A Light of Hope Support Center and Three Oaks Academy are partnering to operate the first sober high school in the Santa Clarita Valley and are looking for students.  A “Sober High School” is an accredited school specifically meant for high school students who are in recovery for alcohol and drug use.

The Santa Clarita Sober School will be located at the A Light of Hope headquarters at Savia, 23780 Newhall Avenue, and will have an online curriculum with trained staff serving as the school facilitator. Students will be provided computers in a classroom setting for their online courses.  Three Oaks Academy, founded by renowned recovery expert John Cates, will serve as the administration of the school and has been operating since 2003.

Currently the administration of the school is seeking interest from parents and teens for enrollment.  Those interested in enrolling must be in the recovery phase of their addiction and members of an Alternative Peer Group, with parental involvement.

The sober school encompasses grades 9 – 12 and accepts transfer students. Sober schools stick to small class sizes to maximize student efficiency; typically 7 – 10 students.

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The costs for enrollment include $1500 per semester for the online curriculum, through the Bridge School, and a monthly rate for administration and supervision.

The purpose of sober schools is to keep recovering addicts away from their harmful peer groups that often lead to relapse.

“When youth complete early levels of recovery, and get “clean,” they are often placed right back into the regular high school system and fall back into their old ways and relapse,” said Tim Traurig, President of A Light of Hope.  “Sober high schools allow youth to further their education and also reinforce the essential components of recovery under the supervision of a trained teacher or qualified counselor.”

The Santa Clarita sober school will work collaboratively with The Bridge School to offer a comprehensive accredited high school curriculum with the goal of assisting students in obtaining their post-high school goals. The school is also geared to prepare students for acceptance to a four year college or university.

Students attend class from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. five days a week, which is broken up into seven periods. Core classes and credits are required for graduation, and students can choose from multiple subjects for electives.

The sober school fits into the Alternative Peer Group (APG) model of recovery and membership of an Alternative Peer Group, such as offered by A Light of Hope, is required for enrollment. Alternative Peer Groups support systems provide safe, sober, yet fun and welcoming activities for young people and their families, such as mountain biking or movie nights. They serve as an alternative to the dysfunctional and destructive environment they may be involved in.

“A sober school can be a powerful tool for youth going through recovery, and can increase their chances of staying sober significantly.  Youth going through recovery are particularly vulnerable. Asking them to stay sober while going back into the same high school structure they attended while using, is like asking an adult alcoholic to get sober while spending all day in a bar,” commented Three Oaks Academy Director Parker Cragg.

Those interested in enrollment should email  Parker Cragg, Three Oaks Academy –  parker.cragg@threeoaksacademy.org – or call A Light of Hope: 661-513-4325.

ABOUT A LIGHT OF HOPE

A Light of Hope (ALOH) is a non-denominational 501C3 nonprofit organization based in Santa Clarita, CA which specializes in addiction and recovery support for 14 – 26 year olds and their parents. The organization provides individual and family counseling, Alternative Peer Groups, support groups, interventions and referrals.

ABOUT THREE OAKS ACADEMY

Three Oaks Academy is a small, private high school based in Houston, Texas for students in recovery from chemical dependency. At Three Oaks, teenagers have the unique opportunity to simultaneously fortify their personal recovery while attaining a fully-accredited high school diploma. Every day, students are provided conditions to foster a holistic recovery from the ravages of addiction – towards a life of personal, social, and academic success.