Laraway Youth and Family Services strives to help children and families learn, heal and grow.

Laraway proudly serves children, youth and families from across Vermont, helping them to transform their lives for the better.

Our staff of highly skilled and compassionate professionals provides direct services, information and support to those in our care and to their parents, families and caregivers.

Our programs and services are designed to improve and enrich the lives of our students, and to help them make lifelong connections.  Every day at Laraway:

• Children who experience learning disabilities are inspired to learn
• Children challenged by mental health issues receive therapeutic support
• Children who have been abused or neglected receive the support and resources they need to thrive
• Children who experience emotional and behavioral disorders learn to express their feelings, develop positive relationships and find success at school
• Children learn to be safe, responsible and respectful
• Children learn to exercise their bodies and eat healthy food
• Parents, guardians and foster families receive critical in-home supports
• Families receive the support, resources and information they need to appropriately care and advocate for their children

We measure our success one child at a time…in small steps and giant leaps of faith.
Personal growth.  Academic strides.  Re-establishing connections with family and community.  Transitioning to the least restrictive environment that will accommodate their needs.  This is the work we do.  This is the work we are passionate about.

We embrace the challenge of helping youth to recover from trauma while discovering the special and unique gifts they bring to the world.

Welcome!

     The tagline for Laraway Youth & Family Services is Empowering Youth, Strengthening Families, Building Community. These words guide the work we do and the decisions we make.
     Empowering Youth. Why might children and families feel powerless? Whether it's an angry post on Facebook, a story about politics or terrorism on NPR or Fox News or a discouraging look from a parent, teacher or coach---our kids receive many reminders that their world, our world, can be a pretty scary and harmful place.  By providning counseling and therapeutic supports, by helping kids discover and learn new things about their world and themselves, we help them create and build hope in themselves and others. It's this hope that helps a young person see the world not as a place to be feared, but a place to be explored and a place where they can contribute and make a difference.
     Strengthening Families.The ties and bonds that connect individuals and families are being pulled and stretched in directions that are hard to imagine. The list of pressures on families seems endless: financial stress, substance abuse, domestic violence, technology mania and transportation woes. As our kids gain confidence in themselves and faith in the adults around them, we start to look at the next layer of support---families and other natural supports. Supervised time with these individuals is absolutely critical to young people successfully transitioning back to their public schools, their families and their communities. Our statff spend time getting to know these friends and families and making sure they have the supports and services they need for themselves and to be the best caretakers they can for our kids.
     Building Community. Once an individual has found hope and is doing the work of reconnecting with family, we can take the leap into what our communities have to offer and what they need. We like to push our clinical and educational work out into the world around us. Over the years, we have made meaningful connections with places like the Lamoille Community Food Share, The Farm Between, Johnson State College and The Spirit of Ethan Allen, to name a few. These organizations give our kids a chance to try out new behaviors and attitudes and have also given them a chance to give back through service learning activties.
     Please browse our website to find examples of how we empower our kids, strengthen their families and help them build community. If you are in or visiting Lamoille County or the Northeast Kingdom, we would love to have you stop by for a visit. Thank you for your interest in our kids and their families and your commitment to this life-changing work!

Greg Stefanski, M.Ed., Executive Director
Email Greg
 

Our Vision

All children and families belong to nurturing communities.

Our Mission

Providing opportunities for children and families to recognize their individual strengths while supporting them to grow and contribute within our communities

Our Values

We embrace a youth centered and family focused philosophy by

• Listening to the voice of the child and striving to act in his or her best interest
• Appreciating diverse family cultures
• Honoring youth and their families by preserving, supporting and strengthening their bonds

We promote respect for individuals and organizations by

• Recognizing the potential of all human beings
• Celebrating differences and accomplishments
• Seeking to create and maintain relationships based on trust and integrity

We create opportunities and strive to empower youth and their families by

• Identifying individual strengths
• Coordinating the creation of realistic action plans
• Seeking and integrating feedback

We value building community and encouraging giving back by

• Believing a strong Laraway family is the foundation of our work
• Promoting participation in local activities and culture
• Fostering professional partnerships and alliances
• Supporting youth in transitions to families and communities

Laraway’s beginnings were humble.  We started in 1972, in a barn.  A winding road in Waterville, Vermont leads to the small, 1840s structure that was once the property of Rumsey Jesser, a local artist.  Laraway's very first class was held here.

