A Proven Approach to Helping Girls Succeed

For more than 40 years, Eckerd E-Nini-Hassee has specialized in helping troubled girls reach their full potential. Our approach focuses on instilling girls with a solid sense of self, a strong character, dreams and desire for a positive future, and the skill sets to become happy, healthy, successful women. Because most troubled girls respond best "learning by doing", our approach is highly experiential and includes:

"Our individualized approach helps girls make long-lasting changes in attitudes and behaviors".

Individualized Treatment

No two girls or their families are exactly alike. That is why each of our girls receives an individualized treatment plan based upon a deep understanding of her unique needs. Upon admission, each girl’s academic skills, learning style, social skills, physical and mental health are formally evaluated and a customized academic and therapeutic treatment plan is developed to address her specific needs. Our individualized approach is a primary reason our girls make long-lasting changes in attitudes and behaviors.

Individualized Academics

Eckerd E-Nini-Hassee has a rich history of the teaching strategies and techniques that can motivate disengaged students to become lifelong learners. Classroom learning is complemented by experiential learning, hands-on inquiry, collaborative projects, group simulations, problem-solving practices and applied learning scenarios whenever possible. Our teachers work with your child to develop strategies that help achieve success and increase math, reading and writing skills, and expand life science, history and citizenship knowledge. All the while, she will be developing behavioral and social skills needed to succeed in school or at work.  Emphasis will be on higher order thinking through analyzing, synthesizing and evaluating situations, ideas and themes (both individually and in team initiatives).  Focusing on the development of critical thinking is imperative to improved decision making. 

Our on-campus education is overseen through contracts with the Pinellas County School System.  All girls are enrolled in grade level subject areas that meet requirements for the Florida Department of Education student progression plan.  Students participate in 1500 minutes each week of instruction focusing on 4 core subject areas: English/Language, Math, Science and Social Studies, as well as general education including electives.  Eckerd E-Nini-Hassee follows a semester schedule with middle school units and high school credits being transferable.  Honors or AP courses can be made available if required and will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Those students who are college bound will have instruction to prepare them for the PERT, ACT and SAT.  Those students who are vocational bound will be provided assistance to improve TABE scores.

Well-Established and Caring Leadership Team

Our experience shows that girls respond best to treatment when it is delivered in a positive environment filled with compassion, trust, warmth and deep connections. Most of our leadership team have worked together at E-Nini-Hassee for nearly 20 years. We are deeply committed to helping each girl reach her full potential and believe the stability of our program’s leadership is an important differentiating factor. Most importantly, we sincerely believe that each girl can and will change.

Positive, Strengths-Based Behavior Management

We take a positive, non-punitive and strength-based approach to behavior management. We do not use points, demerits or other externally-based systems to promote behavior change. We believe that such reward/punishment systems do little to promote long-lasting change in girls. E-Nini-Hassee’s strength based behavior management system promotes the development of positive change and provides a safe setting to work in team environments.  With the use of creativity, critical thinking and problem solving skills, routine practice and feedback provides opportunities for girls to internalize good decision making to guide them for the rest of their lives.

Transformational Power of the Outdoors

The healing power of being outdoors and participating in outdoor adventure activities is well documented. Our outdoor therapeutic approach enhances girls’ self-confidence, personal competence and also teaches them valuable teamwork, communication and problem-solving skills they will use for the rest of their lives.