PRESS RELEASE
GRADUATING CLASS OF 2019!
New Independence Academy Earns NCA CASI Accreditation
(Goldsboro, NC, March 8, 2019) – Director, Dr. Kelly Alves, announced today that New Independence Academy earned accreditation from the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), an accreditation division of AdvancED. This action was taken at the AdvancED Accreditation Commission meeting held on January 29, 2019.
NCA CASI provides nationally-recognized accreditation, the purpose of which is continuous school improvement focused on increasing student performance. To earn accreditation, schools must meet NCA CASI’s high standards, be evaluated by a team of professionals from outside the school and implement a continuous process of school improvement.
“Accreditation demonstrates to our students, parents and community that we are focused on raising student achievement, providing a safe and enriching learning environment, and maintaining an efficient and effective operation staffed by highly qualified educators,” stated Dr. Alves.
NCA CASI accreditation is recognized across state lines, which not only eases the transfer process as students move from accredited school to accredited school but also assures parents that the school is meeting nationally accepted standards for quality and successful professional practice.
Dr. Mark Elgart, President/CEO of AdvancED, the parent organization of NCA CASI, stated, “NCA CASI Accreditation is a rigorous process that focuses the entire school on the primary goal of creating lifelong learners. New Independence Academy is to be commended for engaging in this process and demonstrating a commitment to continuous improvement.”
Parents and interested community members can learn more about accreditation at www.advanc-ed.org.
For more information, contact:
Kelly Alves, 919-288-2429
About AdvancED and NCA CASI
Dedicated to advancing excellence in education through accreditation, research and professional services, AdvancED is the world’s largest education community, serving and engaging 30,000 public and private schools and school systems in more than 70 countries and serving over 16 million students. AdvancED is the parent organization of the North Central Association Commission on Accreditation and School Improvement (NCA CASI), Northwest Accreditation Commission (NWAC) and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Council on Accreditation and School Improvement (SACS CASI).
NCA CASI is a non-governmental, voluntary association of nearly 10,000 public and private elementary and secondary schools throughout the world.
New Independence Academy 2018 Company Report
Learn more about New Independence Academy with this 5-year summary report!
NIA’s Wonder Woman
August 2, 2018 The Board of Directors at New Independence Academy (NIA), a private K-12 school for children with high functioning autism in Goldsboro, is pleased to announce the school’s Program Director, Dr. Kelly Alves, Ed.D., has successfully completed her Doctoral Dissertation Fellowship in Curriculum and Instruction at Liberty University.
The Board, staff, students and families at NIA all see Dr. Alves as a true Wonder Woman. Her days are long and her commitment strong as she works tirelessly to ensure that the academic program, the physical environment, and the school’s culture are the best it can be so that each individual student can thrive socially and academically. She goes above and beyond any expectations and always delivers in staying true to the school’s core value to celebrate the abilities of AWETISM®.
Professional development for educators, gender differences in autism, and the benefits of action-based learning for individuals with autism are among her primary interests. Throughout her career, she has enjoyed working with many students on the spectrum. She understands that each student is a unique individual with unique needs, and education is not one-size-fits-all.
Dr. Alves is a Tennessee native, and she graduated from Tennessee Technological University with a B.S. Degree in Elementary Education. After spending the next several years working primarily with special needs students, she began working on and completed her Master of Education degree with a graduate certificate in Autism Education from Liberty University in 2015.
When she isn’t working or writing, she enjoys running, cycling, gardening and cooking. She has completed several 5K and 10K races as well as two half marathons and four triathlons. She has also competed in cyclocross races and participated in several charity bicycle rides. Dr. Alves asserts, “My greatest inspiration to push myself professionally, educationally, and personally comes from the students I have worked with over the years and my desire to improve circumstances for these students and others like them through education and acceptance.”
Please join us in congratulating Dr. Kelly Alves, Ed.D. in an outstanding accomplishment and in extending gratitude for her commitment to serve families touched by autism across Wayne and surrounding counties.
Written By: Tina T. Buck
New Independence Academy Has Moved to a New Location
August 2, 2018 New Independence Academy has moved to a new location. The school will move to 3016 Summit Rd, Goldsboro, NC 27534.
New Independence Academy Opens its Doors to the Region’s High Functioning Autistic Children
October 9, 2013 The Board of Directors announced today the opening of New Independence Academy (NIA), a school designed to serve the educational needs of the region’s children with high functioning autism. Initially serving K though 11, NIA will offer a full K-12 curriculum after receiving its accreditation following 2 years of operation. The school will be operated from the fellowship hall of the Rosewood Worship Center at 2103 O’berry Center Road, Goldsboro, NC 27530.
The school utilizes a digital curriculum for its core subjects, as high functioning autistic children tend to learn better with a learn-at-your-own-pace model with lots of individualized attention from teachers and their assistants. This digital model is coupled with a combination of life and social skills exercises all intended to help students develop into independent, successful adults.
The President of the NIA Board, Chris Buck, said “The time has come to offer these children a fair shot at getting a good education. The public schools, even with wonderful teachers and staff, don’t have the resources to give these kids the support they need. As a result, kids at all levels of the autism spectrum are grouped together, which doesn’t serve the interest of any of them, particularly the high functioning children with normal to above average IQ. Our intention is to be that safe, supportive option, and our goal is to prepare these kids for college and life as a contributing member of society in the future.”
New Independence Academy is a non-profit organization, established in 2013. New Independence Academy is committed to a policy of equal employment opportunity and does not discriminate in the terms, conditions, or privileges of employment on account of race, age, color, sex, national origin, physical or mental disability, or religion or otherwise as may be prohibited by federal and state law. Any employee, board member, volunteer or client who believes that s/he or any other affiliate of New Independence Academy has been discriminated against is strongly encouraged to report this concern promptly to the School Director and/or Board of Directors.