History of Academy at Ivy Ridge

A brief history, including the association between Ivy Ridge and WWASPS.

• Fall, 2001: Robert B. Lichfield of Utah purchases the campus of the former Mater Dei junior college from the Diocese of
• Fall, 2001: R.B. Lichfield donates $50,000 to SUNY Canton.
  
• November 7, 2001: Jason G. Finlinson Corporation and the Joseph and Alyn Mitchell Corporation incorporated
• December 17, 2001: Finlinson and Mitchell Corporations join to form Academy at Ivy Ridge (AIR)
• Fall, 2001:  AIR is accepted as a candidate for accreditation by the Northwest Association of Schools and Colleges (now known as Northwest Association of Accredited Schools, or NAAS).  Note that candidacy was accepted before students enrolled.
• January, 2002: Students arrive on campus
• March 2004: A prospective student is beaten by escort services en route to AIR.
• February 9, 2005: New York's  Office of Child Protective Services and the  Education Department open an investigation into AIR, based on complaints.
  
• March 2005: Northwest Association of  Accredited Schools rescinds AIR candidacy for accreditation.
• Mid-2005: Enrollment peaks at about 500 students
• May 16, 2005: A riot breaks out at Ivy Ridge
• August 14, 2005: Police again called to Ivy Ridge, following a false fire alarm.
  
• August 18, 2005: Attorney General of New York orders AIR to refund tuition.
• November 29, 2005: AIR withdraws from WWASPS
• May, 2006: AIR hires education consultant Robert L. Guarino, Ph.D. to help prepare the school for accreditation.
• June, 2006: AIR found to be an inappropriate placement for a child with learning disabilities.
• July 25, 2006: Class action lawsuit filed against AIR by Hancock & Estabook, LLP.
• September, 2006: A student new to AIR was hospitalized after a beating by fellow students; staff members are later charged with negligence for not preventing the beating.
• November 28, 2006: New York State's Department of Education determines that AIR is  "principally a behavior modification center and not a school that should be accorded the privilege of administering Regents examinations and awarding diplomas."
• December 2006: Enrollment has dropped to about 150 students.
• March 2007: Four students run away from the facility.
• April , 2007: The judge hearing the case against AIR denies class-action status.

Update -- other sources on WWASPS, Ivy Ridge, Robert Lichfield, and the "troubled teen" industry

History of Academy at Ivy Ridge

2000--Robert Lichfield purchases the campus in Ogdensburg, NY.

Litigation Against Ivy Ridge and Similar Organizations

There are two suits going against the organizations Robert Lichfield has invested in. One is specific to Ivy Ridge; the other is broader. 

General class action suit  (The "Wood Complaint"): (defendants include Lichfield, Ken Kay, Karr Farnsworth, David Gilcrease, and "John Does I through XX).

I imagine Hinton will be one of the Does.  The amended complaint:

Download WoodAmendedComplaint.pdf

If you want to join the suit, go to http://www.wturley.com/

Ivy Ridge class action suit:

Download IvyRidgeClassAction.pdf

Previous Posts on WWASPS and WWASPS-related issues:

