Did You Know?
Why do I say that New Vistas is a “tiny school with a mighty Mission”?
Because what we do matters so much, even though we only serve between 35 and 45 students per year.
The FACTS are startling.
The Center for Disease Control says that one in every 68 babies born will have Autism Spectrum Disorder (some data say as high as one in 88!).
Families aren’t ready for this. Schools aren’t ready for this. To many students on the spectrum, noise and crowding alone in a traditional school are more than enough to create overstimulation and disrupt learning.
NVS is finding that our individualized, structured program, in a quiet environment without regular and random interruptions for announcements and bells, is appropriate for high functioning students diagnosed with ASD.
From the most recent state and federal statistics, 66% of incarcerated people in the US have a learning disability of some sort. That’s stunning and disturbing, since only between five and 20% of the population HAVE learning disabilities.
WHY this dramatically high rate in the juvenile and adult justice system? Failure, frustration, underemployment, unemployment. These are all realistic factors. Without an education that meets their needs, these people are LESS likely than their “normal” peers to become productive, contributing citizens.
This is why when we SAVE A CHILD, SAVE A FAMILY, and SAVE A COMMUNITY—each and every time, for one child at a time—we are making a difference in the quality of life for all of us.
The Virginia Department of Education licenses NVS to serve children with Specific Learning Disabilities (which includes Dyslexia), AD/HD (a form of Other Health Impairment), and Autism Spectrum Disorder (high functioning only).
Even if our fine public schools do a successful job with 95% of those students with learning problems in the region, NVS is still NECESSARY for that 5% that can’t be served in a regular day school.
Yes, there are plenty of reasons to say that New Vistas is a “tiny school with a mighty Mission.”
Charlotte G. Morgan, MEd, MFA
Head of School, New Vistas School
