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connections
News and campus highlights connecting the New Way Academy family. Winter 2016 | Volume 1 | Issue 2
Executive Function at Home Managing Time at Home heck lists help students C of all ages understand sequential events and household expectations. For example: • A before school checklist that includes a morning schedule and backpack check list; • Laminated hygiene steps posted in the bathroom to be checked off with a dry-erase marker; • Schedules with pictures which can facilitate time management, especially in younger students. Set timers and verbalize time reminders to help develop a concept of time. We often find that students have a skewed sense of time. Discuss how long activities will take to help students develop a realistic concept of time. Communicate with your child’s teacher and see if you can implement consistent organization systems at home to strengthen classroom strategies.
At New Way, we strive to equip students with the tools, experience and self-awareness to flourish. While every student has diverse strengths and areas of need, one of the greatest predictors of lifelong academic, professional, and personal success are Executive Function skills. Executive Function affects our ability to maintain attention, time-management, organization, and working-memory. As Executive Function directly affects virtually every aspect of life, it only makes sense that we support the development of these skills both in and out of the classroom, across all ages. Parents often inquire about ideas to use at home to further support these developing areas. The good news is, it can be fun and easy to work on these skills at home! You can start using these simple ideas today: · Play Together. A simple card or board game allows children to expand their understanding of cause and effect, while practicing mental flexibility and rule following. Games that require matching cards and memory can strengthen working memory, organization strategies, and attention. Jenga is a great game for all ages! It requires planning, impulse control, and self-monitoring. Players have to assess the pieces each turn before making a plan of action, which requires flexible thinking.
by Laura Casanova
Above all else, encouraging sportsmanship and positive social interactions support the development of emotional regulation. · Lead by Example. Tools such as a family calendar, color coding systems, labels, and task lists support the development of skills as children can practice time-management, organization, and self-monitoring. [See sidebar for specific ideas.] · Practice and Praise. Developing new skills requires time, patience, and consistency. Only select one task to work on at a time. Focus energy and resources on developing this one goal. Too much at once can be discouraging. Set small, specific, manageable goals and celebrate growth and success along the way. Positive reinforcement can be particularly effective at all ages. For younger students, sticker charts or a point system to earn bigger prizes can be used to maintain motivation. This also helps develop cause and effect and impulse control, as it requires a long term reward. Children with deficits in Executive Function may express frustration or fatigue as they are challenged to grow in these areas. Ultimately, we must remember that all new skills require practice! We hope you find comfort in knowing there are many diverse and creative ways to support the development of Executive Function at home. Should you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the Executive Function staff at New Way. We are happily and readily available to support your student’s success however we possibly can!
5048 E. Oak Street | Phoenix, AZ 85008 | 602.629.6850 | newwayacademy.org
campus events New Way Academy Gives Back
“People are always doing stuff for us, so we need to start doing things for other people.” Zachary LeGrand (5th grade)
by Kendall Chester
Over the last year, New Way students have donated thousands of hours volunteering at shelters, organizing food and clothing drives, and contributing their time to activities that show they are committed to helping improve the lives of others through community service. And students at New Way are doing things for others in a big way. Last year all grade levels came together to donate over 1,200 non-perishable food items to the St. Vincent De Paul Food Bank and over 700 sweatshirts to Tumbleweeds, a non-profit supporting homeless teens and young adults. New Way high school students are learning important leadership skills and compassion through an on-going partnership with ICM Food and Clothing Bank. Selected students visit the ICM Bank twice a month to help sort donations, pack food boxes, and assist food bank clients. This fall, students took quick
action to organize an emergency food and clothing drive after learning that the ICM Bank was experiencing a severe shortage. In one week, New Way students delivered over 500 pounds of food and clothing to help alleviate the shortage! Other leadership groups have also stepped up to help. Our High School Student Government organized a toy drive for patients at Phoenix Children’s Hospital, collecting over 620 toys for kids in need. Before the Thanksgiving holiday, Ms. Jillette’s classes organized a school-wide food drive to benefit a food bank in the New Way neighborhood, setting a New Way record by collecting 2,459 items! Students at New Way Academy are proud to be able to help people in the community and are eager to continue to find ways to make a difference.
