West Ridge Academy
40°35′03″N 112°01′10″W / 40.584239°N 112.019367°W
West Ridge Academy | |
---|---|
Address | |
5500 W Bagley Park Rd West Jordan, Utah, USA | |
Information | |
School type | private |
Denomination | nondenominational |
NCES District ID | 21 |
NCES School ID | A1904497[1] |
Director | Kenneth R. Allen |
Teaching staff | 10.0(on an FTE basis)[1] |
Age range | 9 – 18[2] |
Enrollment | 53[1] |
• Grade 5 | 4 |
• Grade 6 | 6 |
• Grade 7 | 4 |
• Grade 8 | 3 |
• Grade 9 | 13 |
• Grade 10 | 8 |
• Grade 11 | 10 |
• Grade 12 | 5 |
Student to teacher ratio | 5.3[1] |
Hours in school day | 6.5 |
Website | http://westridgeacademy.com/ |
West Ridge Academy (known as the Utah Boys Ranch until 2005), is a youth
West Ridge also provides a day program called Sunshine Solutions for underprivileged local kids, age five and up which provides "summer activities, positive mentors and emotional growth to help them learn how to make good decisions".[3] The school is Christian but non-denominational, with the majority of students belonging to the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (LDS Church).[10][11]
Leadership and governance
The board of directors is composed of prominent Utah residents including
History
The Utah Boys Ranch was founded by William L. Hutchinson, Lowell L. Bennion and a group of primarily Salt Lake County educators in 1964.[21][22][23] The group originally purchased five acres on which to build the Ranch. Bennion had twice during this initial period requested funding from LDS Church to support the Ranch, but in both instances the LDS Church refused. Soon after the second request, David O. McKay, then president of the LDS Church, donated $10,000 to support the Utah Boys Ranch.[22] Later, leadership changed hands and Utah State Senator Chris Buttars became the executive director and remained so for more than fifteen years before retiring amid controversy. [24]
In late 2015, an application was submitted Utah's Charter School Board. The Charter School Board approved the application and transition in January 2016, but the state's Board of Education reversed the decision the following month, denying the application without prejudice, amid allegations of abuse and financial insolvency.[11] The Board of Education revisited the application in March 2016 following the preparation of a 60-page report prepared by the State's Office of Education providing details on the issues raised the previous month. After including caveats to keep public and private funding separate in the school's budgets and to ensure the safety of the new charter school's students, the Board of Education approved the application.[9]
Sports program
West Ridge Academy offers a comprehensive sports program, believing it to be a positive treatment for some students because it offers a chance to form a bond with their teammates. The school has been an official member of the 1A Utah High School Activities Association since 2002 with the boys' varsity athletics.[citation needed] It fields boys' high school teams[25] in basketball,[26] baseball[27] and soccer.[28] In 2006 West Ridge Academy started a girls' athletics program[citation needed] and has a girls' basketball team.[29]
Litigation and controversy
West Ridge has been the subject of several lawsuits, including personal injury lawsuits in 2008 and 2010.[6][7] On January 2, 2009, a past student of the academy, published an article alleging abuses and controversial practices at the ranch.[30] On January 9, 2009, Salt Lake City radio station KRCL invited Buttars, current West Ridge staff, and the student to the talk show RadioActive! to discuss the article, but Buttars and West Ridge staff declined the invitation.[31] On October 21, 2010, the student sued West Ridge Academy in California District court, alleging negligence, physical abuse, and sexual abuse.[8]
Allegations of abuse from former students were one of the main reasons Utah's Board of Education initially denied the application for West Ridge Academy to become a charter school called Eagle Summit Academy.[11] In response to the allegations, the State Office of Education prepared a 60-page report providing more details for the Board on the issues raised. The report identified several lawsuits against West Ridge Academy, several of which were settled out of court, but could not find any corroborating evidence to support the allegations of abuse.[32][9] The report was also critical of school's proposed financial structure.
In 2020, West Ridge Academy was under investigation after a teen girl from Bermuda died by suicide there.[33]
In 2021, an employee was charged with child abuse after breaking a child's wrist who was allegedly verbally acting out in class and being defiant.[34]
Relationship with LDS Church
The academy is
References
- ^ a b c d "Search for Public Schools - West Ridge Academy (A1904497)". National Center for Education Statistics. Institute of Education Sciences. Retrieved February 18, 2018.
