1. What is a learning disability?

2. How do I know if my child might have a learning disability?

3. How much is tuition?

4. Does New Way offer scholarships or financial aid?

5. What is the admission procedure?

6. How long do students stay at New Way?

7. Does New Way offer transition services?

8. What are the discipline policies?

9. Is there a dress code?

1. What is a learning disability?

Twelve percent of the American population has some form of learning disability. People with learning disabilities have normal potential for learning. Their inability to achieve their potential may include a processing deficit in one or more of the following areas:

• reading, spelling, writing or math
• speech and language deficits
• auditory and visual processing
• gross and/or fine motor difficulties
• ineffective social skills
• dyslexia

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2. How do I know if my child might have a learning disability?

The dyslexic student is a child with average or above average intelligence who may have unusual difficulty with any or all three areas of reading, spelling, and handwriting, but who may also have strengths or talents in other areas, such as math, sports, or mechanics. Many times the dyslexic student exhibits highly creative thinking abilities, while performing poorly on written language tasks.

Dyslexic students and children who suffer from other learning disabilities may exhibit any number of traits that require alternative instructional strategies for learning, reading, spelling, and handwriting skills. A comprehensive evaluation is usually needed.

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3. How much is tuition?

The 2008-2009 tuition cost at New Way is $18,750 annually and includes materials/ supplies, textbooks and graduation fee. Each new student must complete a psycho-educational diagnostic evaluation administered by the New Way Learning Academy Evaluation Team.  The cost for this service is covered in the program planning fee.

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4. Does New Way offer scholarships or financial aid?

New Way Learning Academy values and seeks students from diverse economic backgrounds. The Board of Directors and the Financial Committee have made a strong commitment to assisting families who can not afford to send their child to New Way.

The amount of financial assistance awarded to each family is based on financial need, parental support and commitment to New Way Learning Academy, and availability of funds. Financial information received by New Way and information regarding financial assistance awards is considered confidential.

Financial assistance is limited to tuition only. Families receiving assistance are responsible for occasional limited expenses that may occur during the school year, including a testing fee if applicable.

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5. What is the admission procedure?

The admission procedure for any potential student begins with an initial application stage of three steps:

• A tour of the academy explains the New Way program.
• Parents submit an application, application fee, student "case history", and permission for release of all records.
• The Admissions Committee determines if it is appropriate for the student to proceed to the final application phase.

The final application phase consists of five additional steps and occurs if the student appears to be a suitable fit for the school:

• Parents meet with Jeff Watkins, Executive Director, to discuss the student's school history and educational needs.
• The student is assigned an appropriate homeroom for a one to two day visit.
• The Admissions Committee reviews the student's records, diagnostic evaluations, and observations of the student's visit in order to make a final determination.
• If accepted, the parents and student receive an enrollment packet that contains enrollment forms and a tuition contract.
• The student begins classes for a program review period upon receipt of enrollment forms and fees. The program review period provides a period of diagnostic observation, program adjustment, and evaluation of the student's educational needs prior to the development of an Individual Education Program (I.E.P).
  

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6. How long do students stay at New Way?

Most students stay at New Way for a minimum of three years depending on the specific needs of the individual. Many return to public school, others to private education, again depending on the needs of each student. New Way’s Lower School and Junior High School offers education services for grades 1 through 8. Our High School program offers opportunities for integration with public high schools and blended transition programming with the New School for the Arts, community colleges, and the East Valley Institute of Technology (E.V.I.T).

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7. Does New Way offer transition services?

Once a student leaves New Way, it is easy for them to "slip through the cracks" of today's educational and vocational systems. We offer trained personnel to help keep your child on track and to ensure success of your child into adulthood. This includes attending initial and continuing IEP meetings with you as your child's advocate, communicating with your child's teachers, identifying areas of concern early in your child's new program, and working on social, academic, and organizational strategies begun at New Way.

We also understand that students in transition need to connect with friendly faces. These students also may need tutoring or academic therapy, a one-on-one approach to problem solving, strategy planning, and career counseling. To provide for these needs, we offer weekly meetings (or more frequently, if necessary) with your child to discuss strategy implementation, academic therapy/tutoring, self-advocacy strategies, bi-weekly meetings with former New Way students to share experiences, and career counseling.

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8. What are the discipline policies?

The mission of New Way Learning Academy states that students will assume responsibility for their own actions with integrity and consideration of the needs of others. We also ensure students and staff a safe, positive, and nurturing environment. In order to accomplish this, students must adhere to the following rules:

• Demonstrate respect for teachers, administrators, and fellow students.
• Use positive, appropriate language at all times.
• Never exhibit gang-related activity of any kind.
• Never use verbal or physical action that compromises another's safety or well-being.
• Refrain from public display of affection, i.e. kissing, hugging, petting.
• Never make arrangement to acquire, possess, or consume illegal drugs, alcoholic beverages, or tobacco products either on campus or in transit to or from any school-sponsored activity.
• Never carry dangerous or deadly weapons on campus or at any school-sponsored event.
• Remain within campus boundaries at all times.
• Take care of school property.
• Attend school regularly except for excused absences.
• Arrive to school and class on time.
• Complete assignments and turn in homework on time.
• Tell the truth, never cheat, and never plagiarize.

Here, emphasis is placed on rewarding accomplishments and applauding successes. New Way staff does not use corporal punishment (spanking, swats). Students experience the natural and/or logical consequences of their behavior. Discipline is handled by teaching, not punishment.

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9. Is there a dress code?

New Way Learning Academy students are expected to adhere to the following dress code:

• No depiction of alcohol, drugs, cigarettes, profanity, or items of "bad taste" on apparel.
• No gang-related apparel.
• All clothing must be modest.
• No cut-off or torn T-shirts.
• No tank tops.
• No bare midriffs.
• No unhemmed or cut-off pants or shorts.
• No holes in pants or shorts.
• No chains hanging from belts or pockets.
• No dangle-type earrings on boys.
• No visible body-piercing (excepted pierced ears).
• Pants and shorts must be worn with a belt or worn above the hips.
• Pants may not be excessively baggy.
• No display of underwear or boxers.
• No bandannas, berets, or caps worn sideways.
• No sunglasses inside the buildings.
• Shoes must protect feet, be age-appropriate, and be laced.
• Hair must be neat and clean.

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