The Taming of the Teens

May 19, 2010

Yesterday, May 18, 2010 the Boston Globe ran a story about Berkshire County juvenile court initiative that in effect sentences certain youthful offenders to four days a week of Shakespearean study and play rehearsal. The article was titled “Caught in the act: Juveniles sentenced to Shakespeare” and written by Louise Kennedy. A direct link to [...]

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Education in Massachusetts Youth Facilities

May 3, 2010

Check out this article written by Jack Sullivan, which ran three weeks ago in Commonwealth magazine. It details the enormous challenges Department of Youth Services faces educating youth in their care. As one person quoted in the article says,“I give [DYS] credit for trying. These kids are sort of the bottom of the barrel. Nobody [...]

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Ithaka

April 26, 2010

Those close to Penikese and its surrounding community know by know that beloved friend Peter Kirwin passed away on Friday, April 23 from pancreatic cancer. Our deepest sympathies and abiding love go to his family and loved ones, especially his son and daughter. This forum is simply too small a space to adequately tribute such [...]

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Awakenings (a quick Easter story)

April 5, 2010

Jeff arrived directly from a hospital inpatient ward, a scruffy beanpole with downcast eyes and faraway gaze, and a pair of the biggest feet to ever trod on Penikese Island. Jeff came to us on an impressive cocktail of medications, but chemical restraints aren’t uncommon for the more difficult cases, and by his history of [...]

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Hold Up On Cuts To Special Needs

March 3, 2010

Today’s March 3 Boston Globe ran an Op-Ed piece on preserving funding for special needs, especially in cases where mainstreaming and inclusion are contraindicated, link here: Hold Up On Cuts to Special Needs .

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Tough Love in Juvenile Court

March 3, 2010

A nice piece in the Monday’s March 1 Boston Globe Op-Ed section by Karen Shepard on Juvenile Court Judge Judith Locke, link here: Tough Love in Juvenile Court .

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