Not Just Academics

November 9, 2025

Green Chimneys offers countless opportunities for students to discover hidden talents and new passions. From woodshop and gardening to swimming, art, music, and cooking, specialized programs aren’t just classes, they’re ways for kids to discover new interests and uncover skills they may not have known they had. They also help students put into practice social-emotional skills and coping strategies learned in clinical settings.

Specialized Programs Help Students Grow

The strength of these programs lies not just in their variety, but in the teachers who lead them. Staff bring genuine enthusiasm and creativity to their work, sparking curiosity in students and encouraging them to give something new a try. Often, a hesitant student who isn’t sure about participating ends up gaining confidence, and finding joy in the process.

“What they are doing is invaluable to keeping kids connected to school,” explains Chief Program Officer Denise Luft. “Without these enrichment activities, we couldn’t be the school we are. If we can cultivate one of those interests, it does seem to carry some students through the more challenging parts of the academics.”

Specialized programs extend beyond skill-building to serve as an essential support system, offering students stress relief, independence, and pathways to future success while strengthening their bond with the broader school community.

Many students first come to the garden with negative feelings about bugs or dirt. After taking time to observe the important relationship between these natural elements, they reevaluate their mindset. Eventually, some even feel comfortable digging for worms in the compost bin to determine if it’s healthy enough for our plants!

Danielle Callahan, Garden Teacher

Working with their hands helps ground students, and creating something tangible in woodshop is really satisfying for them. Even when when a student is upset or dysregulated, staff request to bring them to the shop because they tell me making progress on a project brings them back to baseline. After a few minutes, they’re able to reset and return to the classroom and get on with their day.

Tony Kimble, Woodshop Teacher

When I teach students how to cook, they work on simple, healthy recipes that can be completed and enjoyed during class. They learn important skills that they can take with them, like health and safety, accurate knife skills and proper equipment use. But my ultimate goal is a sense of accomplishment, whatever the students are feeling when they walk in my classroom, I want them to walk out the door feeling happy.

Chef Kevin Docherty, Culinary Teacher

Crafts offer a way for students to express their feelings, ideas, and visually demonstrate their personal style and typically it is a space in which they find lots of success. Through the sewing group, I’ve been able to watch in real time as students become more independent, and gain the confidence to try new projects!

Sam O’Brien, Recreational Therapist