• Challenge Day & WWASPS --March 30 2005
• Thinking of Sending Your Troubled Teen to a Boot Camp? -- March 31, 2005
• Boonville Says No to WWASPS--April 10 2005
• The Enduring Lure of "Gunny Therapy" -- April 15, 2005
• Riot at Ivy Ridge--June 8 2005
• The Road to Whatever -- July 2005
• Academy at Ivy Ridge--August 23, 2005
• Why "Therapeutic Schools" are Booming January 2 2006
• Advice for Parents Looking for A Therapeutic School -- January 21, 2005
• Maia Szalavitz On Debunking "Tough Love" Schools -- April 11 2006
• WWASPS Suit--September 6 2006
• Exploitation of Youth and Families December 6 2006
• Ivy Ridge "Not A School" -- December 7 2006
• On Accreditation -- December 11 2006
• Northwest Association of Accredited Schools -- December 11 2006
• Randall Hinton, WWASPS Heavy, Arrested for Abuse -- January 12, 2007
• What Alternatives Are There for Parents of Troubled Teens?-- January 13, 2007
• Randall Hinton's Qualifications and Biography--January 13, 2007
• Patty Pacheco, Whistle-blower at Royal Gorge Academy -- January 29, 2007
• Royal Gorge Academy in the News--March 20, 2007
• Four Students Flee Ivy Ridge--March 20, 2007
• Robert Lichfield, One of Mitt Romney's Money Men, Has Legal Troubles -- June 22, 2007
• Testimony from An Academy at Ivy Ridge Graduate--July 28, 2007
• Shawn Jones, Academy at Ivy Ridge Victim
--October 23, 2007
• A Message from an Academy at Ivy Ridge Survivor--November 15, 2007

Series on Questions Parents Should Ask Before Enrolling A Child in a NonPublic School:

• NonPublic Schools: Part I--Overview
• NonPublic Schools--Part II Evaluating Mission, Values, & Goodness of Fit for Your Child
• NonPublic Schools--Part III Faculty and Staff Qualifications
• NonPublic Schools--Part IV: Evaluating Academic Program
• NonPublic Schools:Part V--On Accreditation
• NonPublic Schools:Part VI--More Detail on Financial Issues: IRS Status

Other Sources of Information:

• Coalition Against Institutionalized Child Abuse (CAICA)--Royal Gorge Index
• International Survivors Action Committee ISAC --WWASPS Index
• WaspsInfo.net ("home of all the information WWASPS wants you to ignore.") --includes Randall Hinton's bio
• NoSpank on residential treatment
• Community Alliance on Ethical Treatment of Youth (CAFETY)
• John Gorenfeld on Tranquility Bay
• John Gorenfield's writings on boot camp abuse
• List of Organizations Opposing "Therapeutic Schools" and "Specialty Schools"

Comments

[Heather Lucca]

I am in the midst of trying to start a lawsuit for Ivy Ridge. My son was there for almost TWO YEARS and received only ONE AND A HALF ACADEMIC CREDITS!!!!! I pulled him out after my mother died and we moved to another state, where I found this out, among MANY other very disturbing things. My son does not and never has behavioral problems, they lied to me about what they were. I was looking for a facility that could help him be more successful as a person diagnosed with ADD Executive Functioning Disorder, as he was struggling so bad and I was willing at that point to pay anything for him to have the help, structure, confidence and success he needed to succeed . . . when I called they told me the bulk of what they do is that, and it is all structure (as these children with this special need cannot focus and need help with that and organizational skills and all of that part of the brain,and my son is pretty extreme in that regard. I was shocked beyond my wildest dreams that he was amongst peers that had been in jail, troubled, etc.!!!! Not to mention, there were hardly if ever any teachers in the classrooms, they were just sat in front of a computer and left alone to "do it", and if they did'nt, because they needed help, had questions, or need help staying focused and on task like my son does, they were SOL!!!! My son is now so behind, almost two years because of Ivy Ridge, and he sunk into a deep depression, wanted to quit and give up, and I don't blame him! I HAD TO CALL EMERGENCY SERVICES, HAVE HIM PUT ON ANTI DEPRESSANTS SPENT THOUSANDS ON DOCTORS AND TUTORS TO TRY AND CATCH HIM UP TO WHERE HE WAS ACADEMICALLY AND MENTALLY BEFORE HE WENT TO IVY RIDGE!!! He is still way behind, not to mention his mere 1 and 1/2 credits he got in almost two years there, the school wouldn't even accept those because they said Ivy Ridge is not accredited, SO IT IS AS IF I SPENT $50,000.00 PER YEAR FOR HIM "NOT" TO GET HIS EDUCATION! I NEED HELP PLEASE!!!!