- ^ "Admissions". West Ridge Academy web site. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
- ^ a b c Kristie Campbell (September 22, 2006), "Visit Reports: West Ridge Academy", Woodbury Reports, Strugglingteens.com, included in Woodbury Reports, Inc.: October 2006: #146, pages 13–16
- ^ "Home page". West Ridge Academy web site.
- ^ J., Daniel; Keefe, Stephen (February 19, 2014). "My Parents Had Me Abducted and Sent to a Mormon Treatment Center". Vice. Retrieved October 15, 2017.
- ^ a b "Elsey v. West Ridge Academy case #2:2008cv00390". Federal District Court Filings. Retrieved June 12, 2009.
- ^ a b "Doe et al v. Children and Youth Services et al case #2:2010cv00313". Federal District Court Filings. Retrieved May 5, 2011.
- ^ a b Vaughn, Aaron (January 13, 2012). "More speak out over West Ridge Academy lawsuit, claims of abuse". Retrieved February 12, 2016.
- ^ Salt Lake Tribune.
- ^ a b "The Report of the Accreditation Visiting Team: West Ridge Academy" (PDF). Utah State Office of Education. p. 3. Retrieved May 7, 2011.
- ^ Salt Lake Tribune.
- ^ a b "Board of Directors". West Ridge Academy website. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
- ^ "West Ridge Academy 2007 tax form 990" (PDF). p. 20.
- ^ "Board of Trustees". Utah Boys Ranch website. Archived from the original on April 11, 2000. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ "Home page". Proficio Management web site.
- ^ "West Ridge Academy 2007 tax form 990" (PDF). p. 8.
- ^ "West Ridge Academy Staff". West Ridge Academy. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ "West Ridge Academy web site home page". West Ridge Academy web site. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ "UT Admin Code R501-15. Therapeutic Schools". Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ "Utah Department of Human Services licensure records for West Ridge Academy". Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ Orden, Del Van (March 4, 1964). "Boys Ranch In Kearns Nears Reality". Deseret News.
- ^ ISBN 1-56085-081-7.
- ^ Collins, Lois M. (January 22, 1995). "Boys Ranch to dedicate spiritual center Thursday". Deseret News. Retrieved May 4, 2011.
- ^
Illegal Goings On at the Utah Boys Ranch?. September 27, 2004.
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ignored (help) - ^ West Ridge Academy Fighting Eagles, Deseret News. Retrieved May 8, 2011
- ^ West Ridge Academy boys basketball, Deseret News. Retrieved May 8, 2011
- ^ West Ridge Academy Baseball, Deseret News. Retrieved May 8, 2011
- ^ West Ridge Academy boys soccer, Deseret News. Retrieved May 8, 2011
- ^ "Go Figure". Sports Illustrated. February 7, 2011. Retrieved May 15, 2012.
- ^ Norwood, Eric (January 2, 2009). "Trapped in a Mormon Gulag". Orato Media Corp. Archived from the original on May 3, 2009. Retrieved February 19, 2009.
- ^ Gena Edvalson (January 13, 2009). "RadioActive! Jan 9 The Mormon Gulag". KRCL RadioActive website. Archived from the original on June 5, 2011. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- Salt Lake Tribune.
- ^ Miller, Jessica (June 18, 2020). "A Utah facility for 'troubled teens' won't be disciplined after a girl from Bermuda died". Salt Lake Tribute. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ Reavy, Pat (May 12, 2021). "Employee at Utah school for troubled teens charged with child abuse". ksl.com. Retrieved May 12, 2021.
- ^ Farmer, Molly (April 15, 2009). "Missionaries bring love into lives at West Ridge Academy". MormonTimes. Deseret News. Retrieved February 12, 2016.
- ^ ""Do What Is Right...Let the Consequence Follow" Our Yearly Theme". Utah Boys Ranch website. Archived from the original on March 3, 2000. Retrieved June 9, 2009.
- ^ Mcallister, Nelda (April 14, 2011). "Alex Boye performs at West Ridge Academy gala". MormonTimes. Deseret News.