Special Programs

Our pursuit of academic excellence revolves around a value-centered environment which promotes the intellectual, moral, spiritual and social growth of our students. The establishment of these values and the catalyst for this growth take place in the classroom, in the community, and in special programs such as these:

The Freshwoman Program

Designed to acclimate students to the high school experience and to ease the transition to SVA, the program uses a team teaching approach and focuses on academic skill development, interpersonal skills, self-knowledge and the development of independence and personal responsibility. An interdisciplinary exploration of themes helps students to integrate learning and provides a wide range of opportunities for experiential learning and the practice of skills. A major objective of the Freshwoman Program is the modification of student behavior. The program has a dramatic impact on students' understanding of appropriate school behavior and on their personal responsibility for learning. Daily mentoring reinforces the learning and helps to build trust between students and teachers.

Students-in-Community Program

Participation in the four-year Students-in-Community program, which is required for graduation, plays a critical role in shaping students' spirituality, career development and sense of social responsibility. The program affords students the opportunity to volunteer their time and skills at a wide range of Newark-area nonprofit organizations and schools, based upon their interests and plans for the future. The program plants the seeds of Christian service and social involvement, emphasizing our relationship with God and responsibility to others. At the same time, Students-in-Community helps students to clarify their own educational and career goals, to apply their intellect and skills to real-life political and social structures, to gain valuable on-the-job experience, and to strengthen their belief in themselves and in the possibilities of the future.