Educational
The primary purpose of New Life’s Educational Programs is to prepare students to return to public or private schools so that they may complete their courses of study and obtain a diploma. The student must be able to function in the classroom respecting peers and staff, and must handle tasks in a responsible and competent manner.
To accomplish these goals, New Life seeks to address problems of truancy, school phobia, disrespect, disruption, social dysfunction, responsibility avoidance, lack of credits, and academic depression. An educational plan is developed from an educational profile which indicates behavioral and academic needs and levels. Integral to this developmental plan is individual, group and family counseling.
Critical to the student’s success is the posture of the teacher—one of counselor, giving encouragement and clear direction, and one of disciplinarian motivating students and holding high expectations. Students are viewed as an individuals and every reasonable effort is made by the teacher to help them achieve their academic and behavioral goals. Small class sizes ranging from 8–13 allow teachers to give the necessary attention to the behavior and the academic performance of each student.
Academically, the student may make up or establish credits to be transferred back to their home school district. In the case of older students, they may complete their high school career at New Life and receive their diploma from their home school district. According to each student’s needs, additional preparation for employment is provided through the occupational skills training program and work-study opportunities.
Our School is a year-round private academic schools, fully licensed by the Pennsylvania Department of Education.
Therapeutic
The New Life Youth & Family Services, as a Christian organization combines various treatment approaches into an individual program for each young person and his/her family. New Life offers a variety of intervention and treatment programs including Residential Treatment Facility (RTF), Traditional Residential Program, Day Treatment/Alternative Education Program and Community Based Prevention/ Aftercare Programs. Treatment is individually focused and designed to meet the specific needs of each young person in our care and is practiced with an understanding of the young person’s family and home community. A multi-disciplinary team develops, implements and evaluates clinical treatment and education for each young person we serve. This intervention is active, directive and based on the assumption that all youths have talents, strengths and the capacity to grow and learn in a positive way. In addition, families are of critical importance to the success of treatment and, as a result, the young person’s family is included as an essential part of all decision-making and treatment planning. Particular emphasis in treatment is placed on assisting and encouraging each young person to develop and grow in his or her level of responsibility and accountability for their own behavior and attitude. Based on the systems theory, and using elements of Cognitive Therapy, Cognitive Reframing and Reality Therapy, professional staff consistently bring to each young person’s awareness his or her behavior that requires attention. This is done through developing or strengthening more positive behaviors, or through weakening or eliminating negative behaviors. Through these efforts and a variety of other activities, team members are dedicated to helping young people develop positive relationships, enhance their level of confidence, build self-esteem and better control and manage their behavior. Lastly, New Life Youth & Family Services strongly embrace the CASSP (Child Adolescent Service System Program) and BARJ (Balanced and Restorative Justice) principles as foundational in preparing all young people for safety, permanency and well-being.