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Hello, community!
It is time for an update from NSA! Our parents have been receiving daily updates and weekly conference calls (as well as individualized calls) to process the situation, and they have been absolute troopers in making the tough decisions about whether to bring their sons home or leave them in Costa Rica to finish out the quarter as we shelter in place. Truth be told, we were conflicted about what to do, but we knew that if parents agreed, we could certainly shelter in place without losing our flow of academics, activities and therapeutic support. Almost all of our parents agreed, so here we are!
If you are curious about our decision-making processes and risk management protocols that we’ve been implementing since late February, feel free to reach out. We have back up plans in place and feel prepared for worst case scenarios, but we are optimistic and hoping for the best. Costa Rica took early preventative and precautionary measures and continues to implement policies that seem to be making a significant difference so far. We are proud of Costa Rica and our UN's representative's acknowledgment of our exceptional and innovative handling of the pandemic.
As for NSA, we are very proud of our team and how everyone came together to adapt and adjust to the “new normal” – from extra strict cleaning protocols (and additional cleaning staff and cooking staff in order to implement these protocols) …to inventing a whole new list of on campus activities. The students showed outstanding participation and ownership in building and setting up of all sorts of new on campus recreational activities like cornhole, frisbee golf, a horseshoe pit, a graffiti wall, bocce ball, ladder golf, etc. in addition to our already existing recreational options like basketball, ping pong, pool, etc.. It feels a bit like summer camp on the weekends and we’re grateful to be on 7 acres in a climate where we have plenty of space to be outdoors and active. At this point, boredom is a choice!
We understand that this is far from over. When the US issued a Level 4 Travel Advisory, we knew that we had a tough decision to make. We involved parents in the decision, and we found that almost all were more comfortable with their students staying here and continuing a healthy routine and progress towards graduation with therapeutic support, even if that meant not being able to fly home mid-May when the quarter ends. The various medical professionals in our parent group certainly helped confirm that decision. So with that collaborative decision made, we hunkered down and got to work.
Since the Costa Rican border is closed to incoming foreigners until April 13, we are not currently accepting enrollments, but we will continue to assess referrals and continue application processes. When the border does open, we will have a plan for enrolling new students that will take into account the global health situation at that time (and our responsibilities to do our part) and will communicate that directly with all applying families and referral sources. But for now, we are committed to providing the best possible outcomes for our current families, our staff, and our program as we do our very best to weather the storm and turn lemons into lemonade. And, let's be honest, our lemonade here is pretty tasty!
Take care & stay healthy!
Dr. Heather Tracy, EdD
It is time for an update from NSA! Our parents have been receiving daily updates and weekly conference calls (as well as individualized calls) to process the situation, and they have been absolute troopers in making the tough decisions about whether to bring their sons home or leave them in Costa Rica to finish out the quarter as we shelter in place. Truth be told, we were conflicted about what to do, but we knew that if parents agreed, we could certainly shelter in place without losing our flow of academics, activities and therapeutic support. Almost all of our parents agreed, so here we are!
If you are curious about our decision-making processes and risk management protocols that we’ve been implementing since late February, feel free to reach out. We have back up plans in place and feel prepared for worst case scenarios, but we are optimistic and hoping for the best. Costa Rica took early preventative and precautionary measures and continues to implement policies that seem to be making a significant difference so far. We are proud of Costa Rica and our UN's representative's acknowledgment of our exceptional and innovative handling of the pandemic.
As for NSA, we are very proud of our team and how everyone came together to adapt and adjust to the “new normal” – from extra strict cleaning protocols (and additional cleaning staff and cooking staff in order to implement these protocols) …to inventing a whole new list of on campus activities. The students showed outstanding participation and ownership in building and setting up of all sorts of new on campus recreational activities like cornhole, frisbee golf, a horseshoe pit, a graffiti wall, bocce ball, ladder golf, etc. in addition to our already existing recreational options like basketball, ping pong, pool, etc.. It feels a bit like summer camp on the weekends and we’re grateful to be on 7 acres in a climate where we have plenty of space to be outdoors and active. At this point, boredom is a choice!
We understand that this is far from over. When the US issued a Level 4 Travel Advisory, we knew that we had a tough decision to make. We involved parents in the decision, and we found that almost all were more comfortable with their students staying here and continuing a healthy routine and progress towards graduation with therapeutic support, even if that meant not being able to fly home mid-May when the quarter ends. The various medical professionals in our parent group certainly helped confirm that decision. So with that collaborative decision made, we hunkered down and got to work.
