This is a  staff list for Blue Ridge School in St. George, VA

(we are working to acquire the complete records for ALL years)

 

We advise current and/or former staff to report any abuses you may have witnessed while working at Blue Ridge School.  For information on your rights and how to take action, visit www.heal-online.org/blowthewhistle.htm.  If you were fired or forced to resign because you opposed any illegal and/or unethical practices at Blue Ridge School, you have the right to take action. 

 

If you were harmed (family or survivor) by Blue Ridge School, please contact [email protected] if you remember the long-term employees and from which years.  This will help!   Also, if you recognize any of these staff as having worked at another program, please send in any information about their past or present employment at other facilities and/or cults.

 

Please don’t place your loved one in Blue Ridge School and rescue them if they are there now.

 

Name

Unit/Position

 Additional Information
Markley Anderson Counselor Anderson is not a licensed counselor in Virginia.  Source: https://secure01.virginiainteractive.org/dhp/cgi-bin/search_publicdb.cgi
Peter Atkinson Teacher/Coach Atkinson is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Stacy Aylor Accounts Payable HEAL did not perform a license verification on Aylor as Aylor's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Jon Baker Library Director There are two Jonathan Bakers that are licensed educators in Virginia.  HEAL requires the middle initial of and educational background of Baker to verify.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Matthew Bennett Academic Dean Bennett is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Terry Benshoff Exec. Asst. HEAL did not perform a license verification on Benshoff as Benshoff's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Joseph Bezark Spanish Teacher Bezark is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Peter Bonds Teacher Bonds is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
James Bourland Science Dep't Chair Bourland is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Tony Brown Dean of Students Brown is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Vinton Bruton Teacher/Coach Bruton is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Thomas Colbert Asst. Headmaster Colbert is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Lane Crawford Donor Relations HEAL did not perform a license verification on Crawford as Crawford's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
D. Franklin Daniels, Jr. Asst. Headmaster Daniels is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
William Darrin Assoc. Headmaster Darrin is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
C. Deane, Jr. Teacher There is only one "C. Deane" that is licensed in Virginia.  And, that individual is Carolyn Deane.  There is no suffix in Carolyn's name and Carolyn is generally a female name and not associated with the the suffix of "Jr.".  HEAL believes that based on this, C. Deane, Jr. is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Lori Deane Registrar Deane is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Dolores DeAngelis Music Teacher DeAngelis is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Ben Douglass Admissions Douglass is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Daniel Dunsmore Teacher Daniel Field Dunsmore (may be a different person) is a licensed educator in Virginia and specifically licensed for Speech Communication and English.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Kris Eagle Nurse Eagle is not a licensed nurse in Virginia.  Source: https://secure01.virginiainteractive.org/dhp/cgi-bin/search_publicdb.cgi
Paul Fehlner Teacher/Coach Fehlner is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Bob Flannery Teacher Flannery is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Michele Flint Human Relations Mgr. HEAL did not perform a license verification on Flint as Flint's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Carl Frye Athletics Director Frye is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Kyle Gardner Teacher/Coach Gardner is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Timothy Gillette Teacher (ESL) Gillette is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Jill Hart Residential Staff Hart is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Virginia.  Source: https://secure01.virginiainteractive.org/dhp/cgi-bin/search_publicdb.cgi
J.C. Ignaszewski Fund Director HEAL did not perform a license verification on Ignaszewski as Ignaszewski's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Mike Jamrozek Night Security HEAL did not perform a license verification on Jamrozek as Jamrozek's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Jerry Jared Mathematics Chair Jerry Ray Jared (may be a different person) is a licensed educator in Virginia.  He is licensed specifically in the area of mathematics.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Jerry King Performing Arts Director King is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Laura King French Teacher Laura Jean King (may be a different person) is a licensed educator in Virginia.  However, she is only licensed to teach K-8th grade and NOT high school.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Marcia Kozloski Foreign Language Chair Kozloski is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Matt Martindale Teacher/Coach Martindale is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Rev. David McIlhenney Chaplain HEAL did not perform a license verification on McIlhenney as McIlhenney's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Jamie Miller III Financial Aid Director HEAL did not perform a license verification on Miller as Miller's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Kevin Miller Fishburne LC Director Kevin Scott Miller (may be a different person) is a licensed educator in VA.  He is specifically licensed to teach history and social sciences.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do.  There are two Kevin Millers that are licensed registered nurses in VA.  However, in order to verify whether or not this Miller is the same as any of the above listed/referenced, HEAL requires Miller's middle name.  Source: https://secure01.virginiainteractive.org/dhp/cgi-bin/search_publicdb.cgi
Louise Morris Admissions Mgr. Morris is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
James Niederberger Dean of Faculty Niederberger is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
John O'Reilly Headmaster O'Reilly is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Alanna Pardee International Coordinator HEAL did not perform a license verification on Pardee as Pardee's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Orlando Patterson, Jr. Teacher/Coach Patterson is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Bryan Puckett Teacher Puckett is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
William Ramsey Teacher/Coach Ramsey is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Christopher Rehm Residential Director Rehm is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Virginia.  Source: https://secure01.virginiainteractive.org/dhp/cgi-bin/search_publicdb.cgi
Krystle Roach Teacher Roach is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
John Salidis Information Director HEAL did not perform a license verification on Salidis as Salidis's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Victoria Sharp Nurse Sharp is a licensed registered nurse in VA and has been off and on since 1985.  She does have a disciplinary record in VA for working without a valid license.  Source: https://secure01.virginiainteractive.org/dhp/cgi-bin/search_publicdb.cgi
Ashley Smith Communications Director HEAL requires Smith's middle name to verify whether nor not Smith holds any professional licenses in VA. 
Donald Smith Marketing HEAL did not perform a license verification on Smith as Smith's duties do not entail any that would typically require professional licensure.
Tony Weinkopff Teacher Weinkopff is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
David Welty Teacher Welty is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
Carrie Woods College Counselor Woods is not a licensed mental health nor medical professional in Virginia.  Source: https://secure01.virginiainteractive.org/dhp/cgi-bin/search_publicdb.cgi
Cory Woods Teacher Woods is not a licensed educator in Virginia.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
John Young IV English Chair John Thomas Young (may be a different person) is a licensed educator in VA and specifically in English.  Source: https://p1pe.doe.virginia.gov/tinfo/searchteacher.do
(Blue Ridge School, like many other programs in this industry, keeps a "tight lid" on any specific information regarding their staff, qualifications, and practices.  Please contact us with the names of any staff of which you have firsthand knowledge or experience.  Thank you for your help.)
HEAL is in the process of reviewing the Student Handbook, Parent Handbook, and Admissions Forms for this program.  HEAL volunteers have begun our review of Blue Ridge School's enrollment materials.  On June 22nd, 2013, we submitted an e-mail with questions and concerns to Blue Ridge School in order to complete our review process.  At this time, we have not received a response.  Below are the questions and concerns we raised regarding Blue Ridge School in that message:

