The Interpreted Rock

  By Stephen C. Schultz I walked in the door at home after a long day of work and made my way to the kitchen when my cell phone rang. It was my wife, calling from the doctor’s office. She mentioned that my 14-year-old daughter had an infection and needed antibiotics. She told me the doctor’s office had just called in the prescription to a Walgreens store down the street. I wasn’t excited to leave the house again, but I turned around, grabbed my keys, slipped my shoes back on, and headed out the door. I pulled into the parking lot and got out of my car. My short walk across the lot was met with a welcome blast of cool air as I stepped through the automatic doors. Even though the kids were back in school, it was still summer as far as the weather was concerned. Once inside, I made my way to the back corner of the store, where the pharmacy was, halfheartedly noticing the nondescript music playing overhead. As I rounded the corner of the aisle, I was met with a line of about ten p...

By Stephen C. Schultz The air was crisp with the feel of late summer. A dull glow was slowly appearing over the muted green horizon that was laced with the tops of large Douglas Fir trees. I stood next to the trunk of one of those very trees, gazing out upon the calm morning water that would bring with it a day of fishing. With my son, my father, my brother in-law and my nephew, we set out on the water. In fact, it was a day that began a week of travel that included three different lakes, fishing and family visits. The lakes were Odell Lake in Central Oregon, Collard Lake on the Oregon Coast and Bear Lake that splits the Utah and Idaho border. Activities included the before mentioned fishing but also much needed time with grandparents, uncles, aunts cousins and extended family. There was blood from the prick of a fish hook. There was sweat from time spent cleaning and sweeping the roof and rain gutters of grandparents too frail to keep up with the never-endin...

Posted by Stephen C. Schultz Submitted by Jason This is a message sent to RedCliff Ascent by a former student. I’ll simply let the pictures and the message speak for themselves. “I just wanted to write to you and let you know that looking back at the experience that I had gone through there, although challenging at times, in looking back at the whole experience I believe that it was beneficial to me.  To this day I enjoy the knowledge of being able to start a fire with the bow drill, and knowing how to survive in a challenging environment.  The most memorable staff member was a lady by the name of White Winds, an older lady with the longest and whitest hair I have ever seen.  I have a box of all of the clothes in my basement and every time that I open the box I am engulfed with the smell of 99 days of fire and wilderness.  While reading the first page of the website I noticed a quote from a former student, who said,  ‘I don't ...

By Stephen C. Schultz Vertical thinking is a problem-solving approach that involves a logical, step-by-step process to reach a solution. It is characterized by: Structured Reasoning : Following a sequential path, where each step builds on the previous one. Focus on Accuracy : Emphasizing correctness and adherence to established rules or patterns. Analytical Approach : Breaking down problems into smaller parts and analyzing them systematically. Exclusion of Alternatives : Narrowing down options rather than exploring diverse possibilities. Please allow me to introduce you to Oxbow Academy. The administration team has been working with teens who demonstrate Problematic Sexual Behaviors (PSB) since 2001. The very specialized and clinically sophisticated evaluation process of Oxbow was launched in 2007. Oxbow offers treatment for sex specific issues and provides evidence based and data informed care for each student. Oxbow Academy is on the cutting edge of research and ...

By Stephen C. Schultz The clouds were low and gray. A few drops tapped the bill of my hat as I pushed the mower along the edge of the sidewalk. The smell of damp, cut grass filled the air, and a slight breeze blowing from the west let me know a rain shower was on its way. It was the middle of the morning, and I felt a bit of pressure to get the lawn mowed before the storm rolled in. So, I was focused and moving at a little quicker pace than normal. I looked up and saw three of the neighbor kids climbing in one of my trees. I kept the mower going and moved closer to the tree. On my way towards them, they noticed that I saw them. They looked away and then glanced back at me with that childhood curiosity that screams: “Is he going to tell us to get down? Are we going to get in trouble? Will he tell our parents?” In the fifty feet it took me to get to the tree, I also had a flood of thoughts. I recalled many instances in my childhood climbing trees and having make-believe adventures ar...

By Stephen C. Schultz Many young adults today—typically between the ages of 18 and 26—find themselves contemplating mental health treatment of some kind. This realization often emerges as they struggle to maintain academic performance while balancing partying, gaming, or other high-stimulation activities. Some flunk out of college and return home. Others graduate high school, remain with their parents, and move from job to job without fully transitioning into adulthood. From a trauma-informed and neurodivergent perspective, these patterns are not simply about immaturity or defiance. They are often adaptive responses to overwhelm, executive functioning challenges , unmet support needs, or chronic stress. When coping strategies begin to fail, pressure from family increases, relationships become strained, and symptoms such as anxiety, depression, emotional shutdown, or irritability may intensify. Over time, this pattern is commonly labeled “ failure to launch .” When circumstances esca...

 By Stephen C. Schultz At Oxbow Academy, we’re redefining what education can look like. Our academic program is one of the most innovative systems anywhere, designed to meet students where they are and help them move forward with confidence. Spend just a couple of minutes with us and see how learning takes on new meaning at Oxbow Academy. When you think of school, what comes to mind? Probably classrooms, teachers, lectures, chalkboards, projectors, tests, semesters, class periods, and ringing bells. You might even picture hall monitors, food fights, tardy slips, and cramped lockers. In that traditional model, time is the constant — five days a week, sixteen weeks per semester, two semesters a year, with a summer vacation in between. Time moves forward no matter what, while learning becomes the variable . But what if we turned that idea upside down? What if we made learning the constant and time the variable ? That’s exactly what we do at Oxbow Academy. Each student begins at thei...