Since the Costa Rican border is closed to incoming foreigners until April 13, we are not currently accepting enrollments, but we will continue to assess referrals and continue application processes. When the border does open, we will have a plan for enrolling new students that will take into account the global health situation at that time (and our responsibilities to do our part) and will communicate that directly with all applying families and referral sources. But for now, we are committed to providing the best possible outcomes for our current families, our staff, and our program as we do our very best to weather the storm and turn lemons into lemonade. And, let's be honest, our lemonade here is pretty tasty!
Take care & stay healthy!
Dr. Heather Tracy, EdD
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At New Summit Academy, we are putting in Herculean efforts to keep our students and community safe and to maintain student engagement.
Academic classes and therapeutic groups are running as normal (though we have added additional therapeutic “check-ins for our students!), and all members of our community have come together as a family to create more opportunities for fun activities on campus.
Some recent projects include:
Academic classes and therapeutic groups are running as normal (though we have added additional therapeutic “check-ins for our students!), and all members of our community have come together as a family to create more opportunities for fun activities on campus.
Some recent projects include:
- Organizing and holding basketball tournaments
- Building a “cornhole” set
- Constructing a graffiti wall for student artistic expression
- Building a “ladder golf” game
- Digging horseshoe pits
- Holding evening campfires (and making s’mores!)
- Creating Nature Art in Global Citizenship
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This spring has been an exciting time for our seniors! After months of hard work developing and honing their college lists, writing and editing essays, visiting and interviewing, and completing their applications (all while maintaining good grades), their hard work has paid off!
Here is a sample of just some of the schools that have offered admission to our talented seniors.
Here is a sample of just some of the schools that have offered admission to our talented seniors.
Our students are also proving that - through their journeys of learning and growth - they have developed into the types of students that colleges want on their campuses. The offers of merit scholarships are proof of that.
Our seniors have, up to this point (and we will surely see more), been offered a total of more than $800,000. Congratulations, seniors!
Our seniors have, up to this point (and we will surely see more), been offered a total of more than $800,000. Congratulations, seniors!
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Hello, everyone!
Our current parents have been receiving updates every couple of days about the precautions we've been taking on campus since February 28 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but we thought it might be time to update the larger community.
We are proud of how our staff & students have been collaborating to come up with "fun bubble" activities to keep us all engaged on the weekends while we continue our normal academic schedule. Marco Arce, our Medical Coordinator, has been a champ at communicating with students and overseeing that all protocols are being followed to ensure our health and safety. The rest of our staff has been positive, proactive, and collaborative in keeping a sense of normalcy to avoid panic while adapting and adjusting to any new situations and information to provide good risk management.
We are also proud of how Costa Rica reacted and responded swiftly and thoroughly to the first reported case on March 6. Because of Costa Rica's quick decisions to cancel large public events and authorize quick testing, only 41 cases have been confirmed and 615 have been discarded.
Because Costa Rica has been prioritizing prevention, the government today declared a national state of emergency. Although anyone may leave... as of Wednesday, March 18, only Costa Rican citizens and residents may enter Costa Rica through April 12. Therefore, we will not be enrolling any new students from March 18 - April 12.
We will continue our "epidemic protocols" which have been in place since February 28. Our next school break is not scheduled until May 14, so we will hunker down and keep up our academic schedule through then if all goes well. If things do not go well, then we have back up plans in place to address the various paths that this pandemic may require. We have been in with the Ministry of Health on a daily basis, have discussed our situation with the USA Embassy, and are stocked up with supplies as well. We do hope you know that the safety and health of our students and staff is our priority, and at this moment, it appears that "staying put" is our best course of action.
We will continue to keep you updated as to any significant developments in our little community as well as when we are free to enroll students again. For now, it's "school as usual" with modified recreational activities (which we've also been doing since Feb 28) to keep us within our little fun bubble to protect our community and prevent the spread of any illnesses. The students are handling it well and excited to use our "weekend rec" budget to implement some fun "leisure sports" areas on campus - like bocce ball, horseshoes, and some games I hadn't even heard of like "gaga ball"! They are being very collaborative and we are grateful that they are seeing this as an opportunity to actively engage to improve their community from the inside out!
