Each student is a member of a "Crew" – a small group of 14 students with a “Crew leader” (staff advisor) who knows students and their families deeply and stays with the same crew for all 4 years. Crews meet daily to support one another’s growth through teambuilding, outside-of-school adventures, mindfulness skill building, and shared personal and academic reflection.  Every Crew member knows they have a safe place to do the hard work of learning and growing.  

The Crew leader is a student’s primary coach in the process of individualizing their education, helping lead each student's Navigation Team, supporting the success of internships, and helping students to make academic choices that get them closer to their personal goals.  

Nobody "falls through the cracks" at New Village Academy.

Each student spends 1-2 days per week learning in a workplace under a mentor with expertise in the skills the student wants to acquire. Internships become progressively more focused on students’ career interests and involve increasing responsibility and preparation for well-paid, impactful careers.

Workplace mentors play a crucial positive role in the student's education and in the school community, becoming a member of their student's Navigation Team.  Mentors often grow as much from the internship experience as the students they work with. 

Sometimes direct instruction is the best way to learn specific information or skills. Students with targeted needs in basic or grade-level academic competencies or in specialized training can access those skills through "skills workshops" led by New Village teachers, individualized online training programs, and AACC courses.  Crew reflection activities and Navigation Teams help students recognize the need to develop specific skills to achieve their own future plans and develop the best approach to accessing those skills.  No one is "behind" or "advanced" because everyone is on their own learning path.

All students must pass through two Gateways on their path to graduation.  The first Gateway requires demonstration of maturity, self-knowledge, community contribution, and basic academic skills that are necessary for success in any career and life pathway - what educators call "College and Career Readiness."  Most, but not all, students are ready to pass through this Gateway after their second year at the school.  

The second Gateway requires additional demonstration of personal growth and leadership; more specialized skills and preparation for college or career next steps; financial, digital, and communication literacy; and a public presentation of a thorough, realistic, well-designed plan for the future.  Passing through both Gateways, along with the awarding of required high school credits, is a prerequisite for graduation from New Village Academy.  Each Gateway transition is honored by the entire New Village community and symbolizes an important step in personal growth as well as preparation for future career and citizenship.     

The school community is a collaborative one – decisions are made with the input of the people most impacted by them, including both staff AND students. An optional, inclusive School Council meets weekly after school, where students, staff, and community mentors can all weigh in on decisions and have their voices heard. Students, teachers, counselors, and custodians all contribute to the school vision and make thoughtful, supported decisions about how best to respond to student needs.  This process takes time but creates a more united, resilient, and effective school with deeply invested students, staff, and community.