New Way Times

CALENDAR of EVENTS

August 24th Welcome Back to School Students!

September 25th Parent Meeting/

Fall Kick-Off

September 25th School Pictures

The Upper School is Transformed!

New Way has been under construction this summer! As soon as school let out in May, construction quickly began on the Upper School Redevelopment project. Bob Hardison, New Way Board Member and President of hardison-downey construction, spearheaded the project to ensure a timely and successful completion. Students and their families will arrive on campus in August to find many new and exciting changes!

The Upper School Redevelopment includes the remodel of the existing classrooms in Buildings B and C, as well as site work around these buildings. The goal is to create better functioning classrooms and workspaces for the Upper School students.

New classroom spaces were created by relocating interior partitions. Each classroom has new cabinetry and storage. Interior spaces have new flooring and finishes. The existing doors and windows were replaced. This pro-ject also included the renovation and enlargement of the Upper School restrooms.

While redesigning the classrooms, special attention was paid to the needs of the students. Each classroom has an accented focal point that draws the students’ attention to the front of the room where Smartboards are positioned. In addition to classrooms, the Upper School now has a technology lab, equipped science lab, fitness room, and a classroom with a full kitchen.

The new site work around the Upper School campus incorporates a new student quad area. This includes an open patio area, seating walls, and shaded locker locations. The site was opened up by removing the portable building and adding landscape and walkway features. The entry feature, with block columns and a steel panel sign, is located within view from the street. A new paint scheme was used to update the exteriors of buildings B and C while complementing the existing building A.

We invite you to stop by campus and see our beautifully remodeled Upper School!

BACK TO SCHOOL 2009

1300 North 77th Street, Scottsdale, AZ 85257 ■ Phone: (480) 946-9112 ■ www.newwayacademy.org

Stay up to date on all of New Way’s

happenings! Follow us on:

Groundbreaking Celebration! May 28, 2009

New Way students Emily Glazov, Olivia Visser, Mia Serro, Pearce Rodey, and Nicole Ripp sport hardhats for the celebration!

Swing! Victor Terrazas, NWLA Student Council President, takes a swing before the construction begins. Alums Cory Stone and Andrew Smith stop by to join in on the festivities.

Lower School students Samuel Wiener and Sam Lawrie enjoy an exciting opportunity to leave their mark!

Caution—students at work! Let the Upper School Redevelopment begin!

Students left personal messages on the Upper School walls before the renovation began.

Erin VanDenburgh, Eric Rogers, Bob Hardison, Ann Brown, Lisa Shanley and Dawn Gutierrez were all smiles during the Celebration.

Construction is Underway!

Between Buildings B and C, lockers and additional seating will be enjoyed by the Upper School students.

On the west side of campus, a sitting wall will allow for students to relax between classes. Additional classrooms will also be located on this side of campus.

The Newly Expanded Upper School!

Special thanks to the many local businesses who helped to make our renovation so successful!

Accents by Masters Acker-Stone Industries, Inc. Adobe Drywall, LLC Adobe Paint, LLC Alliance Fire Protection Arctic Air Heating & Cooling, Inc. Arizona State Utilities, Inc. Arizona Thermal Protection Corp.

Barrett-Homes Contractors European Pavers Southwest, Inc. Heritage Interiors, Inc. Indwell Woods, Inc. Milam Glass Company M&J Construction, Inc. Niemeyer Brothers Plumbing, Inc. Partitions & Accessories Co. Richerson Manufacturing

Ronning Landscaping, Inc. Rouser Concrete, LLC Safeguard Security and Communications, Inc. The Shannon S. Martin Co., Inc. S & M Masonry Sun Door and Trim Vintage Plastering Company, Inc. Wang Electric, Inc.

hardison-downey construction, inc. ● Sixty First Place Architects

Bulldog Buzz. . .