1972:  Founded by a group of local citizens, including Jesser, concerned about students being excluded from local public high schools due to their social, emotional and/or behavioral challenges. Occupied temporary quarters in Bakersfield.

1973:  Moved to Johnson State College campus. Started serving students at the Mountain Road Group Home (MRGH) in Jeffersonville.

1974:  Closed temporarily when MRGH opened its own school.  Laraway re-opened, expanding service area and introducing a residential component.  Outdoor Adventure Education and Career Exploration are introduced as currcular components.

1975:  Congress passed Public Law 94142, our nation’s first special education law.  This law guaranteed students with special needs a “free and appropriate education” and enabled funding.

1976:  Moved to a rambling Victorian at 95 School Street in Johnson.  Modular classrooms added over time to respond to enrollment demands.

1980s:  Introduced a work placement program and ran a downtown Johnson Scoop Shop in partnership with Ben & Jerry's.

1990s:  Responded to federal de-institutionalization mandates by transforming residential program into a therapeutic foster care program.

2000s:  Continued to expand services in response to community needs, adding an elementary school division and a public school based behavioral intervention program.

2009:  Laraway moved to a 39-acre farm in Johnson, transforming a long-dormant dairy barn into school and therapeutic spaces while taking steps to integrate agricultural activities into our services.

2015:  Laraway hosts satellite offices in Morrrisville and Hardwick as well as micro-residential programs in Johnson and Westfield.

A view towards the future:  With a view from the barn over our expansive property nestled among the Green Mountains and the wending Lamoille River, we honor our past while casting our eyes toward the future, a bright future for the children and families we serve.

A place to learn.  A place to heal.  A place to grow.

In July 2011, a thoughtfully designed school, therapeutic and administrative space opened on the Laraway campus.  The new structure, fashioned from a barn that had been empty and unused for decades, was built in response to growing demand for our high quality special  education and therapeutic services.

We remain grateful to our Board and the many individuals, businesses and foundations who helped bring our vision to reality.  Laraway is strategically poised to deliver stellar services which prepare young people for productive and successful adulthoods.  Our expansive property allows Laraway to integrate lessons of sustainability into our teaching and therapeutic activities.

Our 12,940 square-foot facility, coupled with an existing farmhouse, provide clean, energy efficient classrooms, a library, an art studio, a music room, and kitchen and laundry facilities for teaching essential life skills.

Our site offers 39 acres of beautiful fields and woods, bordered by the Green Mountains and the Lamoille River.  It is a visually peaceful place, offering a safe, supportive and natural environment for children and youth, ages 5-21.

Designed by Joseph Architects of Waterbury, Vermont and built by Connor Contracting of Berlin, Vermont, our new building is designed to be energy efficient and safe, while tailored to the needs of the population we serve.

The added capacity allows us to grow to meet the needs of children and youth who come to us from across Vermont.

Campus tours are available.  We invite you to visit.

We are available around the clock:  Laraway operates 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year.

We offer the highest quality services to youth with complex needs:  Laraway provides educational, therapeutic foster care, therapy and behavioral intervention supports to some of Vermont’s most challenging youth.  We serve children and teens aged 5 to 21 who experience learning, behavioral and mental health challenges.  Many are survivors of neglect, physical, emotional and/or sexual abuse.

We serve children and youth from across Vermont.  Although many of our clients hail from Lamoille County, we attract youth from across the state, drawn to our highly specialized services.

We are professionally managed.  A 501(c)(3) nonprofit, Laraway is led by an Executive Director and Management Team.  We are guided by a volunteer Board of Trustees representing the human services, education, business and philanthropic sectors.

We are experts in our field.  Laraway is licensed by the Vermont Department of Education and the Vermont Department for Children and Families.  Additionally, we actively partner with the Vermont Department of Mental Heath, the Vermont Department of Vocational Rehabilitation and the Vermont Department of Labor.

