For over 50 years, Holmstead School has offered a state-approved, non-profit private school for students who struggle to stay motivated and perform in traditional/public school environments.
Currently serving students from grades 8-12, typically with a history of learning, psychological, social, and/or emotional issues that prevent them from realizing their academic potential. Our customized curricula integrate academic, therapeutic, recreational, and psychological components in the right combination and frequency for each student’s individual needs, with the goal of possibly being mainstreamed back to public school, as appropriate.
Holmstead School is a therapeutic high school and middle school that provides an educational and therapeutic milieu which emphasizes innovative and flexible education for adolescents who need to be challenged in order to change their motivation and performance. It is located in Ridgewood, NJ (Bergen County) with students from over 50 towns within 6 New Jersey counties.
Referrals are accepted from child study teams and clinicians. Each student is classified as a result of a diagnostic profile prepared by the sending district’s Child Study Team. The local Board of Education remains responsible for the student in his placement at Holmstead School.
Our NJ and national learning standards based curriculum provides students with a variety of learning experiences while being mindful of their social and emotional health. Our departmentalized program allows our students to fulfill the public-school course and graduation requirements.
In addition to over 42 course choices, we offer various distance learning programs that enable students to take online classes in specialized and advanced placement courses. Graduating seniors go on to trade, community, and private/public college experiences. Of our most recent graduates, 55% went onto a 4-year university/school, 35% went onto a community college, and 10% to a trade/technical school.
Our environment allows these often highly complex students to feel supported, accepted, and socially connected—in a way that is often new to them. That’s why they thrive in our program.
55% of most recent graduates went to a 4-year university/school
35% of most recent graduates went to a community college
10% of most recent graduates went to a trade/technical school