ADMISSIONS AT NEW WAY LEARNING ACADEMY

We are incredibly excited about several new additions to the New Way family this year. A few of the students that participated in our Summer Program realized they loved New Way so much, they decided to stick around and become full time Bulldogs! Although we have new smiling faces on campus, New Way has openings in each level: Lower School, Middle School, and High School. Enrollment is on a rolling basis until all spots are full. Please feel free to tell friends and family to contact Denise Collier, Director of Admissions, to set up a tour of the school. Tours are every Tuesday and Wednesday at 9 am. New Way Learning Academy has been educating children with learning differences for over 40 years and in that time has built a sound, researched-based program that currently serves 100 students. How-ever, 100 is only the tip of the iceberg; there are still many more children in the community who need our help. Following the tenets of our mission statement, “To educate students with learning differences to ful-fill their potential,” the NWLA Admissions Committee has developed a comprehensive, multi-step ad-missions process to determine a student’s eligibility and appropriateness for placement in our acad-emy. The first step is for prospective parents to set up a tour of New Way with the Director of Admis-sions. You can read more about the admissions process on our website at www.newwayacademy.org Don’t just take our word for it―we invite you to tour our campus, and see first-hand what we are all about. Every Tuesday and Wednesday admission tours are being offered to prospective students/families interested in enrollment. For more information, please contact Denise Collier, Director of Admissions at (480) 946-9112 ext. 101. New Way Learning Academy (NWLA) is a 501©3 not-for-profit organization that seeks and accepts students for admission without discrimination against any person because of race, color, religion, national origin, or disability.

Introducing New Way Learning Academy’s Center for Academic Therapy and Tutoring

We are excited to introduce the Center for Academic Therapy and Tutoring (C.A.T.T.) starting this fall on our campus for New Way students and those from neighboring schools. Students will have the op-portunity to stay after school for additional 1:1 or small group instruction in various subjects such as reading, math, writing, spelling, college preparation and organization/study skills. There will also be a Homework Clinic for those students who would like a little extra support completing their work before going home. Additional Club Bulldog enrichment activities and sports programs will be offered as well. In addition to the after school services, for the first time ever, New Way students only will be given the opportunity for premium, 1:1 academic therapy offered during the school day. Subjects offered will be math, reading, writing, professional counseling, and state of the art math assessments. More details and costs to follow. For more information, please contact our C.A.T.T. Coordinator, Janice Hadeed at (480) 946-9112 or email at hadeed@newwayacademy.org.

A Message from the Head of School

Admissions Tours: Available Now!

New Way launches the Center for Academic

Therapy and Tutoring!

Message from Dawn Gutierrez, Head of School

Welcome Back, Bulldogs! It is time to shake the sand out of your duffle bags and put away the boogie boards- school starts very soon! I am so excited about all of the new changes and additions for the 2009-2010 school year and I am very proud of what we ac-complished last year! Throughout this newsletter you can read about the many successes of our New Way community. Our new Board of Directors is fully committed to governance,

fiscal oversight, and strategic planning. Our dynamic Development Director, Abbey and her busy com-

mittee raised more money than in the history of the school! The faculty, staff and our constituents were instrumental in helping New Way achieve

full accreditation with high commendations from NCA CASI. A “city” of workers transformed tired old buildings into a new Upper School with added

classrooms, fully equipped labs and pleasant outdoor gathering spaces for students. Friends and families celebrated the achievements of our eight seniors as they gradu-

ated, head off to college and become beloved alumni. Thirty-two students attended the summer program, honed their skills, and made new

friends. Out of the seventeen new summer school students, seven will be NW Bulldogs in the fall for a total of fifteen new students enrolled for 2009-2010.

A marketing team headed by Board Member, Ann S. Brown created a plan to help us

continue to attract new families and students for our current openings. Parents, faculty and staff researched effective curriculum in the areas of math, reading,

technology, social studies, and science. This fall, New Way will offer updated social studies curriculum school wide, revised Step Up to Writing materials and additional math curriculum. In October, we will provide on-site teacher training and consultation with renowned math expert Dr. Asha Jitendra from the University of Minnesota.

During my Commencement speech, I talked to our students about keeping the “End in Mind” as they move forward with their goals and aspirations. As we continue to plan and improve our school, we will keep the vision of lifelong learners who lead enhanced, pro-ductive lives as the “end in mind”. New Way will continue to work diligently to provide the best services available to ensure success for all of our students. Thank you for all of your help in making New Way the amazing place it is. Together we can create a future for all of our students and families! Go Bulldogs! Mrs. Gutierrez

New Way Receives Accreditation!