Student Authorization and Release (Form) Questions:
 
What is "orienteering"?
 
LEAVE & TRANSPORTATION PARENTAL PERMISSION FORM Questions:
 
Under what circumstances are students denied weekend leaves?
 
Why are students barred from taking independent trips to town?
 
Acceptable Use Policy for Computers and Technology Questions:
 
Are students allowed to forthrightly and honestly discuss dissatisfaction in regards to their Blue Ridge School experiences without censorship through social networking or other such websites?
 
What is the ethical basis for violating the privacy of students in regards to searching their personal media devices and files? 
 
PHOTO/VIDEO RELEASE FORM Questions:
 
Are you aware that parents do not have the legal authority to sign away their child's privacy rights by allowing the child's name or likeness to be used in publications and media? 
 
Parent/Student Handbook 2011/2012
 
Page 1 Questions:
 
What do you mean by global village?
 
Do you accept students who are enrolled on an involuntary basis and do not appreciate your environment?
 
Page 2 Questions:
 
Do you utilize a level system beyond grade (i.e. Sophomore) that includes a system of rewards and consequences based on conformity and behavior?
 
What specialized training does your faculty have that qualifies them to act in the role of advisor/surrogate parent?
 
Studies actually show a co-educational environment is more reflective of the real world and a better preparation for interacting with the real world.  Your statements appear to be outdated and somewhat sexist in regards to co-ed environments and the needs of young men and women in an academic environment.  This is a comment, but, please respond to the concern addressed in it to the best of your ability. 
 
Sources on co-ed benefits:
 
 
 
 
 
Page 3 Questions:
 
There are many different learning styles and challenges and a blanket statement that "Boys learn differently from girls" and that girls have difficulty with experiential learning is simply false.  It raises concerns regarding the preparation for these young men to deal respectfully and on equal terms with women in the real world.
 
What do you mean by "Brother's Keeper"?
 
Can you explain your peer culture model in detail?
 
Page 7 Questions:
 
What adverse challenges are provided in the school model that teach perseverence?
 
Do you accept students enrolled on an involuntary basis? (repeat, came up again under "Home and School Collaboration")
 
Page 9 Questions:
 
How do you report on behavior to parents and what format and/or model is used to create the reports?
 
