Planning Growth - New Summit Academy Costa Rica

Planning Growth - the MGP and the Individualized PROPS Plan

We use the term "personal growth" instead of "therapy" to define what we do at NSA. Our students are not broken and do not need to be fixed. Part of what we model and teach is that every human being is on a personal growth journey throughout their entire lives. What is most important is to understand one's own process of personal growth and one's unique way of reflecting, learning, growing, changing, setting and reaching goals, and becoming their best self so that this process of integrative growth can be applied throughout one's life.

Master Goal Plan (MGP)

When a student arrives to New Summit Academy, a “road map” is created by his assigned Case Manager to ensure that the overall needs of the family are met. This “map” is known as the Master Goal Plan (MGP); it incorporates information from previous placements, testing, transcripts, and application documents to create a list of “areas of attention” that the student and family wish to intentionally address while at NSA. From these areas, specific goals, interventions, and indicators of success are outlined.

Individual PROPS Goal Plan (PROPS)

In order to empower students to actualize their personal growth process, Individual PROPS Goal Plans are developed by the student himself, along with the help of his PROPS team (consisting of at least the Therapist, Academic Advisor, and one experiential education mentor who meet with the student weekly). The PROPS plan includes goals, steps needed to reach these goals, indicators of success, and recommendations for how the PROPS team can support the student in that process. This plan is made at the beginning of each academic quarter and is revised or updated as needed to reflect the student’s interest and engagement in his personal growth.

The Student's Journey

Orientation Student

When a student first arrives to NSA, he moves through an initial adaptation period known as Base. During this phase (which can last from 4-5 weeks to a couple of months), an incoming student is supported by selected peer mentors and the Orientation Team of staff who usher him through the “ins and outs” of the program. The student engages in activities and meetings to ensure he becomes comfortable in the milieu and refrains from the use of internet or personal headphones during this time in order to stay present and engage with his immediate social environment. As the student moves through this period (by engaging in a required number of groups and activities, maintaining an orderly living space, being on time and completing academic and campus-related responsibilities, becoming socially connected, etc.) he can earn his way to Regular Status which is granted by an Honor Council Meeting decision which allows the use of (non-explicit) personal music, internet, etc.

Regular Student

All students are equal in the sense that we do not have a "level system" or "phases" to go through once students complete the orientation phase. All regular students (unless otherwise indicated by an Honor Council Meeting decision) have access to off campus activities, 45 minutes to 1 hour of personal internet use in the evenings, iPods with appropriate music, and access to their academic technology tools during the school day and evening. All students are expected to participate in the breadth and depth of activities that NSA offers - from school to recreation to counseling to peer support.

Honors Credit

Honors credit is available for any student wishing to take on extra challenges academically or in their personal growth process. Honors challenges can be designed with a student's PROPS team to earn honors credit in class, earn more access to technology or individualized activities, or advocate for extra time to pursue passions and connections with family and friends.

We hope that all students achieve some level of honors challenge by the time they are nearing transition back home. There are ample opportunities to develop plans to practice skills in a way that shows mastery.

Transition Planning

All students work on creating a transition plan. Students engages in transition workshops that teach life skills, independent living, and relapse prevention. Families also participate in this planning with parent coaches and workshops. Parents are a key part of the process and appreciate the Transition Plan as a tool to use so that expectations are clear and there is less conflict once a student returns home, enrolls in a more traditional boarding school, or goes to college.