What We Believe
- The model for New School is a healthy extended family, where there are no secrets.
- Unsuccessful behaviors, self-destructive behaviors, antisocial behaviors, substance abuse, and apathy (including academic apathy) are usually symptomatic of underlying personal issues, often due to dysfunctional relationships at home or negative experiences in earlier childhood.
- To acknowledge personal stress and pain, a trusting relationship with a responsible adult is very helpful, and building this relationship is the primary goal of our staff. We expect students to put us in their "Quality World."*
- Once personal issues are acknowledged through honesty, behaviors impeding a youth's success can be dealt with more effectively.
- The first step in change is to admit one's errors, and commit to not making the same mistakes again.
- Specifically, we have learned that youth who have loyalties to gangs, drugs or alcohol must renounce those relationships or there is not much we can do to help.
- Everyone can learn and improve (change) if they really want to.
- Learning happens best when people feel physically and emotionally safe.
- Rewards and punishment have limited use in real personal change*.
- Life is not fair. You can only control your own behavior.
- We expect everyone (including staff) to constantly challenge themselves to do their best work (both academically, interpersonally, and intrapersonally), and continually learn and improve. We call this Quality Work.*
- Although it is often difficult to repair damaged family relationships, when youth have begun to change negative behaviors, it is important that their families and support groups be involved, so that long-lasting trusting relationships can be built.
- Youth need to have some say in what they learn and how their school runs. Our goal is to help students achieve their own objectives*, which include passing the California High School Exit Exams and graduating.