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New Way Academy
Zona got the chance to catch up with Abbey Ross,
Executive Director and Mike Walker, Head of School at New
Way Academy on their excitement about their new campus.
What is the most exciting thing to you about your new school buildings?
We had many things on our “Campus Wish List”, and this campus has it all! Our students are
now enjoying a gymnasium for PE and sports, a cafeteria, a stage for performances, and two
large playing fields. The campus is very safe, and we are enjoying our larger classrooms and
expansive technology as well.
What changes/improvements have you made in preparations for the students’ arrival?
The new campus provides many new opportunities for our students, and we wanted to ensure
that students felt right at home. In the month before we began school, we painted every room
with the brain-based colors of our previous campus. Three walls are a neutral shade of beige,
and the focus wall, where we place the Smartboard and students focus their attention, is a
calming shade of blue. Thanks to generous donations from Dunn-Edwards and Lowe’s, along
with over a hundred volunteers, we completed the painting in time for our students to arrive on
the first day!
Much closer than you think!
3600 N. 3rd Avenue, Phoenix
602-412-4033
Check www.GoodNightPeds.com for additional locations
Bigger school means more students, right? How many more students do you plan to bring in
because of your expansion?
The demand for a New Way Academy education is high, and our former campus was too
small to accommodate any additional students. Because our academic program is rooted
in individualized instruction, our school model will always be true to a smaller student
population. Because of our additional classrooms and teachers, we look forward to expanding
our enrollment from 150 to 250 over the next few years. This includes students from grades
K-12. Our new campus allows us to create a distinct space for the Lower, Junior, and
High School.
What are the biggest changes that the students will see day-to-day besides the bigger campus?
Anything in particular inside the classrooms?
Our education model has proven successful, and the core of New Way will remain the
same. New Way Academy serves students with learning differences including dyslexia, ADHD,
and challenges with executive functioning. The campus provides our teachers additional
opportunities to hone in on exactly what each student needs to be successful. Teachers are
certainly enjoying the additional square footage in their classrooms for instruction. Lessons
are based on multi-sensory instruction, and having extra room to explore and create has been
wonderful. Our sign language teacher has a large classroom, and our PE coach now has a
workout and yoga room, a gymnasium, and a soccer and football field!
A Tradition of Excellence
• Cumulative ITBS test scores rank in the top 6% in the nation.
• Acceptance rates to Catholic High Schools are consistently the
highest in the diocese.
• Educators have unmatched qualifications; 2/3 have a Master’s
degree or beyond.
• Enhanced curriculum includes: art, music, athlet ics and Spanish.
• Consistent emphasis on core Catholic principles such as faith,
love, charity and service.
Consider giving your child the gift of an excellent Catholic education!
Call for more information and to schedule a school tour.
Limited Space Available
Transitional Kindergarten (age 4 1/2) through Grade 8
4510 N. 24th St., Phoenix, AZ 85016
602-954-9088 • www.staphx.org
6 \ December 2013
Students are enjoying the gym, especially with the shiny new Bulldog floor. Thanks to a very
generous donor, we have completed a custom floor that reads, “Home of the Bulldogs”. The
timing is perfect, as our Junior High and High School Basketball teams prepare to host their
first home games in the coming weeks. Our High School team has been to the playoffs for the
last two years, and they are excited to have a home court to bring home some victories.
How long has this process been for the New Way Team? What is in store for you all now?
We had been searching for a larger campus for quite some time. This school is a dream
come true, and we love that our students have embraced the new campus with such great
energy. They are walking around the campus like we’ve been here for years!
Anything else that you would like to add that you think our readers should know?
We are happy to welcome members of the community out for a tour. Interested students and
parents, teachers, and neighbors that would like to see how we’ve transformed the school—our
doors are always open to you!
inthezona.com