A Thoughtful Conversation With Noah Mangus, Director of Admissions Tell us a little bit about your background. I was born and raised in South Bend, Indiana, the second of three very large, “corn-fed” boys. My brothers were over 10 lbs when they were born, and I tipped the scales at a whopping 12 lbs. 6oz. I guess you could say that I took the cake. If sports hadn’t been invented, I'm not sure what I would have done with myself growing up because there was nothing else to do. Literally, nothing. After graduating from Ball State University with a B.S. in Health and Physical Education, I moved to Los Angeles to pursue teaching. This led me to working for three years as a PE teacher, meeting my wife, opening up four gyms, being blessed with two healthy kiddos, and serving as a private school admissions director before making the decision to join the New Way family last summer. Describe yourself in three words. Big, goofy, and … (sorry, I ran out of words). What do you enjoy most about Arizona so far? Being able to tell my extended family that it really is a dry heat and that there actually are more Cubs fans in Phoenix than Chicago. But in all seriousness, getting to meet all the staff and families that make New Way such a wonderful place is what I continue to enjoy every single day.
What are three things on your bucket list? To continue to avoid running a marathon by all means necessary. To make sure I do whatever I can to never have to intentionally jump from an airplane. Lastly, I would like to invent a box that will have a built-in pouch to hold a little ketchup container so you can effortlessly dip your french fries without having to deal with the frustration and mess that accompanies the opening of each of those silly little individual packets. What is one interesting or little known fact about yourself? I taught myself how to play the piano. When you aren't working, what are your favorite things to do? I love re-enacting WWE wrestling moves with my two partners in crime, Lily (aka Lucy the Destructor, age 5), and Gavin (aka Gavin the Mangificent, age 21 months). I love to entertain guests and host BBQs, go to different types of sporting events, outdoor activities like hiking and biking, and getting involved in anything that has the words “ping” and “pong” in it.
ION & AU CT N EW WAY ACAD E MY
GALA
Announcing the 2017 Auction & Gala! Lori Raimbeault and Karolina Donis New Way Auction & Gala Co-Chairs
SAVE THE DATE New Way Auction & Gala Saturday, May 6, 2017 Jetlinx Hangar at Scottsdale Airpark.
High School Emergenetics
New Way moms and auction co-chairs, Lori Raimbeault and Karolina Donis, are excited to announce our upcoming New Way Academy Auction & Gala, "Let Your Dreams Take Flight", scheduled for Saturday, May 6, 2017 at the Jetlinx Hangar at the Scottsdale Airpark. Informational packets will be coming home with your student early in the new year. Our generous parent volunteers are an integral part of making our annual Auction & Gala a wonderful evening and successful fundraiser. Please watch the New Way weekly emails for our volunteer meeting schedule, beginning in January. We have many exciting opportunities to make this year's event a soaring success!
by Hattie Linam
Recently, high school students took a personality inventory to determine their Emergenetics Youth Report. Emergenetics is a way to identify common behavior and thinking patterns to promote a greater understanding of ourselves and each other. The tool focuses on seven attributes that are separated into two different categories. The thinking attributes are analytical, structural, social and conceptual. The behavior attributes are expressiveness, assertiveness, and flexibility. This winter, each high school student will receive their Youth Report, which will help them gain a better understanding of personality factors that relate to work, communication, and interpersonal relationships. The Youth Reports will be used by students and staff to build self-esteem, understand motivational drivers, and build appreciation for the strengths and perspectives of others.