We are committed to training aspiring professionals in our field.  Laraway partners with students from area institutions of higher learning to offer well-designed, academically appropriate internships.

We are a regional economic engine.  Laraway is one of Lamoille County’s largest employers with over 160 staff and a $12 million annual operating budget.

We aim to be prudent stewards.  Laraway receives primary funding from local public schools, the Vermont Department for Children and Families and Medicaid.  Private donations and grants from individuals, foundations and community organizations help fund projects and programs that directly benefit the children and youth we serve.  Donations also pay for capital improvements not afforded through public funding.

We’ve helped hundreds of kids and their families.  We serve over 100 youth and their families annually and have been providing services since 1972.

One of the best indicators of the quality of a program is the quality and commitment of its staff.

At Laraway, we have built a team of caring, talented and well trained staff.  We operate 24-hours a day, 365 days a year.  In order to meet the needs of the children, youth and families we serve, we employ over 160 full and part-time staff members.

Over 93% of our staff  provide direct service.  From classroom teachers to case managers to maintenance workers, each member of our team is committed to improving the lives of the children and youth we serve.

When asked what they liked about their jobs, members of Laraway’s staff said:

• Seeing a child change from victim to survivor and take control of their life
• Witnessing children finding success in our program and transitioning back to public school
• Seeing the progress made by students in our programs is really amazing
• Receiving a call from a parent who said they would not have made it through without us
• Experiencing the camaraderie among staff
• Being visited on the holidays by former foster care youth and seeing how successful they’ve become
• Valuing how case managers and other supervisors provide staff with verbal praise and recognition for our work as interventionists
• Every day at Laraway is a memorable experience!

Laraway’s Board of Trustees is comprised of volunteers from the human services, education, business and philanthropic sectors who are responsible for the management and administration of our agency.  Board members serve three year terms.

Our Board ensures a mission-driven, sound institutional planning process; recommends and reviews policies and new initiatives; authorizes major renovations; hires the Executive Director; exercises fiduciary responsibilities; and approves operating and capital budgets.

Anne Smith, M.Ed., President of Laraway's Board, has advocated for victims of crime in Vermont for over 10 years with particular interest in the prevention of, and coordinated community response to, sexual and domestic violence.  Her interests include social justice, ethics, and holistic health and wellness.

Matthew Baughman, M.Ed., M.A., Vice President of Laraway's Board, has a heart for struggling youth and 12 years of experience in education, in both public and private schools around the world.  He currently serves as principal of the Coventry Village School.  Matthew is eager to support at-risk children and youth in a different capacity than as a school prinicpal.

John Connell is a farmer, boatbuilder and sailor who has spent many years of his life teaching others.  He works for the Northeast Organic Farming Association while managing a youth hostel on his small farm in northern Vermont.  He also teaches boat and canoe building and restoration.  John served as Laraway School Director in the 1990s.

Ellen Hill, M.A., serves as the Internship Coordinator at Johnson State College.  In her 25-plus years at the college, she has directed the Center for Service Learning, created a Certificate in Nonprofit Management, served as director of experiential learning and is also a part-time faculty member.  She served in the Peace Corps in rural Jamaica and is on the board of the Cambridge Arts Council.  

Emma Marvin graduated from Cornell University with a degree in Natural Resource Management.  She is part of the second generation at her family's business, Butternut Mountain Farm, where she is responsible for retail operations, marketing, new business development and "special" projects. She serves on numerous boards and was named Vermont Maple Person of the Year in 2014.

Mary Moulton, MPA, is currently the Executive Director of Washington County Mental Health Services, Inc.  Mary has worked for over 20 years in mental health emergency and disaster response with children and adults, networking with health care, criminal justice and public safety.  She has a specific interest in creating integrated systems of response within communitties to serve identified needs.

Sarah Squirrell, MS, Treasurer of Laraway's Board, is Executive Director of Building Bright Futures (BBF).  BBF is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit and the designated Vermont Early Childhood Advisory Council to the Governor, Administration and Legislature in Vermont.  BBF is a public-private partnership focused on improving the well-being of young children by improving the system that serves them.

