“Boulder Creek Academy empowers students and families to achieve excellence in personal growth, relationships, and lifelong learning”

Boulder Creek Academy’s mission statement strikes to the heart of Paul Johnson’s passion for assisting students and their families to become empowered to achieve excellence in all aspects of their lives.

Paul began his professional journey working with learning-disabled students as a teacher’s aide in New Jersey.  His love of the outdoors and teaching came together as an instructor for the Outward Bound program in Maine. He then moved into a management position at the Chesapeake Bay Foundation in Washington, D.C., and developed curriculum (and led) 1 to 14 day field trips, while managing the staff and interns.

Paul moved to North Idaho in 1994 to accept a position as a wilderness counselor, serving students at Boulder Creek and Rocky Mountain Academies. He spent time in several departments, including Admissions, Marketing, and Support Services. He finally moved into the Executive Director position in 2003.  He is a self-described generalist who believes in surrounding himself with experts in all fields who will challenge the school to continually question and improve their service to adolescents and their families.

After 17 years, Paul’s personal philosophy is to continue building and supporting a team of committed and passionate faculty who challenge themselves daily to improve the lives of children and their families.  Paul has stated repeatedly how fortunate he is to work with a dedicated staff who continually reminds him that the students are always the priority. Paul’s engaging, confident personality and love for his job make him a perfect fit for Boulder Creek Academy.

Paul enjoys living on his small farm in northern Idaho with his wife and three children, their horses, and other animals of all types. The fresh air and surrounding majestic mountains and lakes provide the perfect background for his love of the outdoors, sailing, hiking, biking and other adventurous pursuits.

Teresa Dodd is the Life Skills Director for Boulder Creek. She constantly challenges her staff of mentors to individualize their approaches to meet the needs of each student, offering activities that produce practical life lessons and daily living skills.

Teresa spent her formative years in northern Idaho. She studied forestry and education in college, with the goal of combining the two in working with children. After working with the forestry field for four years, Teresa went into property management and travelled. In 1999, she returned to Idaho to work in the Family Services Department at Boulder Creek Academy. As Family Services Manager, Teresa has been able to utilize her management experience in working with her staff helping to ensure the needs of the students and their parents are met.

 “It is our job to assist our students in the development of life skills.  Life skills can be as simple as how to make their bed and clean a bathroom to how to live within your own value structure.  What we teach at Boulder Creek are life lessons that often people do not learn until well into adulthood…an understanding of who they are - their personal strengths, coping skills around their areas of struggle, ability befriend themselves and others, and recognition of their own values system.  It is what they do with their values systems that will determine the people they will become. I want each student who leaves BCA to know that they have the ability to make our world a better place.  I want each student to be able to make both short term and long term goals to accomplish this.”

 “As a school we need to be strength based, constantly looking at the big picture, knowing  that we are the role models and mentors for our students. We must find the positive in each person so that we can know them in their best light. I have the ability to look at the big picture while keeping an eye on our individual students. Each person has individual strengths, their own personal points of brilliance, just as each individual has areas of struggle.  It is up to each of us to assist our students in developing positive coping skills around the areas of struggle and finding their own brilliance.”

Ms. Daggy received her Bachelor of Science Degree from Ball State University in 1984, where she focused on child development and education. Following her graduation, she worked as a Special Education Teacher for several years. Ms. Daggy’s experience then focused on program direction for two group home programs, serving the needs of children and adolescents with developmental disabilities. In 1991, Ms. Daggy joined the team at Pine Crest Hospital, where she was the Education Director and assisted with program development for two residential service delivery models and further expanded the children’s program.

After completing her Master’s degree in Counseling and Human Services, she continued providing outpatient, inpatient, and residential consultation to families and Boulder Creek Academy. Ms. Daggy has been instrumental in raising the bar of quality therapeutic resources at Boulder Creek Academy for over ten years. Ms. Daggy places great importance upon the creative process of individualized treatment goals and planning.

She emphasizes the need for adolescents and young adults to gain the valuable skills of respectful communication, effective goal-setting, and self-respect to improve conflicted family relationships. As the Clinical Director, Ms. Daggy brings experience, commitment, and dedication to the Boulder Creek Academy clinical team.

I started working with Boulder Creek Academy in 1996 as a Family Resource Coordinator. I wanted to help educate families that are struggling with children who are making poor choices so they can see that there are options available and there is support for the family.

Brent oversees the Academic Department’s Curriculum Coordination, Transcript Analysis, and Academic Planning. He also supervises the academic faculty, reviews applications for admission, coordinates School Improvement Plan, maintains accreditation, and manages all academic and special education services.

Brent is originally from Bonners Ferry, Idaho and has worked his way around the world before returning home to Idaho and Boulder Creek Academy. He spent 20 years in the United States Navy Submarine Service, where his leadership and management skills were honed in some of the most stressful situations imaginable. During those 20 years, Brent developed a love for education and began taking college classes whenever his deployment schedule permitted. By the time his Navy career was complete, he had earned a Bachelor of Science degree from Excelsior College and a Master of Science degree from Troy University.

Brent soon found his calling while working in the Virginia Public School System; he discovered a knack for working with “troubled teens.” After his fifth year of working the struggling students within the school, he was asked to take charge of a new Alternative School project for the district. His school was a tremendous success almost immediately. During the same time period, he finished his Master of Arts in Educational Leadership and Administration and became a Licensed School Administrator.

When Brent moved back home to be nearer to his aging father and Boulder Creek Academy was searching for a new Dean of Education, it was a natural fit. Brent moved to Idaho with his lovely wife Kim, who has embraced the mountain country as her own. If not for the slight Virginia, southern drawl, one might think she was raised here as well. Brent, Kim and their son, are all excited to be living in beautiful northern Idaho.

Brent is a Director who loves to be on the move. During the school day, you will not find him at his desk often; instead he will be out engaging staff and students in constant pursuit of academic excellence.

Brent’s work life passions are in organizational management and continuous process improvement. He looks forward to many years of continued improvement in academics and throughout the school as Boulder Creek Academy strives for excellence in assisting families and students with personal growth, relationships, and lifelong learning.

Claude Bisson has had the privilege of taking part in the Boulder Creek community for eight years as a Social Science educator and Director of Business Development. He received his M.Ed. and B.A. in Special Education from Keene State College and his A.S. in Plant Science from the University of New Hampshire. His 24 years of experience involves working with diverse secondary students with challenging emotional, behavioral, and academic issues in the public and private sectors of Vermont, Oregon, Hawaii, and Idaho.

With over 25 years of experience in various aspects of office management, Starr is a knowledgeable, flexible and dependable BCA employee. She supports our CEO and other administrative personnel with organizational duties, assists our families with customer service, and even provides support to many other departments at Boulder Creek Academy. She acts as our Parent Events Coordinator & Registrar and helps organize many employee-related events as well. Starr has been with Boulder Creek Academy since 1994 (did we forget to say “dedicated”?).

Although Starr has no children of her own, she has always had a love for young people and enjoys the energy, fun, and challenge they bring to the school. With a calm demeanor and her tireless sense of humor, she is the “glue” that holds things together, and the go-to person for answers. You see her hand in everything from greeting & entertaining guests, to handling business correspondence, to taking minutes in meetings, and even to interior decorating.

Starr and her husband of 33 years enjoy living in beautiful north Idaho. They both have a life-long love for music and own a small DJ business, providing musical entertainment at weddings, parties and other functions in the Bonners Ferry area on weekends. They also teach dance lessons, and both play musical instruments. Starr values new experiences and her philosophy is “life is a dance you learn as you go”.