Please reach out if you have any questions about our protocols. Otherwise, we will continue to communicate via email to our currently enrolled families every couple of days.
Thanks!
Dr. Heather Tracy, Ed.D.
Our current parents have been receiving updates every couple of days about the precautions we've been taking on campus since February 28 to prevent the spread of the coronavirus, but we thought it might be time to update the larger community.
We are proud of how our staff & students have been collaborating to come up with "fun bubble" activities to keep us all engaged on the weekends while we continue our normal academic schedule. Marco Arce, our Medical Coordinator, has been a champ at communicating with students and overseeing that all protocols are being followed to ensure our health and safety. The rest of our staff has been positive, proactive, and collaborative in keeping a sense of normalcy to avoid panic while adapting and adjusting to any new situations and information to provide good risk management.
We are also proud of how Costa Rica reacted and responded swiftly and thoroughly to the first reported case on March 6. Because of Costa Rica's quick decisions to cancel large public events and authorize quick testing, only 41 cases have been confirmed and 615 have been discarded.
Because Costa Rica has been prioritizing prevention, the government today declared a national state of emergency. Although anyone may leave... as of Wednesday, March 18, only Costa Rican citizens and residents may enter Costa Rica through April 12. Therefore, we will not be enrolling any new students from March 18 - April 12.
We will continue our "epidemic protocols" which have been in place since February 28. Our next school break is not scheduled until May 14, so we will hunker down and keep up our academic schedule through then if all goes well. If things do not go well, then we have back up plans in place to address the various paths that this pandemic may require. We have been in with the Ministry of Health on a daily basis, have discussed our situation with the USA Embassy, and are stocked up with supplies as well. We do hope you know that the safety and health of our students and staff is our priority, and at this moment, it appears that "staying put" is our best course of action.
We will continue to keep you updated as to any significant developments in our little community as well as when we are free to enroll students again. For now, it's "school as usual" with modified recreational activities (which we've also been doing since Feb 28) to keep us within our little fun bubble to protect our community and prevent the spread of any illnesses. The students are handling it well and excited to use our "weekend rec" budget to implement some fun "leisure sports" areas on campus - like bocce ball, horseshoes, and some games I hadn't even heard of like "gaga ball"! They are being very collaborative and we are grateful that they are seeing this as an opportunity to actively engage to improve their community from the inside out!
Please reach out if you have any questions about our protocols. Otherwise, we will continue to communicate via email to our currently enrolled families every couple of days.
Thanks!
Dr. Heather Tracy, Ed.D.
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Experiential learning, project and problem-based classes, rigorous standards, comprehensive student portfolios - there is no doubt that New Summit Academy’s Academic Program is college-prep.
But NSA is much more than college-prep; we prepare our students for life! Our students have struggled but developed the resilience to persevere. They have learned how they learn and how to advocate for themselves, have lived away from home in dorms (doing their own laundry and chores!) Our students have immersed in a different culture and language, have performed community service like no other, and have developed healthy coping mechanisms and re-connected with their families.
New Summit Academy graduates: PREPARED FOR LIFE!
But NSA is much more than college-prep; we prepare our students for life! Our students have struggled but developed the resilience to persevere. They have learned how they learn and how to advocate for themselves, have lived away from home in dorms (doing their own laundry and chores!) Our students have immersed in a different culture and language, have performed community service like no other, and have developed healthy coping mechanisms and re-connected with their families.
New Summit Academy graduates: PREPARED FOR LIFE!
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SUCCESS IN A TECHNOLOGICAL WORLD!
Today, February 7th, Heather Tracy, Ed.D. and Martin Naffziger, M.Ed. presented at the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) National Conference in Palm Springs, California.
The topic: Why we must and how we can better prepare young people to succeed in a technological world.
The presentation explored how to best guide students into developing "Intentional Moderation" so that the technological tools surrounding them are used to improve the quality of their lives and of those around them.
Today, February 7th, Heather Tracy, Ed.D. and Martin Naffziger, M.Ed. presented at the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP) National Conference in Palm Springs, California.
The topic: Why we must and how we can better prepare young people to succeed in a technological world.
The presentation explored how to best guide students into developing "Intentional Moderation" so that the technological tools surrounding them are used to improve the quality of their lives and of those around them.
