by June Portnoy
Does your child find it impossible to earn good grades at school no matter how hard they try? Do they feel ostracized by their peers because they are unlike the other kids?
If so, New Hope Academy (NHA) might be the ideal school for your child. “This is a non-traditional private school for kids in grades six through 12 who cannot thrive in a traditional school environment,” says Kathy Gana, NHA’s Founder and Executive Director.
Its student population consists of kids with emotional and learning disabilities, gifted and creative individualists and children suffering from anxiety and behavioral disorders. The school specializes in students with Attention Deficit Disorders (ADD), Oppositional Defiant Disorders (ODD), Obsessive Compulsive Disorders (OCD), Pervasive Developmental Disorders (PDD) and Asperger Syndrome.
Although NHA has a campus in Yardley and Doylestown, both locations operate as one school. NHA provides individualized education, not only for students with documented Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) but for all of its students. Each student progresses at his or her own pace, yet collectively they are challenged to stretch beyond their comfort levels and achieve beyond their expectations.
As opposed to traditional schools that place all children with special needs into one group, NHA looks at the specific needs of each child to determine which class setting will benefit them most. The ratio of students to teachers is two to one, and in some cases NHA offers one-on-one personalized teaching. These small groups enable kids to learn without the external distractions of peer pressure, teacher confrontation, or behavior problems.
“Sometimes we must teach our students how to succeed emotionally and socially before they can succeed academically,” adds Kathy.
NHA offers a nurturing environment where students feel comfortable.
“No student here is judged or made to feel different,” says Kathy. “We have no stigmas or cliques, and every child is made to feel accepted here. As a result, our students develop a mutual respect for each other.”
NHA inspires its students of reach their full potential. Perhaps that’s why 90% of NHA students go on to college. NHA is licensed and approved to grant high school diplomas in PA and NJ, and was established in 2000 to give new hope to students and parents. Year round open enrollment is available.
NHA has recently begun participating in social networking. You can now follow this school on Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. Visit NHA on YouTube and see videos of parent and student testimonials, teacher and administration interviews, graduation speeches and student projects. Visit www.newhopeacademy.net for links to these four sites.
METC (Motivational Educational Tutoring Co., Inc.) Tutoring Studio, established in 1972, is the managing company of NHA. Located at the same Yardley and Doylestown locations as NHA, it offers tutoring in all subjects for all ages (adults also), as well as test prep for all entrance and assessment testing (PSSA, Terra Nova, PSAT, SAT, ACT, HSPT, etc.).
METC is very unique, offering TRUE one-on-one tutoring for the entire session. Hours are Mondays through Fridays from 3:00pm until 9:00pm and Saturdays from 9:00am until 1:00pm. METC Tutoring Studio is open to the public, and parents and clients can now enjoy free Wi-Fi during tutoring hours. METC is also licensed by the PA Board of Education.
For more information about the Yardley location of New Hope Academy and METC, both located at 301 Oxford Valley Road, Building 1701, call 215-493-4200 or visit their websites. Call 215-345-9333 to reach the Doylestown location.
PHOTO CAP: New Hope Academy Class of 2011
