Early in 2025, Children’s Home Society (CHS) began a collaboration with the Rapid City Area Schools to provide instruction in the Lincoln Building.
“We have an agreement to provide two classrooms, each with up to 12 children,” said Director of Schools Mike Groher. “One classroom will serve kindergarten and first-grade students, while the other will accommodate second and third graders.”
The school district provides the building, furnishings and students, while CHS provides teachers, curricula, technology and programming, including individual and family therapy.
“There’s a significant need to help kids in Rapid City,” Mike said. “By foster a sense of hope and purpose, we can empower children to set and achieve meaningful academic and personal goals.
CHS will screen children recommended for the program to ensure they are a good fit and that their families are committed to participating.
At a recent directors meeting, Mike Groher shared the story of Paxon, an Owen School student and Black Hills Children’s Home resident.
“He came to us in April of 2024,” he said. “He was five years old—and aggressive, nonverbal and not toilet trained. We weren’t sure if we make a significant impact with Paxon at first.”
“But the school staff is committed to setting goals for each child and creating pathways to achieve them,” Mike added. “Our motto, ‘Whatever it takes,’ reflects this determination.”
Teacher Heather Hoeye reported on Paxon’s progress. "Within six months, he has made strides with basic language such as yes, no, please and thank you. He can count to seven and is starting to use names and pronouns without prompting.”
Paxon is using a special communication system where he links a picture to a need, such as a drink of water or a trip to the restroom. “That’s huge cognitive growth,” she said.
Heather added that Paxon is now beginning to form recognizable letters in sequence and associate them with certain sounds. “Today, he matched five pictures starting with ‘K’ to the letter K. A few weeks ago, he didn’t even recognize the letter.”
“The teachers are committed to fostering hope in the classroom,” Mike concluded. “By setting meaningful goals and continuously adapting pathways to achieve them, we help students like Paxon stay motivated. The belief that they can succeed, no matter the challenges, drives their progress.
Teacher Assistant Becky Jackson supports Paxon in the restroom, using her personal cell phone to play an audiobook as he celebrates his first dry day of school. “It was a monumental day,” said Mike. “We recognized Becky for her dedication and commitment to meeting Paxon’s needs—doing whatever it takes to support his success.”