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Hogar de Vida is an orphanage right down our street, but it's more than that. It's a place of hope and growth for everyone involved.
It doesn't matter whether you are a director, accountant, teacher, or student at NSA... you all share a common goal of spreading 'love' and 'joy.'
We asked some of our students and staff, "What makes Hogar de Vida so special?" ...and this is what some of them said.
"It's not about material possession, it’s not about who’s cool or not, it’s about connecting one-on-one with another human being who wants to be loved and accepted. Both our students and the little kids get that feeling from their interaction." - NSA Staff
"One big community working together towards a better cause - that's the beauty of Hogar de Vida!" - NSA Staff
"It makes me feel like a parent for a day. It's really cool to see their faces light up when they see us, and it's the same both ways, my face also lights up. I'm very happy when I go there." - NSA Student
"It was my first time going to an orphanage, people made it seem a lot harder than it was, I’m somewhat good with kids, but especially with my Hogar de Vida ‘son.’ A previous student had him before me, and no one really ‘wanted him’ - he would spit on me or climb up from behind, mess around... But it takes time. If you show them that you care and you want to be around them, even just the vibe of that, they will pick up on it. And he just became a whole new person - he comes up and grabs my hand; I'm now his best friend and he's mine." - NSA Student
"The experience as a whole - it not only helps me as a person but also them. They get to interact with people that are older and a positive influence on their life, which they might’ve not had in the past." - NSA Student
"They don’t think anyone besides the ‘tias’ would care for them. As some of us are young men, or getting to be there, it’s very positive for them to get and see positive 'male' examples, and we as students get to build our identity in a way too." - NSA Student
"For someone who struggles with comfortability around little kids, it’s honestly still pretty fun to see everyone having a fantastic time, and even if you aren’t a great fan of little kids, you can still help out. I still enjoy seeing them have fun." - NSA Student
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NSA’s innovative Global Citizenship certification program engages our students in the investigation of eight facets of what it means to be a Global Citizen, including Human Rights, Social Justice, Digital Citizenship, and, this week, Diversity.
Our Spanish teachers guided students in learning about the global refugee crisis, and NSA hosted two special guests: Costa Rica’s Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a United Nations Refugee Agent, who each discussed local and global refugee issues.
This engaging day is just one small part in New Summit Academy’s efforts to develop our students into Global Citizens.
Our Spanish teachers guided students in learning about the global refugee crisis, and NSA hosted two special guests: Costa Rica’s Director of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and a United Nations Refugee Agent, who each discussed local and global refugee issues.
This engaging day is just one small part in New Summit Academy’s efforts to develop our students into Global Citizens.
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Vianney is our Spanish Language teacher at New Summit Academy, which means so much more than working in the classroom (although she is an incredible classroom teacher as well!) Vianney has been a member of the NSA community since 2013, and alongside her teaching responsibilities, serves as a student Academic Advisor and takes great pride in providing our students with immersive experiences in the culture of Costa Rica.
She helps to prepare students for weekend cultural activities, takes part in our work with Hogar de Vida, and often accompanies our students to town to learn more about Atenas.
When asked what her favorite aspects of working at NSA are, Vianney responded “I really like to develop relationships with the kids and to learn about their culture and experiences. It is also really fun to see them in the process of learning Spanish and learning about my culture, especially when we dance to Latin music or cook typical food.”
Thank you, Vianney, for your passion and efforts in connecting our community to language and culture of Costa Rica!
She helps to prepare students for weekend cultural activities, takes part in our work with Hogar de Vida, and often accompanies our students to town to learn more about Atenas.
When asked what her favorite aspects of working at NSA are, Vianney responded “I really like to develop relationships with the kids and to learn about their culture and experiences. It is also really fun to see them in the process of learning Spanish and learning about my culture, especially when we dance to Latin music or cook typical food.”
Thank you, Vianney, for your passion and efforts in connecting our community to language and culture of Costa Rica!
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This holiday week, most of our students are spending Thanksgiving with their families. Those students spending the holiday with New Summit Academy have a week full of fun and celebration!
Activities include:
Happy Thanksgiving to all of our extended family at New Summit Academy!
Activities include:
- Go Karting
- Stand-Up Paddle Boarding
- Whitewater Rafting
- Hiking in the Cloud Forest
- Swimming and Surfing at the Beach
Happy Thanksgiving to all of our extended family at New Summit Academy!