Page 11 Questions:
 
Does BRS discriminate based on gender, sexual orientation, and religion?
 
Does BRS act as a special needs or therapeutic school?
 
What do you mean by "buy in" to the program?  How does one "buy in"?
 
Page 12 Questions:
 
What is your character education program?
 
Page 13 Questions:
 
What do you mean by "clean mind"? 
 
Do you see a focus on outward appearance as creating prejudice in your students against working class and/or poor people based on appearance?
 
Page 14 Questions:
 
Often times, institutions cover up abuses (i.e. sexual abuse) claiming it is for the good of the community/institution.  The requirement that individual students place the welfare of the community above their own welfare seems unethical and excessive. 
 
Can you explain what you mean by "Place the welfare of the community above your own."?
 
What do you mean by good taste?
 
Page 15 Questions:
 
It seems the philosophy of the school does not take into account the individual aspirations, goals, talents, and desires of the students.  It appears to almost be a totalitarian regimen of conformity, oppression, and servitude.  This is counter-intuitive to preparing young adults for a democratic and empathetic worldview.  I understand that this is also a comment and ask that you address the concern raised in the comment. 
 
Page 22 Questions:
 
Have your students had any difficulty having their BRS credits transfer or having their BRS diplomas recognized by legitimate schools and colleges?
 
Page 28 Questions:
 
What do you mean by service learning?
 
Page 31 Questions/Concerns:
 
Youth who are not Christian or Episcopalian are either not permitted at your school or required to participate in faith services that violate their religious freedom.  Please explain whether or not you disallow individuals on the basis of religion or force participation (violating the integrity of students) in religious services to which they do not adhere.
 
Page 33 Questions:
 
Are Prefects given authority over other students and to what extent?
 
Page 34 Questions:
 
What forms of discipline are used when a violation of school policy has occurred?
 
Page 35 Questions:
 
Do you honestly think Medieval traditions are appropriate in the 21st century?
 
Is BRS as behavior modification school/program?  (Basis of question is sentence, "Our goal is to change behavior, not reduce the population of the School.")
 
Page 36 Questions:
 
Why must students comply with what they believe to be unethical requests prior to challenging the ethics of those requests?
 
When you search a student's person, is it a strip search?  What do you mean by search a student?  Do you know that the Supreme Court ruled in 2009 (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/06/25/AR2009062501690.html)  that schools performing such searches violated student's civil rights?  Such a practice does not appear to align with your stated values. 
 
Are your students special needs and on medication?  What percentage would fall into that category?
 
Page 37 Questions:
 
What is work crew?  Are students compensated for work they perform for the school?
 
What are the restrictions involved when a student is campused?  Are they denied phone, mail and/or internet access during this period?  How long do youth stay on campused status?  What is the longest any student has been on campused status?
 
Page 48 Questions:
 
What is the "rehab room"?
 
Page 59 Questions:
 
Is the fire alarm used to disrupt behavioral or sleeping patterns?  Is it used regularly for purposes other than notification of fire or fire hazard?
 
Page 61 Questions:
 
What is the Outdoorsman Program?

We have also sent these questions to the individuals who submitted reports regarding this program to see if they can help with filling in any of the blanks.  Please contact us at [email protected] with any information addressing our questions/concerns.  Thank you.
HEAL has received two separate reports regarding this school.  One report came from parents who withdrew their child from the program.  And, the other from a former student/graduate.  The two reports are unrelated.
THE TRUTH:

All segregated congregate care providers, including those on our watch-list, are welcome to contact us to correct any information or provide additional data that may assist with delivering the whole truth to the public.  We've found in many cases where this offer has been abused or resulted in revealing additional basis for our concerns. For some examples see: http://www.heal-online.org/tcfl.htm,  http://www.heal-online.org/bolthouse.htm and http://www.heal-online.org/abundant2.htm.  Now, we are willing to look at the facts and may have questions or require documentation backing up any claims.  We do verify licensing, academic backgrounds, and other qualifications when investigating and researching programs on our watch-list to assist consumers seeking additional information on such programs or victims requiring assistance with getting corroborating evidence of their claims.  We do that in order to make sure the information we provide is accurate and verified and cite our sources.  In the event any information we've posted is in error, we're happy to make a correction.  And, for information on how such requests are handled and have been resolved historically, see: http://www.heal-online.org/requests.htm. 

