Common Questions About Attending P.E.A.S.E. Academy
No. P.E.A.S.E. Academy is a publicly funded charter school.
8:30 a.m.—3:20 p.m.
Many of our students take public transportation using the school issued Unlimited Transit Pass, through Metro Transit. Students can drive themselves and there is free parking at the school. Parents can also drive their child. Doors are unlocked at 7:45 a.m. There is limited school provided transportation determined on a case-by-case basis.
No. P.E.A.S.E. Academy is NOT a Care and Treatment facility. It is a school. Therefore, we do not fall under the funding mechanisms related to health care but rather through the Department of Education.
Yes. We have a Special Ed. teacher on staff. We are also part of MN Transitions Charter School which has a wonderful and supportive special education team.
Our average class size is 10-15. It will never be bigger than 18.
We have everything your child needs for their classes, including Chromebooks. However, if your child has a preference in style of notebook, type of pen or pencil, etc., or if they just like shopping for school supplies all they need is pens and pencils, something to write on, and a way to organize it.
This is a very common concern, especially for those families whose child’s drug use was in the earlier stages than others. The unfortunate reality is that there is use in every school, including prestigious private and public schools. Furthermore, many of these youth have not been diagnosed for adolescent substance use disorder or have been misdiagnosed and therefore have not received any supportive interventions, thus are continuing in their using lifestyle. At P.E.A.S.E. Academy, you find the same students as you would find in any school but the difference is all of them are committed to abstaining from substance use and changing the trajectory of their lives. Recovery schools also have specifically trained teachers, counselors, and other staff who are quite knowledgeable and supportive.
Yes. We have built the cost into our budget, including lab costs so there is no cost to parents or their insurance. They are not scheduled nor are they random. Most often the tests are administered because someone, such as a parent, has expressed a concern. As parents are also recovering from the experience of their child using, sometimes they request a UA just for peace of mind. P.E.A.S.E. Academy views drug tests as another level of accountability as well as an opportunity for a student to get honest about substance use if there is the need to do so.
The majority of our students do not experience a re-occurrence of use during the school year. We also understand that a relapse is a potential symptom of substance use disorder. If a student does experience a re-occurrence of use, they need to get honest with the school, work with our Licensed Alcohol and Drug Counselor (LADC) to create a plan that addresses what led to the use and what needs to be different to help with stabilization and full re-engagement in their recovery. If they continue to use we will help with figuring out what additional supports may be needed so they can successful be here at school.
Absolutely. We fully support MAT. We will ask for a Release of Information between the school and the prescribing doctor to communicate with them if we are concerned for any reason.
No. Students must be committed to not using any substances even if families view it as an alternative to using “harder” drugs.
Recovery high schools, including P.E.A.S.E. Academy, are a research supported best-practice for the continued care of adolescents who are in early recovery. Sadly, research has shown that over 97% of adolescents who complete SUD treatment, are offered drugs the first day back to their traditional school. This fact coupled with what we know about brain chemistry, makes sustained recovery at the traditional school almost impossible. Frequently, P.E.A.S.E. Academy is viewed as a transitional school, where students can attend, meet other youth in recovery, and get strong in their own recovery and then return to a more traditional school. However, most of these students do decide to stay and graduate with us.