Our school reached a milestone on April 29, 2009 when the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI) conferred full NCA accreditation upon New Way Learning Academy. This culmi-nated an almost two year long journey during which time numerous individuals devoted innumerable hours to the pro-ject. The final report from NCA CASI set forth what they found to be our school’s strengths as well as opportunities for improvement.

What does accreditation mean for New Way? Accreditation means that our students have:

Highly qualified teachers Access to a rich, diverse, and sound curriculum Access to a range of student activities and support services Transferability of credits from school to school Greater access to federal loans, scholarships, post secondary education, and military programs that require

accreditation

The school credits that students earn at an NCA CASI accredited school are recognized by schools, colleges, and uni-

versities globally. Through reciprocal agreements with sister accrediting organizations, students can continue their edu-

cational goals in the United States or around the world. The final report from NCA CASI detailed what they found to be our school’s greatest strengths. The NCA Quality Assur-ance Review Team issued the following commendations:

Evidence revealed comprehensive assessment and achievement data are utilized in program planning and instructional methodology.

Student needs are the priority at the school.

Interviews and documentation revealed that teachers are highly trained and certified.

Staff members expressed their dedication to the school and the desire to continue working with the students at the school.

Evidence indicated that teachers are well-prepared and continue a commitment to professional development and training.

New Way will participate in an accreditation renewal process every five years. This will help ensure an ongoing cycle of continuous improvement for our school. All New Way stakeholders are encouraged to visit the NCA CASI web site at www.ncacasi.org for a more detailed explanation of the process.

www.newwayacademy.org

NCA CASI representatives are welcomed to New Way for a day of class observations and meetings with staff and students.

Students Ali Futch, Carrigon Sanders, Victor Terrazas, Reed Heller, and Jacob Kirstein are interviewed by the Accreditation team.

We Love Bulldog Support!

NWLA is Accredited!

Help Support New Way!

New Way Fall Kick-Off! Save this Date!

Friday, September 25

Great Ways to Support New Way

Volunteer your time and talents! Donate through the Arizona Private Education Tax Credit Program, while earning a dollar- for-dollar tax credit! Attend our special events—and bring some friends. Remember us in your estate planning. Call for our school’s Wish List featuring classroom materials, technology tools and more. Sponsor one of our special events: Fall Kick-Off, Bike/Walk-A-Thon, and our Spring Dinner and Auction. Ask your corporation or business about gift matching programs. Help us connect with individuals, businesses, and foundations that support education and children’s

causes. Donate trips, restaurant gift certificates, gift baskets, and other fun items for our Auction!

All gifts are truly appreciated!

Please Join Us in Kicking Off a Great School Year!

Friday, September 25

Parent Meeting: 5-6

Meet the teachers and get into the New Way mix, Then head outside for your b-b-q fix.

Kick-Off Party from 6-8

Grab yer’ boots and mosey on down, To the most school-spirited party in town!

$10 per person includes dinner and loads of rootin’ tootin’ fun! Admission to be collected at the event.

Help New Way kick off a great year! Many opportunities will be available.

Look for your invitations in the mail!

Please contact Abbey Fief with any questions: fief@newwayacademy.org or by phone at 480-946-9112, ext. 102.

Giddyup, partners! We hope to see you there!

Special thanks to our 2008-2009 Annual Fund Donors!

BULLDOG SOCIETY ($5,000 and above) Floyd Bienstock and Beverly Beddow Bret and Sharon Edson Jon and Carrie Hulburd Leah Lewis

PRINCIPAL’S LIST ($1,000-$4,999) Ryan and Tyra Barradas Bill Berkley Wade and Kathy Campbell Russ and Bonnie Greey John and Barbara Fuller Bob and Dawn Gutierrez Bob and Paula Hardison Rich Johnson Tom and Anne Jones Rosemary Shockman Kerry Wangberg and Elaine Cardwell

HONOR ROLL ($500-$999) Bill and Isabel Rousseau Carol Ann Erickson Daniel and Jill Kessler Erin VanDenburgh

SCHOLAR ($250-$499) Brad and Holly Badke Ann S. Brown Mona Ornstein Marjorie Schmidt

Join us in Appreciating New Way’s Teachers!

