New Directions Academy featured at national forum

CHARLOTTE — Giving problem students “a new direction” has earned Dickson County’s New Directions Academy national attention.

Principal Johnny Gunn and a team of his teachers from the county’s alternative school will travel to Myrtle Beach, S.C., on Feb. 20 to address a national at-risk youth forum.

The students at New Directions Academy are heavily involved in service learning, which Gunn describes as “hands on learning.”

“We identify a need in the community or school and prepare to address that by tying it in to our curriculum,” Gunn said.

For example, currently students at the school are working on the Yellow Creek Stream project.

The students take samplings from the creek and identify the aquatic life in the sample. The project, according to Gunn, involves both the science and biology classes.

New Directions Academy averages 100 students including those in elementary, middle and high school.

Students usually spend one school year or nine months at the academy where they learn more acceptable ways of behaving and relating to other students and teachers.

The most common reason for landing a student at the academy is “persistent violation of school rules,” Gunn said.

Nine-year-old Aaron is beginning his second semester at the school, which he says he’s come to love.

“I use to jump around and call the teacher stupid,” the fourth-grader explains.

But Aaron says he doesn’t behave that way anymore.

“It’s a lot of hard work here. But the teachers are nice. They aren’t mean like in regular school. They don’t yell at you,” Aaron said.

“Students get a lot more one-on-one attention here. And nobody gets treated different,” said 18-year-old Heather, who is beginning her second year at New Directions.

“Being treated the same as everybody else,” that’s the biggest difference in the academy and regular school, echoes Aaron, who says he wants to stay at New Directions.

“Really, I want to stay here, but my mom says I need to get back in regular school,” Aaron adds.

One of his favorite things about the school is being able to earn “good time” so he can play in the gymnasium.

Heather also enjoys the academy.

Heather ended up at the school by not thinking before she spoke, something she says she doesn’t do anymore.

“I just always wanted to get in the last word. I’ve learned not to do that. I now have respect for myself and others,” Heather said.

“I use to sleep in class, skip school. I hated school because it was boring,” she said.

Her feelings about school have changed since coming to the alternative school.

Now she’s looking forward to graduating and going on to the Tennessee Technology Center at Dickson, where she’ll study cosmetology.

Aaron and Heather, according to Gunn, are prefect examples of what New Directions is all about.

The school uses a reward system to help bring about positive changes in behavior.

For example, some of the older students can earn the opportunity to drive to school or ride with another student.

“We have various rewards. They get more privileges as they increase to another level,” Gunn said.

The academy’s method of teaching has proven to be successful so far.

In the school’s 11-year history, Gunn said less than 15 students have been returned because of repeated bad behavior.

The creation of New Directions Academy was a “landmark decision” for the county’s school system, according to Director of Schools Charlie Daniel.

“We have children who had difficulties in regular school setting. But with New Directions these children get more individual attention. We feel like they do make progress in dealing with their problems. It’s been a very positive addition to our system. It gives them a new direction,” Daniel said.

“I know some of the students seem to dread it at first before they get there. But once they go it turns things around for them.”

Originally published Thursday, February 10, 2005