our philosophy
Like our forebears, Crossroads and New Roads Schools, New Heights Preparatory School was founded upon five central commitments, originally set forth by NHPS co-founder, Dr. Paul F. Cummins. These five commitments, which constitute the pillars upon which our school community is built, are: to academic excellence; to the arts; to the greater community; to the development of a student population of social, economic, and racial diversity; and to the development of each student’s physical well being and full human potential.
Furthermore, we recognize that there are many kinds of intelligences and many kinds of learners. While the importance of the traditional verbal-linguistic and math-logic skills by which students have been historically assessed in schools cannot be understated, there are other important areas of human intelligence that have been either neglected or ignored. These other intelligences include intuition, imagination, artistic creativity, physical expression and performance, sensitivity to others and natural surroundings, as well as self-understanding. To dismiss any of these areas is to hinder students in the realization of their maximum human potential.
Academic Excellence
As our commitment to academic excellence suggests, students at New Heights Prep pursue a rigorous, college-preparatory curriculum, comprised of the classes required to gain admission into even the most selective colleges and universities. In every academic subject, New Heights Prep's high school graduation requirements meet or exceed those necessary to apply to four-year colleges and universities. However, at New Heights Prep, we see education as more than the mere accumulation of facts and scores on standardized tests. Furthermore, we do not equate academic rigor with some sort of race to see which school gives out the most hours of homework, and we particularly reject the idea that hours and hours of busy-work constitute a meaningful preparation for the demands of college and life. Rather, our classes ask students to think independently and creatively, to hone their analytical and rhetorical skills, and to consider the interconnectedness of all academic disciplines. More specifically, we consider the following skills to be essential for all graduates: to read well; to write and speak clearly and coherently; to demonstrate mathematical and scientific literacy; to study effectively; to reason soundly, and to question thoughtfully.
Our use of integrated courses in English and the Social Studies, as well as our focus on Environmental Studies, exemplifies this approach to learning. We believe that, in order to successfully address the numerous challenges posed by an ever-changing world, students must learn to address issues as they exist in the real world rather than from the narrower perspective of any one academic discipline. Moreover, experience has shown that, through connecting academic course work to real-world issues and dilemmas, we make education more meaningful and relevant to young people. Indeed, we see education as a joint venture among students, parents, and teachers. While students have a responsibility to put forth their best effort, parents and teachers have a responsibility to make the learning process a dynamic and engaging one. To be most effective, teachers and parents must become lifelong learners themselves.
The Arts
We believe that the arts are an essential part of any academic curriculum. The arts enrich our lives, and they activate senses and skills which are too often neglected by traditional educational systems. We feel that is critically important for students to express themselves creatively and use their imagination freely. Therefore, music, drama, visual arts, film, creative writing, and dance occupy a significant part of the New Heights Prep curriculum.
The Greater Community
We believe that it is the responsibility of every educated person to contribute towards the betterment of his or her community. As a part of our human development program, and connected to our Core/Humanities, Science, and Arts curricula, New Heights Prep students participate in community service projects intended to give something back to our surrounding community. In addition, student-led clubs and groups often take part in additional service projects relevant to their particular subject of interest.
Diversity
While New Heights Prep eschews the use of racially-based quotas and other contrived devices, we believe that it is imperative to prepare our students to be successful actors on the increasingly diverse and multi-cultural stage that is America. As such, we strive towards a school community that is reflective of the greater community of which we are a part -- Los Angeles. At the same time, we are committed to maintaining high standards, educationally as well as in our admission and hiring standards. Most importantly, we see these principles as complementary, as opposed to competing, ideals. As with any natural system, diversity promotes innovation as well as the overall health of a defined population of organisms.
Human Development and Health
Students at New Heights Prep participate in a comprehensive human development programs that addresses: physical fitness, nutrition, and overall health; issues of character and integrity; as well as academic and college counseling. Students in grades 6-10 take courses in Physical Education every other day, and no junk or processed foods may be sold on our campus. Students meet once a week in a Native American-inspired "council" to discuss issues like teasing, bullying, academic, and social pressures. All of our teachers and staff have been trained as "council" facilitators, and each member of our staff is assigned an "advisory", or small group of students over whom they take a special interest and serve as a first line of defense when "growing up" issues inevitably surface. College-counseling at New Heights Prep begins on the day students set foot on our campus, and we strive to promote a college-going culture on our campus. Teachers and parents are encouraged to begin discussions of college in middle school, in addition to the college-preparation provided within our academic curriculum. As students move through their high-school career, these discussions become more focused and frequent. In the 11th grade, students begin to work directly with a college counselor to develop a strategy for selecting and gaining admission to an appropriate college or university. While issues such as selectivity and institutional prestige are relevant within these discussions, a greater emphasis is placed on finding the right "fit" for the interests and aptitudes of the individual student.
