WOODSIDE JUVENILE REHABILITATION CENTER

Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center is a public high school with about 14 students offering grade levels from 7th Grade to 12th Grade.

The Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center, located in Colchester, Vermont, was a state-run secure residential facility under the administration of the Vermont Department for Children and Families. It served as a high-security placement for youth involved in the juvenile justice system, specifically those who had been adjudicated delinquent or were awaiting legal proceedings and required a secure environment for their own safety or the safety of the public. The facility focused on providing a structured environment that integrated therapeutic programming, education, and behavioral management aimed at rehabilitation rather than purely punitive detention.

In recent years, the facility became a subject of significant public debate and controversy regarding its operational standards, the treatment of residents, and the use of isolation or restraint. Following reports concerning the safety and well-being of the youth housed there, the facility faced intense scrutiny from state oversight agencies and advocacy groups. Consequently, Woodside was closed in 2020 as part of a broader shift in Vermont’s juvenile justice strategy, which prioritized smaller, more rehabilitative, and trauma-informed community-based settings over traditional large-scale secure confinement centers.

For more information, contact Woodside Juvenile Rehabilitation Center at (802) 655-4990 or visit the school personally to speak with a faculty or administrative member about any specific questions you may have.