New Way Academy Student Testimonials


New Way Academy is a great school that allows students to flourish to their own unique potentials.  Especially because the school is so small, a lot of attention gets paid to realizing the goals of the individual student.  The teachers truly care, and they put in that extra mile!  Classes are well matched to skill level, and can challenge students as needed, as well as helping students in areas of difficulty.  I am currently a New Way Academy freshman, going on sophomore, and this is my first year here.  At this school if you can put in what it takes to make something happen, it can happen!


Megan
9th grade student
April 2011

One of the coolest things about New Way is the surprisingly small classes, which allows teachers to better accommodate a student's learning needs. Teachers can even teach one on one throughoutthe day.  Any other school simply cannot compete with the quality of New Way's teaching methods.

New Way Academy has given me my most coveted achievement, the ability to express myself through poetry. The staff and students have guided and improved my poetry to the point that I am having my own poetry book published very soon. I cannot express my gratitude in words for those who helped open the door through which poetry flows.


John
11th Grade Student
September 2010


I am in 8th grade at New Way. Last year, I found out that I had to move to Arizona and leave all my friends behind. It was very hard for me. When I first shadowed at New Way Academy, I was not sure about it. It didn't take long for me to really like it. The teachers were nice, the classes were better, and I met a lot of new people.

I love it here. I can play sports, which I love. I have had a lot of new experiences and have gone through changes this past year. I learned a lot this year but one thing I learned is "When you spend your whole life rushing to get to high school, you miss out on more than you think, so stop wishing you were in the future and focus on what is happening now". I would also like to thank my parents for sending me to New Way. We have all had to make adjustments, but it has been worth it. And finally, thank you Mrs. Buchanan for a great school year. Thank you to Mrs. G for making math easy, well easier, and for providing Healthy Club. Finally, thanks to the best coach, Mr. Walker, for giving us a good football and basketball season. Thank you, teachers and friends, for a great year.

Kay
8th grade Promotion Ceremony
May 2009


When I first came to New Way, I thought it was the best school ever. I always wanted to come to this school after I shadowed here I have never liked school until I started at New Way. All of my teachers have helped me so much. Mrs. G was always there if you needed to talk to someone, and helped me in math. Mrs. Schlesinger was one of the people who I went to if I had questions about high school. Mr. Clark has taught me so many great writing skills. Mrs. Buchanan has taught me a lot of things I didn’t know about science. I have made a lot of friends throughout my five years at New Way, which I have great memories with.

New Way has helped me so much with my learning disabilities. The person who has probably impacted my life in so many ways is Mrs. Gutierrez. She is an amazing person who cares about all of the students who go here. Mrs. Gutierrez wrote me a letter of recommendation for Valley Lutheran, the high school I will be going to next year. When I read the letter she wrote it made me realize how far I have come since I started at New Way, and what I am capable of doing.

Hollie
8th grade Promotion Ceremony
May 2008


Friends, family, and others, thank you for joining me in my promotion. I remember the first year at New Way. It was a bit frightening, I must admit. I walked onto the campus, as a short fry who had many difficulties. I had trouble paying attention, I could not speak too clearly, and understanding what people had to tell me was always a challenge. But the problem I had that sticks out the most, is my confidence. Luckily for me, Mr. Clark was able to find the real me hidden deep inside, and begin drawing it out. Mrs. G, you took it from there. Nothing really stood out for me that year except for at the end of that year; I received a Student of the Year Award from Ms. Danielle. On the first day of seventh grade, a group of friends I had made the previous year invited me to join their circle which was more like an oval. I also remember the friend that invited me first, Alec Johnson. Well, he is not around now, but that guy was awesome. As the year progressed, I make more friends, and the football rivalry between Mrs. G and I grew. As many of you may know, I am a Minnesota Vikings fan; however, Mrs. G is the biggest Green Bay Packers fan in history. At the end of that year, the P.E. teacher Coach Jane gave me Student of the Year. The following year, this was the past year, by far the beast year. I came to school that year wearing clothes I never thought I would wear. Stylish clothes! I made a lot of friends.

Michael
8th grade Promotion Ceremony
May 2008


I have been on New Way Junior High Student Council for 3 years. When I came to New Way, I was kind of shy and never thought that I would be running for the Student Council. Since coming to New Way, I have been able to open up and have become the good-looking man you before you. I was scared my first day at New Way. I didn’t know anybody. I thought this would be a tough school with a lot of bullies and kids would tease me. I met some kids and found out they were a lot like me. I made many friends and the teachers helped me make friends and get adjusted to my new school the first year I was there, I met Ty and after that, I started to make more friends, and now I have more friends than ever thought I would.

Clint
8th grade Promotion Ceremony
June 2006


When I came to New Way 5 years ago I couldn't read and school was a constant struggle for me. Today, I am proud to say that I can read and most days really enjoy coming to school and learning. My years here at New Way have given me so many things. The confidence I need to go forward into high school, the skills I need to carry me through to college and so many wonderful friends that I will cherish forever. I know that most days Mrs. Gregory would have traded me to any school that would have taken me. I have to give her a lot of credit. She never gave up on me and she always challenged me to be the best that I could be. Mrs. Gregory... thank you from the bottom of my heart. I really do appreciate all that you have done for me in the last 3 years. You have to admit... you will miss me!!

I would like to thank my grandparents most of all for giving me the opportunity to attend such a wonderful school and my mother for always making me get up and start each day with a smile. A BIG hug to Mrs. Fuller!! There is only one word that describes you... AWESOME. Thank you!

Eddie
8th grade Promotion Ceremony
May 2003


Thank you New Way for restoring my faith in teachers, providing such a wonderful learning environment, and making me a better person.

Thank you Mrs. Gregory for telling stories, for taking us places, for taking me in when the rest of the school thought otherwise, for letting us be "goobers", for understanding, for caring, for being the smart, talented, and charismatic special education teacher that you were born to be. You will always have a special place in my heart. Thank you!

Tim
8th grade Promotion Ceremony
May 2004


My name is Doug Jones. I am here today to not only graduate from the 8th grade, but to talk to you about our previous education experiences. I talked to other students about their old schools. Some of the comments were:

"My old school was like a house, with big, open, unorganized rooms. It was a creative school, but not a good place for someone who is dyslexic and has attention problems" Another student said, "I am dyslexic and everyone else was reading at the age of 4. My old school did not know how to teach me or where to find the resources to help me". For myself, I am dyslexic and no one understood why I couldn't read and why regular teaching methods wouldn't work. I was kind of like a joker going through school. During reading class I would make up excuses to leave class. This went on from preschool through 3rd grade, 6 years, a long time not to get any help.

On the other hand, New Way is a different kind of school. The staff and teachers are not thanked enough for all the help, expertise, and understanding they provide. They even stay in at break and during recess to help with homework and speech writing. There is not enough Tylenol in this universe to cure the headaches we as students provide. My teacher, Ms. G, is patient and cares about all her students even when they are out of school. Her enthusiasm is constant and that helps us all to constantly keep trying to learn. Finally, I'm grateful for all the help that all my teachers her at New Way, past and present, have given me.

Some of us are leaving to go on to other schools, public and private, from Aspen, Co., to Chaparral High School. But some of us, like myself, just can't leave this school that has truly changed our lives, and continues to give the accommodations and help needed to overcome our learning differences. Thank you all so much for coming. It means a lot to share this day with you.

Doug
8th grade Promotion Ceremony
May 2002