Collier Youth Services Offers Alternative Learning for Alternative Kids

There is a winding, one lane road leading up to High School and Middle School. Driving there for the first time, it is up in the air whether you are lost and driving into a scary, unexplored wooded area, or about to uncover a hidden gem. The truth is, Collier is Marlboro's best kept secret.

Collier is a school for students with learning disabilities, behavioral problems, emotional stresses and at-risk youth. Students that are struggling in the public school system can find solace in an alternative education, where classrooms feel more like family than a sea of faces.    

"We're known as the best kept secret in Monmouth County," said Sister Debbie Drago.

It has been that way since 1927, when the Sisters of the Good Shepard began the journey. Although founded by a religious group, Collier does not consider itself a religious institution. Rather, it is a safe haven for students who otherwise felt vulnerable.

Ray Bock, who has been the principal at Collier for 25 years, said being labeled as an alternative school should not deter parents. Parents should see the school as a resource. The school has full time counselors for each student, six full-time certified social work case workers, and a mix of special education and regular education teachers. In short, resources most public school systems simply can't afford.

"While we are alternative in nature, our mission has always been to create a regular high school environment," Bock said.

Collier offers state mandated core curriculum, as well as trade classes such as cosmetology, building trades, horticulture and food services. The school runs state standardized testing as well as college preparation courses.

With that high school degree, 80 percent of Collier graduates go on to attend either four-year our two-year colleges.

But for the students, the school seems to offer much more. One student said he went from several high school suspensions, emotionally and physically acting out and generally disliking his experience in school, to being welcomed into a safe learning environment. Suddenly, he said, he felt like he was a part of a family.

"This is not a program where we get involved in power struggles with the kids," said Bob Szafranski, a member of the management team at Collier.

Many of the students in the small population (about 120 students) at Collier have been sent out of district by their public schools who may not have the in-depth resources, and travel from all corners of the state. The process of being sent out of district, for some parents, can be dauntingly frustrating.

Public school districts can end up paying $60,000 or more to send a child out of the district for additional resources. Many districts are resistant to the idea. But many parents and students don't see another choice.

One family from Scotch Plains visited Collier with their 15 year-old son. A boy who had been picked on, they said, his entire life for having learning disabilities and just being a little different. One day, he exploded on a bully in school and hit another student. Their son feels alone in school, and as parents they feel helpless. The family is struggling with the Scotch Plains-Fanwood district to have their son placed in a school like Collier.

Another mother traveled from East Windsor. Her seventh grade son has been suspended 14 times since January. Her son has, as she described, severe emotional, behavioral and learning disabilities. He has attempted to harm himself several times, but East Windsor said they can deal with it. She recently hired a lawyer to help place her son in a different school.

At Collier, these stories are plentiful. Frustrated parents and students who have given up in school. But one Manalapan parent said Collier saved her daughter's life.

"[My daughter] came here as a lost child, not knowing where she stood," she said. "What this school has done for her is amazing, there are just no words to describe it."

Students who attend Collier don't necessarily have to stay there. Szafranski said some students choose to take a break, get their studies on track, then transition back into public school.

"Our goal for all of the students if for them to transition back, or graduate from Collier," Szafranski said. "We don't have an agenda on that."

And when students leave, Szafranski said they are always welcome back to visit or to have a session with their counselor. Collier, he said, understands that problems in life do not go away with a high school degree.

Szafranski said, "We want the students to see and feel like we are on their side."

Collier can refer parents to resources such as free advocates and research materials. More information can be found on their website at http://www.collierservices.com.