Great Barrington — In response to a multi-agency investigation headed up by the Berkshire County District Attorney’s office, and the subsequent arrests of Eagleton School staff, the school announced Thursday (February 11) it has hired Charles Conroy, Ed.D. to evaluate the school’s systems and implement change where needed, fired five staff members and suspended three.
“In the spirit of full cooperation and transparency with the investigation, Eagleton School has retained a highly respected, distinguished former Chief Executive Officer of a special needs private school serving similar students,” said school officials in a prepared statement.
Eagleton School serves 73 residential male students ranging in age from 9 to 22 who have serious developmental and learning disabilities. Tuition is between $141,000 and $149,000. After an ongoing investigation by Great Barrington Police and DA David Capeless’ office, four school staff were charged with assault and battery on disabled students, and one charged with obstruction and destruction of evidence. All were arraigned and pleaded not guilty in Southern Berkshire District Court on February 1.
Eagleton attorney Kathleen McCormick told the Edge that two of the charged employees were fired and the other three suspended with pay until “Eagleton is able to look into their conduct.” McCormick added that the firings were the result of “information that they broke policies and procedures at Eagleton,” separate from the criminal charges. As of Thursday evening, a total of five staff were terminated, three of whom had not been charged in court. McCormick said at this point names are only being released to the school’s related state agencies and police.
According to Town Manager Jennifer Tabakin and Great Barrington Police Chief William Walsh, police are still collecting evidence at the school.
School officials say students are “constructively engaged in their ongoing educational, clinical, recreational and residential programs and activities in the wake of the recent investigation…Eagleton’s staff continues to provide the exceptional level of care and positive experiences for which the school is well known. Eagleton remains committed to providing high quality professional care that has been a hallmark of the school since it opened in 1977.”
Conroy was Executive Director/CEO of the Doctor Franklin Perkins School in Lancaster, Massachusetts, from 1987 until his retirement in 2015 and now runs Charles P. Conroy Consulting, LLC. He is a published author and former adjunct professor at Fitchburg State University and Clark University.
Eagleton says it hired him “to immediately begin the process of evaluating, organizing and implementing any recommended systems changes in the areas of personnel management. Conroy will be charged with reviewing the clinical, educational and residential dimensions of the school, as well as Individual Education Plans (IEPs) and Individual Service Plans (ISPs), and communications and management effectiveness throughout the school.”
The school says it is taking other steps “to counteract the potentially destabilizing effects and unintended consequences of the current investigations.” Eagleton hired NAPPI International (Non-Abusive, Psychological and Physical Intervention) “to immediately assess Eagleton’s behavior management training needs and to implement direct re-training regarding behavior management, particularly in light of the new state regulations on restraints which took effect January 1, 2016.”
Eagleton says it implemented the NAPPI system 20 years ago. “NAPPI has a national reputation in behavior management, including de-escalation of potential violent behavior and alternatives to restraint. Its clients include special education schools and group homes and hospitals, such as the Cleveland Clinic. Eagleton School Founder and Executive Director Bruce Bona is minority shareholder in NAPPI.”
“Dr. Conroy has an outstanding reputation in the field of special education and he ran a school that provided services to a population that is similar to Eagleton’s,” Bona said. “We look forward to his assistance as we also move forward with NAPPI to ensure that our staff continues to receive the best available training on behavior management.”
Eagleton also said it was taking steps “to insure that all IEPs and ISPs are continually and fully implemented, staffing levels and required staff-to-student ratios are enhanced or maintained, that all students are safe, and that the staff’s training needs are met.”
“Our students have always been, and remain, our primary concern,” says Bona. “We are doing everything possible to ensure the continuation of their quality education and care.”
School officials defended Eagleton at a press conference last week. “The District Attorney characterized the situation as ‘terrible’ at Eagleton School,” declared Eagleton’s long-time Boston attorney Roderick MacLeish. “The situation is not terrible. The individuals at Eagleton have significant challenges in behavior.”
The school’s website says it has “helped troubled boys over the last 35 years,” and educates “students with a range of disabilities in a residential, psycho-educational treatment facility for boys and young men with Autism, Asperger’s Syndrome, Pervasive Development Disorder, Communication and Cognitive Delays, Behavior Disorders, Emotional Disorders, and Learning Disabilities.”
The school is accredited by the Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE) and Massachusetts Department of Early Education and Care (EEC).
