Kathy was a quiet girl, lost in a big school. She felt like she didn’t matter. She didn’t want to go to school. She didn’t want to study. She didn’t even want to get out of bed. In the middle of her sophomore year, on the verge of dropping out, she switched to Logos School. “From the minute I walked in, I felt unconditional love and acceptance,” Kathy recalls. “Surrounded by people I could rely on, I dared to set goals and accomplish them. My self-esteem soared.” She thrived there, and went on to earn degrees in psychology, counseling and special education. Today, more than 30 years later, Kathy Boyd-Fenger, Ph.D., is head of school at Logos.
Logos provides a unique, three-tiered approach for students in grades six through 12 who are struggling in a traditional school setting. “Most students, no matter how severe their academic or emotional issues, have the ability to change and succeed,” Boyd-Fenger explains. “All they need is a chance, and the right environment. We’re the only school in the area that combines an innovative academic program with therapeutic support and parental or guardian involvement. We turn struggles into strengths.”
Logos offers a year-round program with an individualized education plan for each student and a 6-to-1 student-teacher ratio. “Once students get back on track, they either return to their traditional school, or they graduate from here,” Boyd-Fenger notes. Change begins within, and Logos has 13 licensed therapists on staff. “Each student meets weekly with their therapist, with sessions tailored to the student’s individual needs, and group therapy is offered twice weekly, enabling students to get valuable feedback from their peers.” Lasting, substantial emotional growth is more likely to occur when there are accompanying changes within the student’s family system, she adds. “That’s why we encourage family involvement. Parents are required to attend support groups regularly, and we’re always available for meetings, phone calls and emails.”
The innovative combination of academics, therapy and family support is effective, Boyd-Fenger says. “During the last 40-plus years, more than 1,000 at-risk adolescents have received a high school diploma from Logos, and many more have been successfully mainstreamed back to their traditional schools after spending time with us,” she notes. “Ninety-eight percent of our students graduate from high school, and 92 percent go on to post-secondary education.” Parents appreciate what Logos does for their kids. “My son was angry, suspicious and belligerent after being bullied and unprotected at his previous school,” a parent writes. “But the entire Logos staff took an interest in his growth. He felt appreciated, supported and safe. He’s now succeeding in a traditional academic environment. Logos was a lifesaver for our family. For the first time, we weren’t alone.”
Students are equally appreciative. “I wouldn’t have made it without Logos,” a young man writes. “I cannot express enough gratitude for the hope you’ve given me.”
[Logos School, located at 9137 Old Bonhomme Road, provides innovative education and therapy for struggling students and their families. For more information, call 314.997.7002 or visit logosschool.org.]
Pictured: Teacher Tachelle Rhiney and student Hannah Vermont
Photo: Colin Miller of Strauss Peyton
