The "virtual" Newbury Academy
For its final year of 2008-2009, Newbury Academy conducted all classes online. Students worked from home during regular school times with a standard school calendar. Each day started by connecting with teachers on video calls using Skype. Students were given daily tasks for each of their classes. Papers were submitted via the website. Once a week, a teacher visited each student at home.
The Newbury Academy advantage
Depending on the student's grade level and ability, Newbury Academy provideed as many as 5 hours of online, real time instruction each day. In addition to this, teachers were available on Skype outside of regular class times, so if students had any questions or were in need of assistance, they could contact their teachers at any time.
Weekly home visits
Another advantage for students of Newbury Academy was that they could meet with a teacher in their home every week, as arranged by parents, students and teachers. This provided students with a chance to make sure everything was on track.
History
Newbury Academy was founded in 2001 in Bergen County, New Jersey. It was created to supply a need: to provide a safe, attentive alternative for high school students who experience difficulties in a traditional school setting. The first location was in Teaneck, NJ and in 2003 it moved to Dumont.
Students
Newbury Academy was a ‘custom built’ school according to its students’ needs. We maintained flexibility in order to accommodate any special requirements.
Our graduates have gone on to very promising futures! For example from the graduating class of 2005, two graduated from Rutgers University: one went on to complete a masters in business law, and the other a higher degree in psychology. Another Newbury grad went directly into an assistant pharmacist certification track, and with funding from a local pharmacy, has embarked on a PhD; and another graduate completed a certification from Lincoln Technical Institute and went on to study at Bergen Community College.
Teachers
The teachers at Newbury Academy were experienced, trained teachers, and met all requirements to teach their courses in the state of New Jersey. We were proud to have such exemplary teachers:
•Mrs Williams, our school's director, had been teaching in NJ since 1995 in a number of different capacities. She taught Sociology, Health, Media Studies, and facilitated the foreign language independent studies.
•Mrs McKinley started teaching in 1965 and has since helped nurture the education of thousands of students, especially those with learning disabilities. She taught English and French, and retired in 2009.
•Mr McKinley received national honors during his time at Newbury Academy, having scored in the highest 15% of all-time for examinees of the PRAXIS exam for secondary social studies teachers! He taught Civics and Trigonometry, and also retired in 2009.
•Ms Carter, our music teacher, is a critically acclaimed musician who has played in Carnegie Hall! She taught piano and flute and helped those interested with voice lessons.
•Ms Gribbon, our art teacher, is a textile artist who has been commissioned for numerous murals and has had work displayed in several galleries.