Home for girls investigated

Twenty-one students left Sisters High School last month after the sudden closure of the Royal Haven Equestrian Center for Girls east of town.

Proprietors Steve Gage and Karen Lee closed the facility for "troubled" girls at the end of December and sent the residents back to their parents.

An article in the January 5 issue of The Bulletin alleged that the program was under investigation concerning issues of sexual abuse.

Oregon State Police detective Tom Kipp confirmed that "there is an investigation and it is pending" but declined to give specific details.

The Nugget has separately received information that at least part of the investigation involves allegations of sexual misconduct.

Parents of the girls at the center signed over power of attorney to Steven Gage and Lee, according to Sisters School District officials, placing Gage in a guardianship role with the girls.

Gage's partner Karen Lee served for a time on the Sisters School Board.

At least 61 teens, commonly referred to by other students as "Gage girls" have attended Sisters schools since 1994, according to schools superintendent Steve Swisher.

"Steve Gage phoned me the Sunday after Christmas (December 26) to tell me he was going to close down the school. One of the concerns he expressed was difficulty working with high school staff and principal over the course of the fall. (He) basically said he needed a break," Swisher said.

However, The Nugget has learned that on December 27, investigators from the state's Services to Children and Families (formerly Children's Services Division, or CSD) arrived at the center to investigate allegations that may have been made earlier in the week.

The closure of the center may have been related to that investigation, as opposed to difficulties with the Sisters school district.

Under a previous school administration, Gage had volunteered services to the district, including the use of his dogs, which he claimed were trained to detect drugs. He also volunteered to do work as a truant officer.

He had claimed to have a law enforcement background with Lane County, according to some affiliated with the school district.

No such employment could be confirmed.

His relationship with the high school began to be phased out 2-1/2 years ago as district staffing and policies were reorganized, according to Swisher.

The Deschutes County Sheriff's Office now assigns a school resource deputy to the district to handle law enforcement and truancy issues. Leadership at the high school changed this year with the hiring of principal Boyd Keyser.

These transitions reportedly altered Gage's relationship with the school district.

Gage had insisted that the girls keep to themselves, and he limited interaction with other students outside the classroom as a means of monitoring their behavior, according to sources. Several also said he attempted to prevent access to school counselors.

The abrupt departure of the "Gage girls" took school staff by surprise, Swisher said.

Swisher said the suddenness of the move away from Sisters would make relocating and getting established in new schools difficult for the students. Staff was "disappointed and dismayed to see the students leave at such short notice."

Principal Keyser reported to the school board that he had been contacted by several parents of the girls who told him that their children had received an "excellent educational experience" at the school. According to school officials, the girls historically did well in school.

The loss of enrollment will cause some financial hardship for the district.

Sisters schools stand to lose approximately $60,000 in "average daily membership" due to the withdrawal of students.

"The impact of $60,000 -- you start to look for ways to trim," Swisher said. "We're already running pretty lean, close to the bone."