HEAL does not support segregated congregate care for many reasons which include that many such facilities are abusive, exploitative, fraudulent, and lack effective oversight often as a result of fraudulent misrepresentation coupled with the ignorance of those seeking to enroll loved ones in such facilities, programs, schools, or centers without a valid court order and involuntarily.  In the United States such involuntary placements done without a court order are apparently illegal as they either violate the Americans with Disabilities Act community integration requirement or due process rights of those involuntarily placed.  Now, in regards to parents, in the United States parents have the right to waive their own rights, but, not the rights of their minor children.  See http://www.heal-online.org/legalarguments.htm for more information.  Now, most facilities on our watch list include waivers, indemnity clauses, and sworn statements parents must sign assuring the program that the parents have the right to make the placement involuntarily and without due process in a segregated congregate care environment, however, California and federal prosecutors as well as settled law appears to suggest that is not the case.  In fact, in the David Taylor case found at http://www.heal-online.org/provocases.htm, Taylor sued Provo Canyon School and his mother as co-defendants.  His mother was found liable for 75% of the damages awarded to Taylor as a result of multiple complaints including false imprisonment, while the program was found only 25% liable because the mother owed a duty of due diligence to investigate anyone to which she would entrust care of her child and she failed to do so. 

Now, HEAL opposes segregated congregate care and we find most placements are happening illegally in the USA which if the youth understood their rights would result in unfortunate outcomes for the parents, particularly when they don't exercise good judgment and support the fraud and abuse rather than their own children when they need remedy and justice.  And, HEAL supports all victims of fraud and abuse in seeking remedies at law for any crimes or torts committed against them.  And, that's true whether or not the program or victims are in the USA. 

HEAL has a 5 point argument against segregated congregate care we'd like you to consider:

a.  Segregated care is unconstitutional and a civil rights violation.  It is only permissible if a person is unable to survive independent of an institutional environment.  For more on this, watch the HEAL Report at  https://youtu.be/C4NzhZc4P0A.  Or, see:   http://www.ada.gov/olmstead/  which includes in part:    "United States v. Florida – 1:12-cv-60460 – (S.D. Fla.) – On April 7, 2016, the United States filed an Opposition to the State of Florida’s Motion for Partial Summary Judgment.  In the Motion, the State had asked the Court to rule, on a variety of grounds, that the United States could not recover damages for unnecessarily institutionalized children to whom the State had been deliberately indifferent."

b.  Institutionalization is always dehumanizing and coercive.  Institutionalization always harms the institutionalized and deprives them of protected civil rights.  Dr. David Straker, Psychiatry Professor at Columbia University's School of Medicine (Ivy League) explains this in detail at http://changingminds.org/disciplines/sociology/articles/institutionalization.htm.  "Many institutions, from prisons to monasteries to asylums, deliberately want to control and manage their inmates such that they conform and do not cause problems. Even in less harsh environments, many of the institutionalization methods may be found, albeit in more moderated form (although the psychological effect can be equally devastating)."  (See website linked in this paragraph for more info.)

c.  Institutionalization is not in the best interest of children.  Institutions are not ever better for a child than living with a loving family.  Source:   http://www.unicef.org/cambodia/12681_23295.html       

d.  Reform schools, residential treatment programs, and other segregated congregate care settings have been shown to be ineffective and harmful.  Best source on this currently is:     https://www.acgov.org/probation/documents/EndoftheReformSchoolbyVinny.doc

e. Boarding Schools, even the "good ones", result in a form of social death, isolation, and cause both anxiety and depression.  Therefore, it is clearly not in the best interest of the youth subjected to those environments.  Sources: http://www.theguardian.com/books/2015/jun/08/boarding-school-syndrome-joy-schaverien-review and http://www.telegraph.co.uk/education/secondaryeducation/11662001/The-truth-about-boarding-school-syndrome.html

Beyond the above arguments against segregated congregate care, we have reports from the NIH, Surgeon General, Yale University Studies, and much more showing the methodologies of behavior modification are damaging, harmful, and ineffective.  You can request these documents via e-mail.  In addition, for such programs offering academic services or claiming to offer diplomas, certifications, or the like, it is important to check to see if it is a diploma mill with no accredited academic services.  Please see article: "Avoiding Scams: What You Need To Know"  for important information on how to avoid education/training scams.

If you'd like to see what HEAL suggests rather than segregated congregate care (i.e. committing a crime or tort against your child if done against their will without a court order), please see articles: "Fix Your Family, Help Your Teen" and "How Would You Handle My Out of Control Teen?".

If you have a complaint against any facility, please file a complaint with the appropriate law enforcement agency or your home state's attorney general.  For reporting resources see: http://www.heal-online.org/report.htm.  (Reporting guide is for USA only at this time.)
 

 

 Last Updated: September 8th, 2019

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