Greg Stefanski, M.Ed., Executive Director
802-635-2805 x 102  *  Fax 802-635-7273 * Email Greg

Greg joined Laraway as Business Manager in 1999 and became Executive Director in 2004.  Greg successfully spearheaded Laraway’s Capital Campaign, raising support for our present educational and therapeutic facility. His previous professional experience includes financial and management positions at Northwestern University.  Greg is past president of the Vermont Coalition of Residential Providers and a graduate of the Vermont Leadership Institute.  He’s on the faculty of the Community College of Vermont.

Jim Heath, Finance Director
802-635-2805 x 108  *  Fax 802-635-7273 * Email Jim

Jim joined Laraway in 2004, bringing to his role extensive experience as a business owner and a staff accountant at Lamoille County Mental Health.  Jim successfully coordinated Laraway’s efforts to secure agency participation in the New Markets Tax Credit Program.  Jim’s civic involvements include election to the Hyde Park School Board and Select Board.

Julie Landry, M.Ed., Laraway School Director
802-635-2805 x 110  *  Fax 802-635-7273 * Email Julie

Julie joined Laraway in 2003, bringing over 30 years of teaching and administrative experience.  Julie has overseen significant growth in Laraway’s educational services, including the creation of an Elementary School division. She previously coordinated programming for Central Vermont Adult Basic Education.  Julie was appointed by the Vermont Agency of Education to serve on the Vermont Council of Independent Schools.

Dave McAllister, Substitute Care Director
802-635-2805 x 201 * Fax 802-635-3696 * Email Dave

Dave directs therapeutic foster care and micro-residential programming.  He joined Laraway in 1999 at age 19 and has served in numerous roles of increasing responsibility which include overnight staff, crisis support, case management, staff supervision and new program development.  He is Treasurer of the VT Coalition of Residential Providers, is active in civic affairs, and is pursuing graduate studies in Organizational Leadership.

Rich Smith, M.A., BCBA , Backpack Director
802-760-9243  *  Fax 802-635-3696 Email Rich

Rich received his B.A. from Norwich University and his M.A.from Johnson State College and is a Board Certified and Vermont Licensed Behavior Analyst. He has over 25 years of experience as an Administrator in residential, educational, healthcare and mental health settings.  He is very interested in the collaborative value of mental health and applied behavior analysis in educational and community settings.

Matthew Sadowsky, M.A., Licensed Psychologist Master, Director of Clinical Services
802-635-2805 x 116  *  Fax 802-635-7273 * Email Matt

As Laraway’s Clinical Psychologist, Matthew provides individual, group and family therapy as well as trainings and clinical supervision for staff.  He has been instrumental in the creation of a clinical internship program at Laraway.  He brings experience from counseling roles at St. Michael’s College, the Howard Center and the former Pine Ridge School.  He has also completed a year-long post-graduate training program in Bowen Family Systems.  Matthew provides therapy within Laraway’s programs as well as to community members.

Rhonda Stuart, Human Resources Director
802-635-2805 x 105  *  Fax 802-635-7273 * Email Rhonda

Rhonda joined Laraway in 2010, bringing nearly 20 years of Human Resources experience.  Rhonda has been instrumental in implementation of the Wellness Program, the Intranet and policy revisions.  Rhonda oversees employee relations, staffing and recruitment, compensation and benefits, and payroll administration.

Katherine Stamper, MPA, Development Director
802-635-2805 x 106  *  Fax 802-635-7273 * Email Katherine

Katherine joined Laraway in 2007, coordinating public relations, marketing, fundraising and alumni outreach.  She planned and executed Laraway's successful Capital Campaign to build its facility.  She's also an awarding-winning writer who brings experience as a grant consultant and workshop facilitator.  She’s on the faculty of the Community College of Vermont and has presented at VFAFA and Vermont Campus Compact conferences.

Laraway School is licensed by the Vermont Department of Education as a K-12 Independent School.  Laraway’s Substitute Care Program is licensed by the Vermont Department for Children and Families as a child placing agency.

Laraway Annual Report FY2016

Laraway Audited Financial Statement FY2016

Laraway 990

Laraway Farm 990

Laraway Budget FY2018