You know therapy is necessary, but you also wonder what happens to school in the meantime. For a lot of parents considering in-patient treatment for their son, academics are a quiet but persistent worry. Will he fall further behind? Will learning simply stop?
Under the leadership of Kala Phelps, M.Ed., the Academic Director of San Pedro Valley Academy, school becomes part of the healing process at Align rather than something that competes with it.
Kala’s approach is rooted in nearly over two decades of teaching experience and a deep understanding of how boys learn when they are struggling emotionally, behaviorally, or neurologically.
San Pedro Valley Academy is not a placeholder or a watered-down academic program. It is a fully accredited private school, designed specifically for students who are in treatment and need flexibility without losing rigor.
As Kala explains, “We’re accredited through Cognia, which is an international accreditation. So we have to go through the accreditation process every few years, which is super in-depth, I would say more than any public school.”
That accreditation allows students to earn transferable credits, take honors and AP-level coursework, and receive individualized academic support. Just as importantly, it allows Align to separate academics from the stigma that often follows treatment programs, ensuring transcripts reflect a legitimate school rather than a clinical setting.
One of the most important distinctions Kala makes is that academics at Align are intentionally integrated with therapy. Students attend school Monday through Friday, but their schedules shift depending on where they are clinically.
As Kala puts it, “School is the running factor, because they are in school Monday through Friday… one student might have just one period of school one day and then be in therapy or equine, and another day they might have three periods of school.”
This flexibility matters. Many boys arrive having missed months or even years of school due to substance use, mental health crises, or prior treatment. Dropping them into a traditional academic schedule would overwhelm them. Instead, the focus is on mastery, essential skills, and rebuilding confidence in learning itself.
Kala is direct with parents about what academic success really means at Align. It is not about straight A’s or perfect transcripts. It is about teaching boys that they can engage, persist, and learn again. It’s about building emotional resilience.
“Academic success is learning that they can do hard things and show perseverance,” she explains. “It’s not measured by a single grade. It’s about growth.”
For boys with ADHD, learning disabilities, or years of academic trauma, this shift is critical. Teachers provide one-on-one instruction, allow movement and breaks, and teach foundational skills that may have been missed long ago. Small wins are celebrated.
What really sets San Pedro Valley Academy apart is how closely it works with Align’s clinical team. Kala meets weekly with therapists, and school staff meet regularly with clinicians to share observations and coordinate support.
Kala notes, “If they’re diving deep into something in therapy, it’s going to show up behaviorally in school. So there has to be that connection.”
This communication ensures that when a student is struggling emotionally, school expectations adjust without lowering standards. Academics remain supportive, not punitive, and boys learn how to advocate for themselves in real time.
Parents are often surprised by how involved they feel in their son’s academic progress at Align. Rather than traditional report cards or constant grade notifications, Kala meets with parents every month to review progress, goals, and challenges.
She explains that this approach helps shift responsibility back to the student over time. Parents stay informed, but boys are encouraged to speak for themselves, build confidence, and take ownership of their education. For many families, it is the first time school feels collaborative rather than adversarial.
Kala is clear that academics are important, but they are not the most important thing happening at Align. School exists alongside therapy, experiential learning, and family work. It supports recovery rather than competing with it.
That philosophy shapes everything from curriculum design to classroom culture. Students learn not just how to complete assignments, but how to follow a schedule, ask for help, take breaks, and believe in their ability to improve.
For parents considering Align, Kala Phelps and San Pedro Valley Academy represent reassurance. Your son’s education is not put on pause. It is carefully integrated into a therapeutic environment that understands why school may have been hard in the first place.
Under Kala’s leadership, academics become a place where boys rebuild self-esteem, rediscover curiosity, and learn skills that carry far beyond the classroom. For many families, that integration makes all the difference.