RANCHO CIELO

Rancho Cielo’s flagship program offers intensive educational instruction to students between the ages of 15 1/2 and 18. All students are screened prior to acceptance and must have a desire to make positive changes in their lives. Most students are on probation when referred to Rancho Cielo but recommendations may also come from the juvenile court, schools or parents. Graduates receive a high school diploma or GED.

The program is operated in partnership with the Monterey County Probation Department, which provides supervision, case management for students involved in the juvenile court, meals and transportation; the Monterey County Office of Education, which provides teachers and classroom aides for Rancho Cielo’s Community School.

Students, who range in grade-level proficiencies between third and twelfth grade, benefit from a small classroom size and a curriculum tailored to meet their needs. They are taught a California State Standards-based core curriculum in English, math, social studies, science, physical education, and fine arts. Classes are held daily, Monday through Friday, through the school year. We also run a summer program.

In addition, students are offered a variety of elective enrichment classes such as wood shop, sports, arts and crafts, music instruction and gardening. Students are able to develop vocational skills in a project-based learning environment.

Job training

Employment preparation classes are offered through a partnership with Turning Point of Central California, Inc. Resume writing, interviewing skills and networking classes are provided.

Mental Health Services

Monterey County Behavioral Health dedicates three licensed psychiatric social workers to our students at Rancho Cielo. They use Evidence-based practices when leading groups or individual counseling. All students have access to this critical service.

Support Services

In conjunction with the high school curriculum, students have access to a number of support services, including drug and alcohol counseling, family planning, gang intervention, conflict resolution, anger management, grief counseling, health education, family counseling and career planning.

Students must also submit to twice weekly drug testing. The students are transported to and from school by the probation department.

Service Partners

In accomplishing our mission, we constantly seek innovative partnerships with our community and specialized programs tailored to our students.

Below is a growing list of those involved with the Silver Star Youth Program:

• Carmel Bach Festival
• Global Majority: an international nonprofit organization committed to the promotion of nonviolent conflict management through education, training, and advocacy. Implemented at Rancho Cielo in August 2013, Global Majority’s Conflict Management Program is a semester-long elective course in which students learn about personal, local, and international conflict and effective, nonviolent conflict resolution. Global Majority’s Instructors consist of professional and graduate students with the Middlebury Institute of International Studies. Trained and certified in Nonviolent Conflict Resolution, Global Majority Instructors work with students to improve their understanding of conflict, identity conflict areas and situations in students’ lives, and explore alternatives to violent approaches to conflict situations.
• Families in Control
• First Tee of Monterey County Gold Program
• Monterey County Behavioral Health
• Victim Offender Reconciliation Program
• Planned Parenthood
• VNA
• Monterey County Economic Development Department
• Guitars Not Guns
• ROP, Mission Trails
• Community Human Services
• Choices
• Unchained Dog Training Program
• Master Gardeners of the Monterey Bay
• Harmony at Home
• Loaves, Fishes and Computers
• Building Healthy Communities