Looking for a way to show your appreciation for our wonderful faculty and staff?

Join fellow parents in bringing lunch for teachers and staff on a

teacher in-service day.

You can ‘make and bake’ it or ‘buy and bring’ it!

Too busy to shake and bake? Cash donations are also welcome—these help pay for paper goods, delivered meals for Saturday full day

in-service sessions and other teacher appreciation items.

To learn more or to join the fun, contact our Teacher/Staff Appreciation Coordinator:

Natalie Hill

(480) 946-9112, ext. 107

Thanks for helping to show our teachers and staff just how much we appreciate all they do!

Over 80% of New Way’s faculty and staff

contributed to our Annual Fund. Thank you for your

commitment to our school and our students!

The Annual Fund plays a vital role in the continued success of our school. A gift supports the school's on-going opera-tional needs and financial assistance programs in the current fiscal year. Every day, our students benefit from the support of our alumni, parents, grandparents, and friends. With a goal of $100,000, our Annual Fund provides the simplest way to support the educational experience at New Way Learning Academy. We hope you will join us by contributing to our 2009-2010 Annual Fund between now and July 31, 2010!

New Way’s Wish List!

Most of our classroom and school supplies are included in our annual operating budget. The items included in our "Wish List" are materials that would further enhance and strengthen our programs for our students. Equipment for the Upper School Fitness Room

Free weights Jump ropes Resistance bands Medicine and bosu balls Yoga mats

Flip video cameras Digital cameras

Do you have a success story to share? We’d love to hear from you!

Dawn Gutierrez, Head of School, ext. 103

Abbey Fief, Director of Development , ext. 102

DEADLINE FOR WINTER NEWSLETTER ITEMS IS FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 6th.

We Are Proud of Our Students!

Harry Jones selected as Peer

Leader

NWLA Students Excel at Chess

Bulldog Biscuits Raise Money for

New Way

Helping Hands Club Kicks into

High Gear

NWLA High School Student Harry Jones selected as Peer Leader

High school junior Harry Jones was selected to be a Peer Leader for Workshops for Youth and Fami-lies! This prestigious honor comes after an intense application process that Harry successfully com-pleted. To be a candidate for this highly competitive position, students must have recently completed a weeklong summer workshop and be at least 15 years of age with a C average or better. Being a Peer Leader is a big time commitment, as each Leader volunteers more than 350 hours a year during their 3 years of service. Workshops for Youth and Families is an award-winning nonprofit organization that was founded in 1979 to foster personal lead-ership and resiliency in youth through programs that inspire positive growth and change. Since its inception, WYF has served more than 20,000 youth and their families through week-long summer programs and year-round afternoon programs for ages 9-19. By providing a safe and engaging learning environment, WYF helps youth develop social and emotional skills, nurture strengths, gain tools to face peer pressure and learn how to build strong, healthy friendships. To find out more about Workshops

for Youth and Families, please visit www.orho.org. Harry reports that he is thrilled about his selection as Peer Leader: “I am very excited about being a Peer Leader because I was verbally and emotionally bullied ay my old school and want to help out kids who are in that same situation. Also, I think it will be a lot of fun, but yet a lot of hard work. Another reason I am excited to be a peer leader is because I love the program, Workshops for Youth and Families. I feel strongly that every kid should go to Workshop. One of the main reasons I became a peer leader was to be in the great network of friends with the other peer leaders. This program is amazing because at Workshop, you don’t have to worry about what you do or say. You can just be yourself. “

Bulldog Biscuits and Helping Hands!

Ruff! Ruff! Mrs. Harrington’s economics class completed a

Bulldog Biscuits project during the spring semester. While learning to prepare healthy dog treats, the class learned about the fi-nancial aspects of running a business from creating a business plan to calculating prof-its. This project raised more than $400 for a secret and very special project at New Way. Be sure to keep your eyes open on the first day of school as we can’t wait to unveil our surprise. Thank you, New Way families for your support!

