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Pelham Academy is a therapeutic residential school that provides comprehensive treatment and education to adolescent females with emotional and behavioral issues, mental health disorders, and complex trauma histories. Our mission is to provide individualized care within a supportive community to promote resiliency, growth and independence.
At a Glance
This service is for
Focus: Our supportive community and home-like environment in conjunction with individualized, strength-based interventions allow students to build connections, develop valuable skills, and find a strengthened sense of self.
Age: 12-22
Gender: Female
Capacity: 36
Let's Connect
For referrals and other inquiries please contact:
Janae Sernoffsky
13 Pelham Road
Lexington, MA 02421
Lexington, MA 02421
(781) 274-6800
jsernoffsky@jri.org
About Us
Pelham Academy is a therapeutic residential school located in historic Lexington, Mass. We serve adolescent females who have struggled in previous home, community, and academic settings, and come to us with social, emotional, behavioral, and academic challenges, and histories of complex trauma.
We use a strength-based model that identifies the unique capacities of the individuals and families we serve. We believe that all of our students, given the opportunities and care they need, are capable of leading healthy, fulfilling lives. Within a structured, nurturing environment, our students receive individualized support from our multi-disciplinary staff, who provide care that is collaborative, holistic, and goal-oriented.
Within the safety and structure of a home-like environment and a supportive community, our students find a sense of belonging and a strengthened sense of self, allowing them to realize their potential and move forward from Pelham Academy with a renewed sense of hope for the future.
Learn more about Pelham Academy.
Students and staff talk about their experience at Pelham Academy.
Janae Sernoffsky, MA, MS
Assistant Director
Janae joined Pelham Academy in 2015 as a Clinician after completing her Masters in Counseling Psychology from Boston College. She also holds a Masters in Sports Psychology and has demonstrated a strong commitment to healthy living in both the clinical space and program culture. Janae quickly realized her passion for training and competency programming and joined the administrative team as the Director of Staff and Student Development. While completing the leadership program at JRI, Janae stepped into her current role as the Assistant Program Director. In this role, she provides direct oversight of the services provided to students as well as program operations. Janae continues to embrace a student-centered and trauma-informed lens in her daily interactions with students to build healthy attachments and life skills.
Amy Bove, M.Ed.
Director of Education
Amy began her career at JRI as the Social Studies teacher at Pelham Academy and has been the Education Director since 2014. In her role, Amy provides leadership for the department, offering teachers a sounding board for new ideas, and developing programming that allows students to be safe and successful in the academic environment. Amy was integral in the development of vocational and functional academics at Pelham Academy, providing opportunities for students to learn life skills both in the classroom and in the community. Amy holds a Masters in Special Education from Framingham State University.
Linley Frankel, LICSW
Clinical Director
Linley began her career with JRI as a Clinician at the Walden Street School after receiving her Masters in Clinical Social Work from Simmons University. During her time there, Linley provided trauma informed clinical support and services to students and families, and was ultimately promoted to Senior Clinician as a result of her dedication, exploration, and implementation of therapeutic interventions to promote long-term success for students. In 2018, Linley transitioned to Pelham Academy as the Assistant Clinical Director and is currently the Clinical Director. In this role, Linley oversights clinical services and treatment provided to all students, as well as clinical supervision and training. Linley is passionate about sensory based interventions as well as animal assisted therapy.
Educational Services - Universal Design for Learning
Pelham Academy offers small class sizes, which allow for both collaborative group learning as well as differentiated individualized instruction. Our teachers engage students in a combination of academic coursework and hands-on learning experiences using resources such as Google Chromebooks, our music a art studio, and our on-campus beauty salon. A variety of vocational opportunities is also available, and for students needing more rigorous academic programming, SAT and college prep can be provided.
Universal Design for Learning (UDL) was selected as the academic model for The Meadowridge Schools as it closely mirrors our clinical Model, ARC. Both models emphasize understanding and supporting each student’s unique needs while also showcasing their strengths in order to help them maximize their potential. Our flexibility and planning allow us to cultivate an environment that supports our students in feeling a sense of safety and trust in their relationships, which supports emotion regulation and engaged learning.
Clinical Services
Pelham Academy provides trauma-informed treatment guided by a holistic, strengths-based approach. Using the evidence-based ARC model (Attachment, Self-Regulation & Competency), we support our students in building positive relationships, learning healthy coping strategies, and developing skills built upon their unique areas of resilience. We incorporate a variety of clinical modalities, including the expressive therapies, SMART, which is an evidence-based practice, Trauma Sensitive Yoga, substance abuse counseling, DBT, and CBT among others, which allows us to tailor treatment to each student's individual needs.
Competency Development
We support each student in using their unique strengths and interests to build the skills needed for future success. By engaging in endeavors that are fun and fulfilling, students can truly invest in their own well-being and sense of self. These opportunities may include on- or off-campus employment, volunteer work, program leadership roles, participation in community events, or other expressive or identity-building activities.
At Pelham, I feel like I learned how to be an individual who can make my own choices.
Student
A Holistic Approach
At Pelham Academy, we believe that all aspects of self are vital in providing effective and meaningful treatment and education. In addition to our clinical and academic services, we provide our students with opportunities to explore their strengths and interests in order to develop their identities and find meaning in their lives. We strive to offer our students new experiences in which they can find joy and fulfillment.
Groups & Electives: choreography, chorus, baking, mural group, animal assistive therapy, poetry group, literary journal, Trauma Drama, ukulele club, cake decorating, gardening, photography, foreign languages, student government, GSA, film analysis, yearbook
Volunteer/Employment Opportunities: Bina Farm, Ironstone Farm, Meals on Wheels, on-campus jobs (e.g., kitchen, school store), off-campus employment
Community Events: music, dance & drama performances, art shows, poetry readings, summer carnival, fashion shows
Wellness & Recreation Opportunities: YMCA, indoor rock climbing, intramural sports, Zumba, health & wellness groups
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