Academic & Career Readiness

The ultimate goal of any school is to prepare students for a life of independence and fulfillment. At NHA we make every effort to supply our students all of the tools necessary for them to pursue the life and dreams toward which they aspire. How is this made possible?

When does this preparation for a life of independence begin? It begins when the student first arrives at school. From the moment our students start their learning journey here, we do all we can to light the path toward that lofty goal. While instruction is individualized and differentiated, NHA follows the expectations of state standards; it covers the content areas of reading, writing, math, science, and social studies, but does so at an appropriate pace and level of understanding. Academics are a part of every student’s school day, regardless of  their ETR designation. We believe that every student is capable of learning irrespective of their unique ability. Those students who meet the academic standards prescribed by the state of Ohio will  graduate from NHA, and they receive a diploma that is recognized in the state as a valid and accredited document. Those who could not meet the full academic rigors of the state of Ohio will receive a Certificate of Completion by fulfilling OCALI extended standards. Either way, students are prepared to remain lifetime learners and will have an official document to verify that fact.

Should a student choose to attend trade school, community college, or a four year degree, that graduate will have received the necessary preparation to do so. In fact, several students have  taken advantage of College Credit Plus, which allows them to get college credits while still in high school.However, not all students have either the desire or the inclination to attend school once they graduate, and many people do not immediately discover their ultimate life path. With that in mind, we also integrate life and vocational skills into our instruction. Academics skills can still be covered while learning to cook, to build, to clean, to make a bed, to do laundry, and even to gain vocational work experience

In summary, our mission is not to prepare our students for life, because they are clearly living with courage and curiosity already; rather our goal is to prepare them for their life after school to be gainfully employed, either with support or competitively, to be as independent as possible, to live a life of independence and ultimately to live a  life of purpose.