Our Mission, Philosophy, and Objectives
Introduction:
Mission of the School:
Fostering academic and personal growth, NVS provides children with learning, attention, and emotional challenges an opportunity to reach their full potential.
Philosophy:
Acquisition of the skills needed for successful transition to post-secondary environments begins in early grades.
Students with learning, attention, and social/emotional challenges learn best from a variety of educational approaches aimed at meeting their individualized needs.
Students make progress if they are taught to build on their strengths and address weaknesses.
Mastery of both academic and social-adaptive knowledge has positive effects in terms of psycho-social, intellectual, and life-functional outcomes.
Problem-solving, critical-thinking, and organizational skills are essential to the fostering of lifelong learners.
Student & Family Based Objectives:
- To remediate and/or provide compensatory strategies for deficiencies in basic, essential academic skills.
- To teach knowledge and skills that lead to personal growth and positive self-esteem, self-determination, and self-advocacy.
- To teach problem-solving, critical- thinking, and organizational skills, in an attempt to build on strengths and to compensate for weaknesses.
- To prepare students for successful transition into traditional school settings, further study at the college level, and/or other post-secondary opportunities.
- To provide opportunities for families to be involved in the full range of NVS opportunities, including its academic and transition programs as well as social and extracurricular activities.
Institution Based Objectives:
- To provide strong school leadership.
- To maintain a staff with appropriate credentials and expertise.
- To provide a well-structured, logical curriculum that ensures appropriate student-based outcomes.
- To promote, implement, and evaluate evidence-based practices in the areas of assessment, instruction, curriculum adaptations, classroom management, and behavior management.
- To provide ongoing opportunities throughout the year for staff professional development.
- To maintain financial sustainability that supports excellent educational programs.
- To provide funds for financial aid and scholarships for those students whose families are unable to pay the full tuition.
- To increase the visibility and reputation of the School in the community.
- To work collaboratively with public and private schools when students are placed at NVS by those entities.
- To maintain and enhance the facilities and grounds so that they may contribute to the welcoming and nurturing environment.
New Vistas serves students identified with a specific learning disability including Dyslexia, AD/HD, and high-functioning Autism Spectrum Disorder (formerly known as Asperger’s Syndrome). Emotional Disturbance or ED often accompanies
learning difficulties.