BASS is both an intensive credit-granting school and an exciting and fun adventure recreation camp for co-ed, American & international students ages 12-18.

Are you looking for help for yourself or a student you know with ADHD? If so, we can help.

While we are not a specialized school for students with ADHD, we have an outstanding record of being able to help and redirect those who do struggle with it. About half of the American students who enroll in BASS each summer have ADHD. We strongly believe that our successes with those with ADHD are explained, in part, by their being fully integrated into our school/camp and, in part, because they quickly learn that they feel respected, nurtured, and smart.

Who is and who is not ADHD is not an issue with any of the students, American or international. It does not matter to them. ADHD students fit in. Everyone participates in the same classes and adventure recreation activities, lives in the same dorms, and enjoys the same successes. This is not the norm for ADHD students who often stand out in their regular schools and frequently struggle in their classes.

While students don’t pay attention to who is or is not ADHD, all of our staff members most certainly do. Our teachers and teaching assistants are nurturers.  They are guides.  They are coaches who model learning strategies, who provide practice and feedback, and who celebrate the accomplishments of their students.  They help each learner develop a deep sense of self-esteem, of faith in his/her ability to grow and stretch.  Our teachers create a safe environment for every student.  They build a sense of trust in the classroom, trust that encourages students to take risks, to try new approaches and strategies, to seek and embrace new challenges.

It is impossible to overstate the importance of this. It is a fact that focus and learning are impaired in any learner who does not feel safe (a Limbic brain issue). While this is true for all learners, it is a critical reality for those with ADHD. We work hard to ensure that all students understand that here no staff person will inflict any further damage (unfortunately, in many schools teachers do damage self-esteem) and that all will establish respect and trust. This quickly registers with students and comes as a great relief. As a result, it creates an enjoyable experience, even for those who thought they would hate it here. They find it satisfying and rewarding beyond their expectations.

Our innovative approach works, first, because we balance serious academic work with a great, outdoor, fun-filled summer adventure camp experience and, second, because kids feel respected and nurtured and smart.

But there’s much more to our story…

To learn that story visit our website where you will find detailed information. And be sure to watch our video where you will get a great “look and feel” for how we do things. It loads and begins playing immediately.

June 28 - August 7, 2009

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