The New Way Fashion Show is Back! by Lauren DuBois The second annual New Way Academy Fashion Show will be February 24th from 5:30–6:30 p.m. Our students will be rocking the runway this year for the local charity, Ryan's House. The team at Ryan’s House combines compassion with state-of-the-art care to guide children through their unique health journey, while providing the whole family with peace, comfort, and support. Admission will be based on cash or check donation with all proceeds going directly back to the charity. Let's celebrate fashion and impact our community in a big way!
Thank You to Our Generous Community Partners! by Kendall Chester This fall, New Way Academy was the recipient of two significant grants which will help bring new programs and improvements to campus! The Charles E. Benidt Foundation has generously funded a Health and Wellness Initiative which will bring new opportunities for students and staff to learn about and practice healthy lifestyle choices. In addition, Fiesta Bowl Charities has contributed a significant grant to support much needed updates to our cafeteria, which will be renamed the New Way Cafe. New Way is incredibly grateful for the support of our community partners. We are excited to share more details about these programs soon!
A Football Season to Remember by Michael Walker The High School Football team enjoyed another great season and qualified for the state playoffs for the second year in a row, with a 5-3 record. It was a senior heavy team led by All State Running Back, Elijah Colon, and All State Lineman, Jordan Soucie. The offense and defense both broke several school records and definitely made it a season to remember! There's a group of seniors that have set the foundation for our football program and we are all very proud of what they accomplished. Also, a big thanks to the volunteer coaches that gave up their afternoons and evenings to be a big part of these kids’ lives.
student spotlight
The Amazing Cast of Annie! After months of practice, New Way's lower school performed the much anticipated musical “Annie Kids” on December 2nd and 3rd. The students' hard work paid off as the nearly sold out crowds were blown away by the cast's performance and the exceptional set design. Maritess Helgeson shone as the title character, Annie, which included a stand out solo performance of the classic “Tomorrow”. Zachary LeGrand gave a very convincing performance as Daddy Warbucks, while Kellie Jones warmed hearts as the kind Grace Farrell. Natalie Paynter made the audience laugh and cry in her performance as the cruel Miss Hannigan. Liam Kruidenier and
There’s no place like New Way! The Fine Arts Department is excited to announce the spring musical, “The Wizard of Oz” for all upper school students. You will not want to miss our talented students in this timeless classic the weekend of May 12th, 2017! AUDITIONS will take place on three days in Room #215: January 3, 3:15–4:15 p.m. January 4, 2:15–3:15 p.m. January 5, 3:15–4:15 p.m. Contact Ms. Alyssa Johnson at Johnson@NewWayAcademy.org if you have any questions.
Grace Brennan were flawless in their portrayal as the conniving duo Rooster Hannigan and Lily St. Regis. These lead roles were supported by an incredible cast, which included an impressive choreographed performance of “It’s a Hard Knock Life” by the Orphans. The production crew, led by Jordan Soucie, worked diligently behind the scenes to create the incredible set that made the story come to life. This performance would not have been possible without the leadership of our hard-working team of directors. Thank you, to Christina Kjonaas (Director), Patrick Watson (Musical Director), and Linda Bonnell (Production Crew Director) who gave countless hours to help our students memorize songs and lines, perfect design elements, and give students the confidence to get on stage. An extra special thank you to the dedicated stage parents for their time and energy that helped to make “Annie Kids” a success!
Support the Arts at New Way Academy and the show can go on and on, and on, and on! Help New Way Academy unlock $10,000 in matching funds for the Performing Arts Program by making a donation today! If New Way reaches the goal of raising $20,000 by June 1, 2017, a generous donor will contribute an additional $10,000 to the Performing Arts Program. These funds will allow us to improve and expand opportunities in the arts for our students. Please help us continue to provide performing arts opportunities at New Way Academy by making a donation today! Donation forms can be found in the front office.
Your tax credits open the door to their future! Please donate your private school tax credits to New Way Academy! For more info or to donate online, visit newwayacademy.org.