The Career Exploration class was also busy in the spring semester. This group of high school students formed the Helping Hands club, performing community service for our New Way community. Students helped secondary teachers pack, organize sup-plies, run errands and clean out storage facilities as everyone prepared for the end of school. While perform-ing service, students also developed and practiced on-the-job skills which will help them as they transition to life beyond New Way.

Thank You

Annual Fund Donors

Teacher Appreciation at

New Way

New Way’s Wish List

NWLA Students Excel at Chess!

Chess Coaches Woody Woodson and FIDE Master Pedram Atoufi mentored the chess program at NWLA through Unity Chess Club. Both coaches were impressed with the enthusiasm of the students. Coach Woody summarizes: "No matter the students' skill level when the program started, every student improved to the point that they are all capable of competitively representing themselves in any scholastic event in the area. We now have a bona-fide chess team."

Jake Slavik, a New Way junior, demonstrated a competitive trait that made the difference for him: resolve. He came back from behind in more games than anyone else this semester and had to win the hard way once again in the NWLA tournament. Coach Woody is impressed: "Attitude is a very important ingredient in success. Even though losses didn't count in this tournament for-mat, wasted time definitely adds up. Jake was forced on occasion to come up with a working plan with what he had left, or else. His extra effort was the de-ciding factor this semester."

Unity Chess Club is continuing their scholastic chess program at NWLA this fall. Chess is a fun skill-building and learning tool that students of every age and ability can enjoy. "I know there are lots of young kids out there that don't know how much fun chess is, and that in 5 weeks, even 4-year-olds and abso-lute beginners are usually pounding their parents," says Coach Woody. "The biggest benefits of chess come from playing the game, not mastering it. Once kids see that most of their original ideas actually work on a chessboard and they don't have to be clones to win, the fun accelerates. Kids would rather be their own entertainment than watch someone else's ideas on TV. They don't have to give up creative control, and their parents love it."

For more information about Unity Chess Club, call them at (480) 949-5464 or look up www.unitychess.com.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

EXECUTIVE BOARD

Floyd Bienstock Chairman Rosemary Shockman Vice Chairman Ryan Barradas Treasurer Jill Kessler Secretary Kerry Wangberg

Nominations

MEMBERS at LARGE

Ann S. Brown Lois Goode Wallace Graham Dawn Gutierrez Bob Hardison Jon Hulburd

Evelyn Wiseman EX-OFFICIO

Deborah Fash

New Way Learning Academy Mission and Vision Statement

“The mission of New Way Learning Academy is to educate children with learning differences to fulfill their potential.” Our vision at New Way Learning Academy is a nationally renowned school providing students with learning differences:

Exemplary educational instruction State of the art remediation for areas of challenge Optimum social experiences Opportunity and encouragement to unlock strengths and

talents

As a result, New Way develops confident life-long learners who lead enhanced, productive lives and serve as positive examples of what individuals with learning differences can achieve.

A Message from Abbey Fief, Director of Development

Welcome back to school! After a successful 2008-2009 year, I am thrilled to continue my development work for New Way. The Development office plays a vital role in funding programs, professional development, and many important enhancements to our school. Our special events, including a western-themed Fall Kick-Off, a rockin’ Bike-a-Thon, and our annual Spring Dinner and Auction, Taking Flight, were incredibly successful (and lots of fun!) Thanks to the generous support from our New Way family, we raised over $260,000 through our events last year!

We launched our first ever Annual Campaign in the fall. Many generous families, alumni and community members contributed to this important fund. In addition, the Arizona Tax Credit, which provides crucial scholarships to our students, brought in nearly $200,000.

This year will bring even more growth to New Way. As we complete the first phase of our school’s redevelopment plan, we are eager to make even more exciting improvements all around campus! The next phases will be announced in the coming months.

We are excited to increase support of our Annual Fund, beginning this fall. We also would like to invite all of our New Way friends back to campus for our Fall Kick–Off on Friday, September 25!

Here’s to another terrific school year. Thank you for all that you do!

