camp. Instead of taking the summer off from teaching he would come home to Utah and run a summer camp to help troubled teens. So, when he retired from teaching it was natural for him to turn all of his attention to establishing a year-round program, which has now evolved into a fully licensed and accredited school and residential treatment center.

Sorenson's Ranch School is still a family-owned business, managed locally by Burnell’s son and daughter-in-law. It is not part of a chain of treatment centers run by a corporation headquartered far from the students it services. That certainly wasn’t Burnell’s vision. He lived with the students, worked with the students, camped with the students, strived with them to help them see their own potential.

Most other programs out there do not have the same humble beginnings as Sorenson's Ranch School, but it is something we are proud of. Our founder was not afraid to roll up his sleeves and work hard, which is something we all try to emulate. We feel our program is one of the better programs available because of our strong family roots and belief that no child is beyond help.

Sorenson's Ranch School | Choices

Tue, 02 Sep 2008 08:59 GMT

With the current economic uncertainty that exists in the country we have all had to take a moment to assess our own personal financial situations. Do I really need to go to Hawaii this year, or does vacationing somewhere closer to home make more sense? Should I look into trading in my present mode of transportation for one more economically user friendly? Then there’s the higher cost of heating fuel, food, clothing -- just about everything. It makes one stop and prioritize expenditures. You find you are more aware of what you are spending and where.
Even if you are in the best of situations these are worrisome times. But what if you’re not in the best of situations? What if you’re dealing with the stress and worry of an out-of-control teenager that is skipping out on school, or sneaking out at night, or disappearing for days. What if you’re at your wits end about what to do and don’t know where to turn. If you’re like most parents you go online and do a search. Your search might be on “troubled teens” and you pull up several sites that offer possible solutions to your problem. You make a few phone calls, talk to a few people, and get an idea of costs. Then you mull it over for a while.
You think to yourself that maybe your teen isn’t as bad as you thought. You decide to have a good heart-to-heart talk in the hopes of turning things around. After all, the cost of sending your teen away to a residential treatment facility that may be far from your home wasn’t figured into your budget. You make the least costly (or is it?) choice of trying to work things out as a family.
Hard economic times make for hard choices. Things that seem important in easy times suddenly aren’t that important in lean times. When a child is in trouble, heading down a dangerous road, those are the hardest times of all. Choices, hard choices, have to be made. What may seem costly at the present time could turn out to be the best investment you ever make. Money invested in the health and well-being of a child at risk is money well spent. The choice is yours. Pay now or pay later.

Sorenson's Ranch School | Academic Completion Program

Mon, 25 Aug 2008 09:59 GMT

Sorenson's Ranch School has organized and implemented a program in its Educational Department to facilitate the graduation of students who meet the requirements of participating in the program. Minimum requirements for participating in the program are:
• The student has not been incomplete for the previous four weeks.
• All current teachers agree that the student is working from bell to bell every day.
• The student has been Level Three or above for at least two months.
• The student is at least one year (six credits) behind in school.
• The student will be turning eighteen within the next six months.

Signatures from the entire treatment team are required in order for a student to be included in the ACP. When a student becomes Level One they are automatically out of the program until they return to Level Two. Any student on the ACP will be required to attend at least one session of Brad’s evening ACP class and one session of Ben’s evening ACP class.

ACP students may use textbooks or do homework instead of any activity except a chore. They must be under the supervision of a staff in the gym, cafeteria, cabin areas, upper gym, etc. They may also attend Level One room and use textbooks if there is room.

This program is specially designed to help those teens who come to us woefully behind in their academics. Behavior problems in teenagers often lead to poor academic progress in mainstream schools. Many students come to SRS so far behind in their credits that it seems an insurmountable task to catch them up in order for them to graduate. This program is for those students who are motivated to graduate on schedule.

Sorenson's Ranch School | Horse Shows

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 23:26 GMT

In February the 4H students signed in their pigs and sheep to raise and get ready to show at the local county fair. Since that time they have been very busy working with the animals. They have a daily feeding program in place, and also a workout program to bond with and train the animals.

