Private school closes

Owners decide to close permanently amid investigation

Wood Creek Academy, a private school for troubled boys, has decided to close its doors after over 16 years of operation. The decision was made by executive director Danice Thorne. "We don't quit, and that's why it was so hard to make the decision," said Thorne. The doors were officially closed September 25 at the Thompson Falls establishment, with no intention of re-opening, Thorne added.

The closure was due to several internal reasons, Thorne stated, and was spurred by an investigation into an allegation made about certain staff of the school. During the investigation, the school had to temporarily close for up to 60 days. After which, Thorne said they were unable to re-open as they did not have enough staff to continue to operate safely. Thorne expressed her concern for the future of the students they strived to help. The school opened in 2005. "We wanted to reach a younger population and to try to make a difference," said Thorne. "If there's no programs like this, where do these kids go? Detention centers?"

Thorne explained that she did not feel right in continuing Wood Creek Academy, even if they could get back to operations as usual following the investigation. She was also disheartened to close the school because of the weight of the investigation. "There's got to be a better way to go through this process," said Thorne, explaining that both the state and schools like Wood Creek Academy are supposed to be committed to helping these challenged youth. "I don't want future programs to be constantly looking over their shoulder instead of focusing on working with their kids. I don't want to see more programs end up like this; for kids to end up in institutions because they have nowhere else to go."

The school was fully accredited, with a therapeutic element, and taught life skills using animals and community service. They also contracted other organizations for outdoor activities to help build character and give the youth experiences to boost their confidence.