Programmatic Philosophy

The Greenburgh-North Castle (GNC) School District and St. Christopher's residential centers are committed to providing safety, structure and a supportive therapeutic environment for the our resident students and their families. A large percentage of our residents are experiencing academic, emotional, or behavioral problems. In order to effectively nurture their development and prepare them to be model citizens, the faculty and staff of St. Christopher's and the Greenburgh North Castle school adhere to an educational and programmatic framework based on these guiding principles:

• St. Christopher’s/GNC share an unconditional belief in the value and worth of every youngster in care.
• St. Christopher’s/GNC have confidence that every child has the capacity to change.
• St. Christopher’s/GNC are committed to address the youngster’s needs and not just their behaviors.
• St. Christopher’s/GNC will work tirelessly with youngsters to build competence through problem-solving.
• St. Christopher’s/GNC believe in reparations of incidents over punishment.
• St. Christopher’s/GNC believe that each child needs the transitional skills to successfully be integrated back into their community.
• All children have inherent potential that can be realized in a safe and supportive environment.
• Because all children have different strengths and challenges, our approaches utilize a variety of educational and therapeutic modalities which are best suited to maximize the unique capacities of each child.
• A child-centered, family-focused approach is taken as the center of our system of care.
• Family involvement is a key ingredient in improving the well-being and progress of children in all areas of their lives. Families in all their diversity are the foundation of our youth.
• A partnership between the multi-disciplinary team and the family, based on mutuality and respect, is essential to successful service planning.
• Seamless programming and planning between the educational and residential components maximizes the child's ability to absorb and incorporate lessons learned into everyday behavior.
• We know that mastery of skills and knowledge occurs through active participation and discovery. St. Christopher's and GNC schools offer programs to students to "learn by doing." These unique opportunities give children a strong sense of accomplishment and self-worth, and enhance their future employment potential.
• Consistency and structure are fundamental components to support positive growth and change, and they provide a framework for the program. We have a behavior modification level system that is spread across the program's components to support service coordination and avoid fragmentation between programs.
• St. Christopher's and GNC programs place a high value on having young people experience success in a variety of life experiences, and they encourage student involvement in the recreational and co-curricular program. To help youngsters develop life skills and the appropriate use of leisure time, our campus program provides structured time in both organized and self-selected activities.