They also have been busy practicing and competing in the local horse shows. They start off at the beginning of the week by grooming the horses, washing them, cleaning, clipping their hair, and braiding their tails so that they look nice for show day. They practice every week for these events. They have been doing very well at the shows. The students are trying their best and learn about completion and hard work to achieve their goals.

At the last show, it was the first show for one of the students. She was very nervous about going into the arena and competing. The 4H instructor gently encouraged her to go in, and when she did she was very pleased with herself and was ready for the next event.

There is one horse show left this season and then the county fair to show the pigs and sheep in August. So far it has been a great season. The students have won many ribbons for their efforts. It has given them a sense of accomplishment and satisfaction. Teens who are unable to succeed in mainstream academics often find their niche in the 4H program. We are pleased to be able to offer this to any SRS student who is interested.

Desperate Parents | Sorenson's Ranch School

Wed, 09 Jul 2008 11:42 GMT

The phone here at Sorenson's Ranch School is always ringing. We get calls from all over the country, and sometimes from out of the country. We get the usual calls from salesmen wanting to know what toner we use or what cleaning product we use to calls from Chase Bank customers wanting to know what the payoff is on their loan. Our 800 number is one digit off from theirs. We get calls from probation officers, adoption agencies, government officials, health insurance claim processors, educators, employees, employees’ spouses, parents calling to talk to their child’s case manager or therapist, and parents inquiring about enrolling their child in our program.
Among the last category of callers is the desperate parent. This is the parent that has dealt with their troubled teen for several years. They have tried everything they can think of to turn their teen around. Their teen has serious behavioral problems and is disrupting the entire family. They are at their wits end. They may have thought about residential treatment at some point in the cycle, but decided against it, telling themselves that things weren’t quite that bad and hanging on to the hope that if they tried a little harder, things would somehow get better. This rarely happens. There’s a quote hanging in the group room that says, “If you keep on doing the same things, taking the same actions and thinking the same thoughts, you’ll get the same results that you’ve been getting.” How true that is.
Finally they look into residential treatment and call in the hopes of getting help for their out-of-control teen. Unfortunately the call often comes just before their teen turns 18 or shortly thereafter. Although we are licensed to take 18-year-olds, we cannot make them stay unless they have been court ordered. It is difficult to have to tell the emotionally wrought parent that they have waited too long. The odds that their 18-year-old teen would be willing to stay voluntarily at a residential treatment center to work on their issues are very slim. If you are considering residential treatment as an option for your son or daughter, keep in mind that sooner is better than later.

Sorenson's Ranch Free Lunch Program

Thu, 19 Jun 2008 10:06 GMT

Sorenson's Ranch School is located in a mountain valley that is home to three small rural towns, Burrville, Koosharem, and Greenwich. The combined population of these three towns is less than 500. Residents range in age from infants to the very aged. Children born and raised here usually move away after they have grown up. Senior citizens in these small towns come from hearty pioneer ancestors who came to this valley and settled it in 1870. They are very independent people, and even though their bodies may be old and they are unable to get around the way they would like, they prefer to live alone in their own homes rather than move into assisted living facilities.

In larger communities Meals-On-Wheels provides seniors with nutritional meals, but in Grass Valley there is not a large enough population to support such a program. Sorenson's Ranch School provides this service to the seniors in this valley at no cost to them. Monday through Friday a member of the local church comes to Sorenson’s kitchen at lunchtime to pick up lunches. A sign-up sheet is passed around each Sunday for volunteers to do this. The meals are packed in take-out containers and ready to go. The seniors receive the same meals that are served to the student population that day. There is enough packed in each lunch so that most of the seniors are able to get two meals from them. Presently there are ten seniors in the valley receiving free lunches.

Sorenson’s has been providing lunches for seniors for about four years. Several years ago seniors were provided meals through a county program, but that was discontinued. Sorenson's Ranch School is happy to provide this service to the community. Who says there’s no such thing as a free lunch?