Abbey Fief

Congratulations Class of 2009

Graduates!

Aubrey Farnsworth

Tim Jackson

Rowan Meredith

Victor Terrazas

Sydney Kramer

Kristian Vollick

Max Hatch

Taylor Collicci

Best of luck to you in your future endeavors!

EARN A TAX CREDIT WHILE SUPPORTING STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS!

What? Receive a dollar-for-dollar tax credit on your 2009 Arizona state taxes for dollars donated to New Way via our school tuition organization, New Valley Education Partners (NVEP). Single taxpayers or heads of households can give up to $500 and married couples filing jointly can give up to $1,000. Your gift to NVEP will go directly to scholar-ships for New Way students who would otherwise be unable to attend our very special school! Who? Any Arizona taxpayer filing a tax return for 2009 can participate. Our goal is 100% parent, faculty, administration, and board participation. Any Arizona taxpayer can donate to NVEP for New Way scholarships—alumni, friends, grandparents, neighbors, and business colleagues. Why? You’ll earn a tax credit on your 2009 Arizona state taxes—and may also be able to claim a tax deduction on your 2009 federal income taxes. Even if you don’t know a child at New Way, you can use this program to make a difference while lowering your own tax liability. How? Simply make your contribution by check or credit card using the form below. It’s that quick—it’s that easy! When? Your gift must be received no later than December 31, 2009. Checks must be postmarked by this date, while credit cards must be processed by this date. Sending your donation today assures you won’t forget during the end-of-the-year rush—and helps New Way gauge the amount of scholarship monies it is likely to have available for new and returning students with financial need.

Thank you for supporting scholarships at New Way!

Arizona Private Education Tax Credit 2009 Donation Form

Yes! I want to take advantage of the Arizona Education Tax Credit 2009 to support scholarships for students at New Way Learning Academy…

I would like to donate: $ __________ (Up to $1,000 if filing jointly/Up to $500 if filing individually) Enclosed is my check made payable to NVEP (New Valley Education Partners) Please charge my Visa, MasterCard, American Express or Discover card Account #: ______________________________________ Exp. Date: ___________ Signature: ______________________________________ Date: _______________ Donor Name (Please print): ______________________________________________ Spouse Name (If filing jointly): ___________________________________________ Billing address: _________________________ City: _____________ Zip: ________ Daytime telephone: _______________________ Email: _______________________

All tax credit donations benefit New Way Learning Academy through the school tuition organization New Valley Education Partners, a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization. Donations should be sent to New Way Learning Academy at

1300 N. 77th St., Scottsdale, AZ 85257.

Thank you for supporting our students!

1300 N. 77th Street Scottsdale, AZ 85257

The New Way Times ● Fall 2009● Calendar & Contacts

Leadership Team

Dawn Gutierrez, M.Ed. Head of School

Abbey Fief

Director of Development

Jerri-Lynn Akers Controller

Denise Collier

Director of Admissions

Natalie Hill Administrative Assistant

Carmen Begay

Receptionist

INQUIRIES & INFORMATION

TEL: 480.946.9112 FAX: 480.946.2657

info@newwayacademy.org www.newwayacademy.org

Important Dates to Remember:

Aug. 24 Welcome Back Students! Aug. 24-26 Noon Dismissal Sept. 7 Labor Day Holiday Sept. 25 School Pictures Sept. 25 Noon Dismissal – Teacher In-service Sept. 25 Parent Meeting/Fall Kick-Off—5-8 PM Oct. 15 Noon Dismissal – Fall Recess Oct. 16 Fall Recess Oct. 26-27 Noon Dismissals – Parent/Teacher Conferences Nov.11 Veteran’s Day Holiday Nov. 25 Noon Dismissal – Thanksgiving Recess Nov. 26-27 Thanksgiving Recess

Please consult our website for calendar changes and updates. www.newwayacademy.org

PLEASE VISIT OUR CAMPUS! Admissions and community tours by appointment.

Call (480) 946-9112 ext. 101 www.newwayacademy.org

Nonprofit Org. U.S. Postage Paid

Scottsdale AZ Permit No. 629