Noble Academy: From Kindergarten to College (and everything in between)
By Jennifer Aceves, Assistant Head of Lower Division/Director of Communications at Noble Academy
Do you have a bright child who is struggling in school? Is their current academic environment not the best fit for the way they learn? You may have heard that Noble Academy could be a fabulous resource for your family, but what is it exactly, that we do?
Many students come to Noble Academy for a few years to learn strategies and skills that will help them succeed in another educational setting. But have you ever thought of Noble Academy as a long-term solution for students with learning differences: a school of choice rather than just a school of academic need?
I had the pleasure of sitting down to talk with five of our seniors to get their perspective on their Noble Academy experience. The seniors are about to start their three-week internships and most of them have already secured their college plans for next year. Attending Noble Academy through graduation offered these students a variety of academic, social, and emotional benefits. (First two photos below are the students now and when two of these students were in third grade.)
Molly came to us in eleventh grade when support services at her school were reduced. When she arrived at Noble Academy, she was immediately accepted by her peers and appreciates her time here because “now I know how I learn. The teachers know effective ways to teach me, and I have learned study strategies that work for me that I can use next year in college.”
Hayden and Shawn both came to us in sixth grade from public school. Hayden appreciates the small class sizes and the relationships with his teachers. “I was really frustrated at my old school. I found that here it was really easy to stay after for extra help when I needed it; I probably wouldn’t have done that somewhere else.” Shawn discussed the learning expectations, saying that “at Noble Academy we are given analytical learning tasks to help us use and apply what we are learning. This allows me to think and enjoy, understand and participate, stay engaged, and get good grades because I am not bored by having to memorize unimportant details. I have really thrived here.”
Erin came to us in second grade from a public school environment that she could already tell wasn’t a good fit for her. She says that “it’s all about the teachers and their teaching style, they are able to match how they teach with how I learn. I’m in a classroom where I’m not lost in the crowd. I also appreciate Noble Academy’s flexibility to work with me and allow me to pursue other interests in my life.”
Becca commutes from Martinsville, Virginia and has been with us from third grade because she wasn’t able to find a school closer to her that met her academic needs. She also discussed many social and emotional benefits to attending Noble Academy for so many years. “There are no cliques at this school. At bigger schools, people segregate themselves into “like groups” and might not have many friends outside of that small circle. Here, you’re forced to interact with everyone and figure out how to get along with people who are different than you. That will really give us an advantage in college and in the real world.”
All of the students agreed that teacher and student support was extremely beneficial to their learning environment and self esteem. Becca stated, “we all have a common bond because of our learning differences, that’s why we’re here. Other kids don’t understand the frustration of knowing that you’re smart and capable but learning doesn’t come easily to us. We can do it, it just might take us a little longer, and people here get that.”
Our seniors leave us well prepared to tackle the increased expectations of college, and often come back to tell us how they applied the strategies and skills that they learned at Noble Academy. As I learned by speaking with this group, students don’t just receive academic benefits from attending school here, but also grow socially and emotionally as well.
The seniors were selected to help cut the ribbon when we opened our new building in January. With our new space, we are excited to be able to offer more resources to the community. Not only will we be able to increase the number of students who can attend our day program, but we also have plans to expand our curriculum, our summer programs, our tutoring services, and offer a wider variety of programs for parents and professionals who are looking for resources to support students with learning differences. Check out our website for our current community offerings this spring and our summer programs. We are also enrolling for the fall, so be sure to call for a tour if you’d like more information. *
Sponsored by:
Noble Academy
336-282-7044 x4648
3310 Horse Pen Creek Road
Greensboro, NC 27410
www.nobleknights.org
